[goosepimple]

We're going to get our polytunnel back up (snow 2 years ago) and convert the second one to a fruit tunnel by using mesh instead of plastic.  Then a few raised beds to be constructed somewhere, but we're not in a rush to plant stuff, getting the structures all in place will be hard enough work. 

[Lesley Silvester]

Brilliant idea though.

[suziequeue]

Allotments:

I'm going to plough on regardless and plant all the things I want to plant outside in our newly rabbit-proof fenced allotments in the middle field. I have worked out when I need to start seedlings and have a month by month plan which I have transcribed to the calendar. When we designed the house I ensured that all the sunny side window sills are extra wide so I can put lots of seedling trays on them.

Polytunnel

No great change - just consolidating on all the things we learnt last year:

Limit companion planting to marigolds, a couple of nasturtiums and plenty of basil
Start everything a little earlier
Cucumbers - watch out for nitrogen deficiency and manage promptly, trellis them properly, not overcrowding
Toms - nothing new except change variety this year
Peppers and aubergines - start earlier, harvest promptly, hope for Mediterranean conditions in the tunnel

Compost LOADS and get a HUGE heap going. I usually have about 2-3 cubic metres by the end of the summer and would like to try and double this. Usually I don't have enough brown to keep up with the green once DH starts mowing but we've done a lot of hedge-laying this winter and chipped the brash so I could add in wood chips which will have had 4-6 months composting on their own by the time I put them on the heap. That's a possibility......

[Lesley Silvester]

If you want any part-rotted manure, I have LOADS of the stuff.

[Mel Rice]

Ive started to think about the growing season esp. as at the moment we have very spring like weather (very like an English winter) I KNOW we will get a cold spell , probably/hopefully with lots of snow this month and the next and then it will be
Too cold...tooo cold...tooo cold...OOps why havnt you got plants in or ready?
 Last year we had a lovely March and not bad April, which followed the freezing Jan and Feb. I must find somewhere I can start plants off so they are ready if we do get an early start!!!

[HesterF]

Mel, in Switzerland (I imagine a similar climate to yours - you're in Germany, aren't you?) they generally reckoned you couldn't plant anything that was frost sensitive out before early May (can't remember the exact date, it had something to do with several witches) so that's when all the geraniums appeared on the balconies in the lowlands at least. I planted out a load of pumpkin, squash, melon and courgette plants in mid-April one year because we were going away and I'd been growing them indoors. Big mistake. Lost virtually all of them. So don't start growing things inside too early otherwise they'll be desperate for more space before you can give it....that's my experience anyway.

H

[doganjo]

I'm still hoping for help to put up my polytunnel in time to be used in Spring.

[ellied]

My 2012 was a complete washout. The late frosts and early/persistent rain killed off the blossoms of the trees in the orchard so I had no apples, plums or damsons for the first time in years - only the crabapple produced and I have no use for those - sods law 

As for veg beds, I think without a polytunnel I will always struggle - my beds aren't raised and got overgrown with creeping buttercup over half of them, the brassicas got chewed to lace by June and even the spinach and salads were poor crops.  I had about a dozen tomatoes in all and they didn't fruit til September which is ridiculous and it took a month to ripen all the green ones after the plants had long gone.  I think I had a couple of bags of new potatoes but I don't give up a bed to grow maincrops - I put in a few onions and a box of carrots but what I yearn for is broccoli, kale, beetroot, spinach and courgettes and I got nothing, every plant wilted and drowned

I had a year off runner beans as they were too prolific the last few years and I had a freezer box just of beans left.  So I reckon I'll put in a couple of stands of beans this year, try the things I love all over again and focus on salad leaves, herbs etc that I use most and cost more than a sack of tatties or horse carrots   I don't think I have the heart to plant up that much this year as I may end up having to sell/rent the place out but I do want to get the beds weeded and looking like something nice is growing either way


 

[goosepimple]

Tragic isn't it, really tragic, and everyone's hard work too.  It's going to take a really brilliant summer to restore everyone's faith in growing I think.

[Lesley Silvester]

It is depressing.  What hope is there of a decent summer this year?

[doganjo]

and now we're in a triple dip recession for goodness sake!  Thank goodness for my pensions, I am protected forthe moment, but once everything starts to improve I'll be left behind - probably in the gutter with only a cardboard box and my dogs. .

Give me a shout Ellie - I'll come over and help you plant up.

[Mel Rice]

HesterF....They have 'Witch burning' here on the last day of April.....Its like bonfire night without the fireworks. There are loads of fires (huge ones) all over the village (you need to apply and pay towards the firemen! German rules and regs) Its great fun you either choose a fire and sit AND DRINK round that or wander from fire to fire chatting and DRINKING.

[MAK]

I spent the afternoon turning some rows and lengthening them becuase i need to plant more potatoes nearer the stream. Last year I could not water them as they were too far from water and the dry weather meant a disapointing crop. Like Mel in Germany we can expect a very cold snap then an early mild spring. I won't rush though as our growing season ends rather late so there is plenty of time to sow direct or transplant.   

[sandalfarm]

This is a great thread! I just posted my own query and now I've read this.
I wish I had room for the polytunnel because it makes everything possible. At sandalfarm, we were at 1000ft and it was just too windy. I have kept one of my frames ready for when the land comes available (maybe allotments for Grantown!).
Growing vegetables is essential for any smallholder, even if it's only kale and parsnips.

[HesterF]

Mel - only just noticed your reply on this. We used to celebrate that in Sweden too - Walpurgis in English, I think. But this Swiss one was later, not actually celebrated just a date to link your geranium balcony planting to (about the second weekend in May).

H