Broad beans Black!

I also noticed a few of my Broad Beans have turned Black! Looked on a few web sites and asked on GYO and it seems they may have been affected by the frost, hopefully they should be fine now

Very Wet!

We both went to the allotment today, have not been for a long time. We decided to put some guttering up on the shed to help rain water into the Water Butt and put some concrete slabs to make a pathway to the shed. Weather looked OK but the minute steve had placed the last item onto the guttering it started to rain and heavy! We still had to put the concreate slabs down which we got from Freecycle.

We managed to get the slabs down but we was both very wet. Hopefully the Water Butt will get loads of water today.

We decided to drive to the local farm shop and the rain got worse, when we returned home the roads where beginningto flood and the car was getting heavily splashed from the other side of the road.

Bench and Waterbutt

We managed to get a Bench and a water butt from freecycle. We where only picking up a bench from the person who responded to my advert for a bench but she also offered us a waterbutt when we arrived to pick up the item. She is leaving the country to live with her daughter so she is trying to get rid of loads of items. She didnt have to ask us twice!!! We drove off very happy people. The items now look very nice on the allotment. The only item we had to buy was a tap for the Water butt, which we have now fitted.

Also had to fix the shed window, the wind seemed to have smashed the plastic window and we had a nice big hole in the shed! all fixed now :-)



Picture of the Bench, Waterbutt and Steve with the new piece of plastic for the shed

What we have built

Well we have been very busy building on the allotment, all of the beds now have borders see picture below

Steve also noticed the Cabbage and broccoli need a bit more room, as they seem to coming through the chicken wire we had placed there earlier. We bought some garden netting and used a few bamboo sticks to make a tent to cover the Veg and give them plenty of room to grow.

We now just need to plan the other beds and make the paths for easy access.

We have a Shed!

As of Saturday Afternoon we have a shed on the allotment. woohoo!

This Shed is from out back garden, its a very old shed but its perfect for an allotment. We bought a new shed for the house. We thought it was silly having a old shed at home and a new one on the allotment. We had great fun getting down to the allotment in the car but we managed it. Luckily the Allotement is about a 5 minutes drive away from the house.

I then spent Sunday painting the shed to give it a bit of life! We had some old fence/shed paint left in one of the sheds when we moved into the house from the previous owner so it seemed just the job!

We haven't bothered to lock it as we been told if its not locked vandals will have a look inside, see nothing worth nicking and leave the shed alone ( hopefully)

Here is the shed

Warman's go to Theatre

One of my friends at work is part of a Theatre group which he does in his spare time. We was both off from work and decided to go along on Friday night, this would be there second night's performance. The group isThe Marlow Players and the play was 'Kindly leave the stage'.

The Play was going very well, but then it seemed the actors had lost the words and repeating themselves, I did start to worry BUT it was all part of the play!! It wasvery good and we have both decided we would go and see more plays. I think it takes a lot of guts to get up on stage and act in front of a lot of people and some of the audience are friends and family.

We have borders

We collected about 8 pallets on Friday so we had plenty of wood to make our borders. We done one border on Friday but we decided to finish them on Saturday as we need to cut some woodern pegs to keep the wood in the ground. We have an electric saw so it was easier to take the wood home and make the pegs at home with the electronic saw.

Looking at the weather this morning (heavy rain and thunder and lighting) we thought we would not make it to the allotment today BUT luckily the rain stopped, Steve cut the pegs and off we went to the allotment. Allotment was empty when we arrived but a few people turned up while we where there. I would actually describe it like the boots advert for sun cream when poeple rush out for a bit of sun and it doesn't last that long. It rains but the minute it stops everyone runs to the allootment to do a bit of work but due to the lack of light, it doesnt last long!

We managed to do all the borders which was good. Allotment looks a lot better now. We now need to plan future beds with the rest of the wood we have. Also we need to build a composter and leaf mulch composter.

Collecting pallets

We collected a few pallets from someone down the road. Put an advert on a web site called freecycle - excellent web site to get free stuff. The idea is to help recycle stuff and saves people travelling to the tip or throwing stuff away that people can use. We can highly recommend it BUT it not all about taking, you need to also offer items aswell.

The pallets are going to be used to put borders on our beds, it will help to make the plot look smarter and also keep soil of the paths.

We only managed to do one bed - the Strawberry bed but next week we will do more. Steve is bring some more tools to help with the cutting.

Next week we are collecting 12 from a local company so we will be very busy, luckily we now have roof bars on the car now, so that helps transporting the pallets to the allotment.

We are also going to use the pallets for making a composter. The wood used for pallets arfe very strong. Many people just throw them away or put them in there skips which take up loads of room. Dont forget, if you want to take one out of someone's skip you should ask first before you remove any items.

