I bumped into an old mate today who I haven't seen for about 5 years. When he asked what I was doing today, I proceeded to explain in very great detail what I was doing on my plot, what I've planted already and what I still have to go in. I even managed an explanation of successional planting and crop rotation.
It's no good, I'm well and truly addicted. I think I need to start a self help group (although I think "AA" has already been taken ).
Anyway folks, it's no good. I have to say this. My name's Fat Andy......and I'm an allotment bore
I'm still fairly new to this allotment lark so I'm very enthusiastic. It's become my passion - I just love growing things to eat. Fortunately Mrs FA & the little FA's also enjoy the lottie so it's a family thing, otherwise Mrs FA would be in danger of becoming an allotment widow
I too am an addict! I've been living with it for the last ten years. It seems to be one of those addictions that gets you very quickly - almost overnight you can go from being a 'normal' person, whose daily life might include a bit of gardening, to someone who thinks of little else, who starts to watch out for allotments from trains, who can't walk past a shop that has the odd gardening implement outside without going in to look (and usually buy!). But I don't need to tell you!
I knew from the start that I was hooked, but only realised how badly when we moved abroad for a few months. I knew I would have to come back to England because every night I was dreaming about allotments and waking up in a panic because I had dreampt that someone else was using my allotment. Spookily, this was exactly what was happening - I got back just in time to reclaim my plot from someone who had decided they wanted mine, with its shed and everything!
Some people do seem to be able to participate in moderation, but they are the minority. For many of us, one bit of allotment leads to another, and so on, until we don't know when to stop.
Then there are the 'binge' allotmenteers: they only appear once or twice a year, really overdo things, and can't face it again for ages. They know in their heart that it isn't for them, but they can't bring themselves to give it up. Some of them do end up losing the plot.
But don't worry - although this addiction isn't easily cured, most of its sufferers learn to live with it, and lead relatively normal lives. I think I am getting towards this stage myself now, although I still get excited when I see an allotment site from the train or car !
Good luck Caz
Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education. Mark Twain
Morning OH. you said you were working today at the Rectory don't the parson/vicar give you a day off it being a religous day Good Friday?. Its wet here in the West Midlands. Bren.
hi all, suffering withdrawal as we went down the plot this morning ,we're only able to cut some purple sprouting for lunch and then were driven home by heavy rain.Competitive Ted(our lottie neighbour)took great delight in telling me his aspaagus is up..our's isn't!but i got him back some of our spuds are showing.Not to be put off he tutted and reminded me about late frosts are well there's always tomorrow
Dear Bren, it's only a Rectory by name now, but it has a wonderful garden, and the couple i work for are the nicest people you could ever wish to meet, very much the same as yourself.
They do appreciate me going in today, because if i didn't, they would have to wait until next Friday. But it's a real pleasure.
Caz, I know exactly what you mean and now I can't recall what I did with my time before I had an allotment.
Raining today so spent a good bit of time in the greenhouse but have also been moping around wanting to get out there. The rain is a real blessing though as the ground was so dry and we've had heavy rain followed by constant drizzle for hours now. Last week I had to water the ground before I could get the weeds out!
Good forecast for tomorrow, so I'll be packed up and ready to go just after dawn
Chantal
I know this corner of the earth, it smiles for me...
Our site is only very small, with eight allotments, completely surrounded by fields and well away from the village, so I rarely see anybody else working there, other than my beloved who mows all the grass paths and also scythes the grass around the cricket field nearby. Our one diversion from gardening is a heritage railway which goes past regularly, particularly on "Thomas the Tank engine" weekends! And we always wave to the train, like true yokels! Caught up with home gardening today, like sowing most of the brassicas in roottrainers, also the first half-hardy flowers (French marigold for companion planting, cosmos and cutting asters) and lots of night-scented stock for the greenhouse. Also sowed some cut-and-come-again salad leaves under cloches in the garden. Tomorrow, with the forecast for good weather, it's the the turn of the allotment: going to plant the first fancy potatoes (just 5 each of Charlotte, Rocket, Vivaldi and Pink Fir apple) under fleece, the bulk will be planted later. Will also plant out beetroot and onions (both sown in roottrainers) under fleece. And will mark out all the broad bean, pea and brassica beds.
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