Allotment / Gardening Chat and Advice 2020 Thread

This query is about indoor growing. Does anyone has a solution for dealing with an infestation of tiny flies in compost I have used to re-pot a big house plant? (Fly paper?) I guess these are the flies I call “fruit flies” because they look like the kind you see taking an interest in a fruit bowl containing over-ripe fruit.

I had a similar problem a few years ago with some orchid compost I’d bought from a garden centre and within days of re-potting several of my orchids I had loads of tiny flies all over the flat. I contacted the company who had made the compost and they sent me a packet of several sheets of bright yellow sticky cards, with a small hole at one end to go over a stake which then was placed in various pots around the flat. The flies are attracted to the colour yellow and then get stuck on the sticky stuff! It took a couple of weeks but did work. I can’t remember what these yellow cards were called but found lots of similar things on ebay and Amazon by googling for “yellow sticky card for flies”! However you may be able to get them in Shannons - our local garden centre on Stanstead Road…

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A bit if colour from the allotment - french beans, peppers, tomatoes, onions, garlic, courgettes, cucumber, plums.

In all honesty my onions and garlic were a bit of a disaster, lost a lot to white rot and some if the onions hardly grew (not sure I watered them enough).

Used my last lot of ‘Spanish’ peas so decided to try and save seed from most of that crop, hopefully they will be good:

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Has anyone grown ginger? I had some in the kitchen which started sprouting, so I planted it. Seems to be growing, but very slowly. [problem uploading picture]

I always struggle with growing leafy greens in the garden - every creature wants a piece of it or wants to dig it up. I’m going to try New Zealand Spinach which apparently is resilient. It’s a bit late in the season, but I’m going to do it anyway. I’ve bought seed from a company I haven’t used before. They recommend keeping seeds in the fridge - does anyone here do that?

Thanks Chris, macabre but effective …

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Pleased you managed to get some and they’re working!

Hello,
I was wondering if someone of you know someone who has a garden to share.
I’m growing vegetables and flowers on my balcony, but there is not enough space to plant all year long for different seasons.

So what I’m looking for is a green space, where the owner allows me to grow vegetables in exchange for a part of the produce. Ideally should be accessible through a gate and not the house, others sun hours, and has a way of collecting water or other ways of watering.

If you know someone please let me know, super keen to start some urban farming.

Thank you
Kevin

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Have you tried getting on a waiting list for a plot?

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@Foresthillnick do you know how I can join the waiting list for Barriedale Allotments? Many thanks

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I do!
Ill PM you as we tend to keep it quiet - it’s a small private site and there is a waiting list…

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The plots around me have a queue of around 3 to 8 years, at least looking at the Lewisham website.
I’m living between on a border between Lewisham and Southwark and being a resident of Lewisham crosses a lot of Southwark allotments out, like one tree hill.

Tending for another’s garden is a win/win for both, and maybe a faster option to have access to a green space.

Anyone had success with getting a match through https://www.lendandtend.com ?

Hi Kevin - good luck finding a garden, it would certainly be a win win though perhaps in covd times people without a side entrance might be more nervous of this?

With regards to allotments, I am sure there were some in Dulwich you could apply to that seemed better than Lewisham- I ended up in Bromley just past Bell Green and it’s been great. Huge site which had just under a year on the waiting (imagine it’s gone up now). Well worth putting your name down either way for some near you, you can always come off. I similarly gave up with Lewisham (still on the lists I believe) as they did seem long but not sure how well moving people on is being down via the council - I think the dedicated position is no longer there.

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FYI: there’s a Kickstarter for a photobook taken on local allotments. It’s not for profit, proceeds go to the Trussell Trust which supports our local Lewisham Foodbank

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Hi @Foresthillnick, I would like to put me on the Barriedale Allotments waiting list as well, if that is possible. Many thanks.

I live in Portugal now
I’ll dig the email out la

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Look what I found in the garden. Yes, it’s November…

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Weirdly we had 3 poppies bloom yesterday.

It’s so mild nowdays some seasons are extending I think - hope it tasted good!

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This thread will now close - new 2021 thread here.

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