When we got home I decided to sort out my sunflowers in the front garden as the green bin is being collected tomorrow. I have kepted a few heads for the seeds to try and use them for growing sunflowers next year.

One of the sunflowers heads is Huge, the roots where huge and took ages to lift from the ground. One of my neighbours made a comment of, you've started the tree felling then!
I think my sunflowers have been a talking poing for the neighbours, the people I have spoken to all make comments on them, normally something like, you like sunflowers then!

Now I need to weed the front garden and plant a few plants to replace the sunflowers!

more photo's

Just a photo of the leeks - which are growing very well. Cant wait to eat them!

Broadbeans are doing very aswell.

view of the allotment

Managed to get the camera to work, here are some more photo's.

Photo of far end

Front End

Day for weeding!

Todays job was weeding - woohoo. Also a good excuse to wear my new boots. I will put a photo of my boots soon. I did get them for my birthday but they was to big so had to go and get a smaller size. They are fab, dont have to worry about the mud on my trainers.

I weeded the area we plan to plant the potatoes in the new year,also weeded the Spring Cabbage and Brocolli and added manure. Still a bit of digging to do in other areas to get the allotment ready for more planting fom Jan 07

It was a lovely morning to be at the allotment but I was surprised I was the only one at the allotment. Maybe most people's allotment dont need as much work as mine or they all come during the week.

Took some photo's with Steve's new Digital SLR aswell. For some reason I can only download this 2 photo's. These are photo's of the view from our allotment.

Its my birthday!

Yes its my birthday

No presents opened yet, but hoping for a nice pair of wellys.

Rugby London Wasps v Bath

We went to see London Wasps v Bath today. I t was a very good game, Wasps Won and it wasnt too cold. Finally score was Wasps 47 Bath 18. I bought Steve these tickets for our first wedding annervisary as he loves rugby. After we moved to High Wycombe we found out London Wasps play in High Wycombe and we can get a free bus from the local station which is about a 10 min walk. Which is fab. The only problem we found was the drop off and collectin point at the stadium is different. When we arrived we was dropped off outside a pub but when we went to the pub after the match not many people around and no buses. A few confused Australians and New Zealanders joined us. We then spotted a bus which went straight past the stop so we walked back towards the ground and found the right stop!!! woohoo. We was the last people on the bus but we mentioned to the driver a few people where standing at the wrong bus stop so he said he would stop for them and he did - what a nice man

Here is a picture of out view of the match. We had great seats to watch the game and also a great view of the surrounding area.

The view from the Allotment

I thought I would share the view from our allotment. Its lovely to look at while we are garderning or when we have a break.

I think the view is amazing and very relaxing.

Pictures of Onions

Here are the onions we planted with the help of car lights and headlights!

I do need to get some netting to stop the birds pulling them up when they do start growing.

Time for Tea!

As its getting a bit cold I thought it would be a good idea to take some tea to keep me warm It wasnt too cold outside but I was glad I had some tea as it was a good excuse for a rest :-)

Early Sunday Morning Visit

This morning I went to the allotment in my own. Got up at 8.15am and left the house about 9.30am. Steve was still in bed when I left. I wanted to get some work done on the allotment today but had to get up early as we have tcikets for a rugby game today, Wasps v Bath.

I mainly wanted to do a bit of weeding and tie up my broadbeans - got to the allotment and realised I forgot the the string. throught I might have to go back home but luckily two of my neighbours came to introduce themselves and I mentioned I needed to go home and get some string,luckily they had some in there shed so they very kindly gave me some string- woohooo.

I love meeting new people on the allotment. Everyone is very friendly and they give some excellent advice. As we are new to growing veg we take all advice we can.

It also seems one of the nearby overgrown allotments has been cleared by council so someone should be taken that plot soon. I do feel sorry for them taking on an allotment in November!!

These are the strawberries we planted. The two varieties are Florence and Alice. They seem to be liking there new plot. I think they where very squashed in the pots I used.

More Garlic

It seems I have gone mad on Garlic. Planted loads on the allotment and planted a few pots in the back but I still have some left over.

I do love Garlic but I think I have planted for atleast 6 months use I think!

Yes we are mad!

We planted the onions last night ( around 7.3opm)

We had head laps and the car lights to help us see what we was planting.

I need to go back very soon and tie up my broad beans. They are getting very long and starting to bend over.

Bargin of the week - The wheelbarrow

As Mentioned on Sunday we got a bargin from Wilkinsons - Wheelbarrow for £9.99



Here it is


My only fear is it might get nicked on the allotment!

