hi from Cumbria

[alchemy0]

Hi all,

I'm in Cumbria and I've just started sharing an allotment with a friend (only have a very small yard apart from that and my dog eats anything green left out there, including the conifer and rose from the previous occupants!)

Just ambling through the trials and tribulations (and realisations that seedlings are actually a lot harder to raise than I thought, especially battling against 3 cats and a 1 year old who really doesn't think that soil belongs in pots and looks better on the floor)

Looking forward to learning more and keep dreaming about the couple of acres that I know will be mine one day......

Claire

[Millymollymandy]

Hi Claire and welcome to Self Suffish!

[Wombat]

G'day Claire,

Welcome to the site!

Lots of luck with the large pests of seedlings, if you can keep them out it is not too hard to raise your own.

Nev

[alchemy0]

Thank you. There's so much info on this site I don't know where I'm going to start!

Just looking into Kefir at the moment (I was considering yoghurt making but this looks like more fun!)

Ah well, back to tending my veggies and making a giant paper mache natterjack (don't ask! lol)

Claire

[Andy Hamilton]

Hi there and welcome to the forum.

I planted out a chinese lantern that I had grown from seed to a little area in the back of my garden, the only actual earth in my garden. The local cats seem to be queing up to use it as a litter tray and it has died. So good luck.

[alchemy0]

Hi Andy,

I have the slight advantage that the 3 cats are mine but they are lazy, indoor cats so they don't hassle anyone elses seedlings (they do enjoy running through seed trays and chewing on anything green and leaflike that they come across though )

Can't wait until my daughter is old enough to help (or at least old enough to understand not to dump compost on the floor or eat stones )

Claire

[Andy Hamilton]

(or at least old enough to understand not to dump compost on the floor or eat stones )

Claire

I can picture that

[Shirley]

Hi Claire

Great to meet you - will be driving through your neck of the woods tomorrow on my way back up north to sunny Scotland.

Completely understand the cat thing... and the toddler thing, although mine is past the stone eating stage.... he's 3... and is now at the 'but I'm only copying daddy" stage.... ie digging where he shouldn't.... pricking out seedlings that don't need pricking out yet..... and watering the plants... nooooo giving them their own personal swimming pool lol.... ahhh but he's learning, and if the seedlings do survive they'll probably need less in the way of hardening off as they will be tough little blighters

[glenniedragon]

Hello there Claire! I have young offspring and an allotment- mine is the same age as Shirlz's young 'un, he was helping me put out my carefully nurtured young sweetcorn plants the other day and as I was finishing the last row I looked across at Maximus (who had been quiet which I should have taken as a warning) to see him trample the last one of the first row to to bits! not a happy mummy! I don't think the NSPCC would look favourably on a stake and chain arrangement like for tethered grazing but I can see the benefits!

Kind thoughts and welcome
Deb

[circlecross]

I've just seen that you are form Cumbria - hello! So am I!

I also have a "helper", he is nearly two, and has stopped eating the stones, just presents me with them now.

I don't have to worry about cats, but I do have some neighbours' townie kids, who obviously have never gardened before and keep coming to "help" aswell. I should have a lovely array of "wallflowers" from the amount of stone "seeds" they keeping planting. Even sending them home filthy, soaked and school uniform in a state doesn't work - I am the new baby sitter.

so hello fellow warrior!

Susan

[Millie]

Hello!

[alchemy0]

Thanks for the welcome

Sorry for the delay in replying, I forget how busy summer gets between the house, allotment and events programme that I run it all gets a bit hectic!

My 'little helper' has now discovered the joy of watering cans and consistantly drenches herself each time we go to the allotment (at least now I know to take a complete change of clothes) the new game being dunking her sunhat in the watering can then in the soil and back to the watering can, she seems to enjoy it!

I've just seen that you are form Cumbria - hello! So am I!

Hi I'm in the south (worlds longest cul-de-sac I think we're know as! I have a few other names but there we go)

I don't have to worry about cats, but I do have some neighbours' townie kids, who obviously have never gardened before and keep coming to "help" aswell. I should have a lovely array of "wallflowers" from the amount of stone "seeds" they keeping planting. Even sending them home filthy, soaked and school uniform in a state doesn't work - I am the new baby sitter.

It's a problem, I always feel guilty trying to get rid of local 'helpers' a lot of them don't have much to do at home, or are bored etc. but at the same time I find them intensely irritating (impatient, moi!?!?) It's a problem, we get the odd stone seed planted through our greenhouse

Trying to find out what's eating my aubergine now, so I'm off to the appropriate forum

Claire