Onions have arrived Today

Well they finally arrived this morning, now do I plan some night time gardening tonight or shall wait till the weekend?

Sunday morning Vist!!

We spent sunday morning down the allotment. Our onions that I bought from ebay have still not arrived but it gave me to time to sort out the area they will go into. Lucky the area have had carpet on it since about September so no weeds but still had to dig it to get rid of any bine weed. Also added some manure. I am hoping the onions will arrive this week, so I can plant next weekend

This is be digging the area for the onions. If you look at the bottom of the picture you can see the Bine weed!!! Loads of it.

We also decided to take the strawberries we had in pots down to the allotment and plant. As we are new we did not know the plants can last for about 4 years!!! When we took them out of the small pot we realised strawberries needs loads of room. If you grow strawberries in pots we would recommend planting them in large pots.

The carpet is now starting to be removed and three new beds have been created today - still keeping the carpet for paths but it finally seems we are getting somewhere with the allotment.

We also bought a few tools and a Wheelbarrow from Wilkinson, bargin price £9.99 for a wheelbarrow. They are selling all there garden gear half price. We will be taking that down to the allotment next week.

whats else to grow?

As you can imagine we are retricted on what we can plant. We want to try and grow as much as we can as we have a lot ground to cover and we have to show we are going to use the allotment. Some of the people on the allotment seem to get really upset when new people turn up for a few times and then they never come back. At first I was offended by this sterotype BUT I sometimes take time to walk around the other allotments and there are a few sites just full of rubbish and not much growing happening. Yes our allotment is mainly full of carpet BUT its only to keep the weeds away and hopefully when the growing season starts we will be using the carpet for paths.

I have been on the The Grapefine Forum http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/ to ask for advice on what to grow, I actually asked about onions as I found out there where some winter onions which we can grow. I have just order some electric and radar Onions from ebay. Hopefully should get them before the weekend so I can plant them at the weekend and move some of the carpet :-)

Time to Spread the Manure

We thought it would be a good idea to start placing the manure on the plot rather than it sititng on the side doing nothing. Steve had the hard job of sholving the manure in the wheelbarrow and then walking it down to the other end. I had the easy job of just spreading it. I did try it once but It was decided Steve did a better job then me.

The picture is Steve working hard while I chat to our neighbour. Well this was the first time we met so its important to get to know your allotment neighbours










This is my hard work!



We still have a bit more to move but we made a good dent in the pile.

I also planted some Peas and some more Garlic. I love Garlic. I grew some in my back garden ( Elephant Garlic) and they worked out really well.

Also picked 2 green pepers as they where ready to eat.

whats on the allotment?

Well we only have a few items growing as we got the allotment out of the growing season.

At the momment I have leeks which started life in my back garden. I went mad when I was sowing the leeks, I sowed the whole packet so i ended up with loads - I did not have the space so I gave them away on a recycle web site to give them away as I could not bring myself to throw them away. I sowed some in my back garden and some in my allotment - luckily we was giving the allotment when the leeks where big enough to be placed in the ground.


I also have peppers, my mum bought me a pepper plant which I have got about 4 peppers of the plant. I did have them in my garden in pots but decided to plant them on my allotment, its a bit late for them to be out but they seem to be doing all right. I might pick the bigger ones tomorrow

We also have broad beans,Cabbage and Broccoli, these are all new to us so we are trying to get loads of advice on them. Our neighbour recommend us to cover the cabbage and brocoli with some wire as the birds loves them and she lost some last year. They where growing great and then they was gone :-( I had a look at the cabbage when I took this photo and they are growing well.

A Quick Visit

Just had a quick drive to the Allotment to take a view photo's for this blog and also catch up with my neighbour who very kindly bought some manure for us. I've been trying to get hold of her to give her the money as I dont want her out of pocket. She was there and had a catch up,

This is a picture of the front view of the Allotment

This is the far View. As you can see there's not alot of Veg BUT this is due to the season. I ran around High Wycombe collecting old carpet to cover the plot as the weeds where growing like mad! Once we get more veg in we will use the carpet for paths.

Allotment 12a -

At the end of September we become proud owners of an Allotment in High Wycombe. We are very new to growing our own Veg so we thought it would be good to log our process, the joys and the tears!

We have been growing a small amount of Veg in our back garden, we managed to get a few potatoes, Garlic, Runner Beans and peppers. The onions got eaten, the tomatoes we left outside for too long and the Carrots didn't really grow.

We still have leeks and Butternet squash growing in our back garden. Not sure if the Butternut will work out but we will have to see. We have great hopes for the Leeks

We hope with the allotment we will learn more knowledge and more things to eat.

The Warmans