New to this malarky

[Grumpy Git]

I now have an allotment that I have weeded and dug over I've found aches where I didn't know I had places!
I'm now at the interesting stage where I want to plant as much as I can, but realise that as this is my first season at this gardening malarky, that I shouldn't go mental and try to do too much.
I would like some advice about fertilisers. I haven't got a supply of manure yet, nor rotted manure. So will Growmore/bone/blood/fish meal do me okay for my first year?

Also as i have two young and willing helpers, what would you suggest they plant on their plot.  I want them to actually see the stuff grow.

[Grumpy Git]

[tim]

Now you're here, you won't be grumpy much longer?

You don't have to have fertilisers - but they do help. If you lean toward organics, then BF&B is great. Read the instrustions. And don't go mad & overdo it! Manure is a different kettle of fish - giving the soil heart as opposed to oomph. But even more important, I reckon. = Tim

[Mrs Ava]

For the young and willing helpers, sunflowers are great along with pumpkins.  My kids loved watching them grow as you can see the growth rate every visit!  Peas, quick to grow and yummy to eat straight from the plants, radish are quick also.  Salad leaves are pretty quick to grow, and edible on the plot, ooo, and just remembered, sweetcorn!  Altho it takes time to mature, the kids had a blast gathering the cobs then dashing home to eat them with lots of butter!

[djbrenton]

You might want to try unusual varieties to amuse/ interest the children. Sweetcorn comes in rainbow varieties, carrots in purple and Easter Egg radish comes in a random array of colours.

[Lady Cosmos]

I should try to get some manure now and leave it in a corner of your plot to use  next year . --  For the little ones on their own part of the plot I suggest carrots, sweetcorn and some spinach put in a half shady spot and given a lot of water. They can eat all those veggies straight from the land. ;D ;D

[Lady Cosmos]

And don't forget some strawberries......... ::)

[GardnerJ]

my eldest (5) loves growing her own potatoes! we do them in large containers, she digs them up, picks some mint and helps cook the aswell! her favourite part it slathering them with butter afterwards! hse would never forgive me if we didn't have strawberries! Tomatoes are good there some good bush varieties about like totem and red alert, i am trying those this year.

[philcooper]

Welcome GG, but has been suggested above, perhaps you can now become just The Git  ;D

You'r dead right on making sure that the kid's things should be seen to grow, so the quick ones are the way to go

On veg, salads such as radish, lettuce - anything in the books that is listed under "catch crop" will mature quickly.

Peas take a bit longer but kids do seem to like fresh peas - eaten on the plot - the short varieties are quickest but if you have the time a tall one such as Alderman grown up canes (6') like runner beans or on a net over the canes produce for a long time.

Things that can't fail are also good so try big seeded veg such as french or runner beans. The climbing runner beans are more attractive to kids as they can see a huge plant from one seed (like the sunflowers). Similarly onion sets - if they don't dislike onions are good as they rarely fail

If you can guarantee to keep them well watered, giant pumkins also work on the big results from a single seed principle - I worked with my local nursery school last year and pumpkins were a favourite. The kids had to be stopped overwatering them!

Good luck

Phil

[ina]

What about courgettes? Once they are going you can see new ones coming out almost every day. If you haven't been to the lottie for a few days, what joy to find some ready to harvest that weren't there last time.

[Sarah-b]

My children love picking raspberries and pulling up onions - as well as most of the other things mentioned above.
They also stand for ages picking fennel leaves and munching them.
Depending on the age and inclination of your children, keeping them happy whilst at the plot may be your biggest challenge - and I have found that the "pick it and eat it right now" stuff keeps them amused and leaves me able to actually do something.
What I will say is that we have noticed a remarkable turnaround in their attitude to cabbage and sprouts - ie: they wouldn't go near them until we had grown and picked them from the plot - and now they often shovel it in nicely. And I don't know what primal instinct is at work, but it is one of my greatest pleasures to see my children eating their greens up.

sb

[abarton6]

This is inspirational to me, SB.

One of the main reasons in getting a plot was so that my daughter would have fun, grow some stuff and hopefully eat some of it.

She is 5 and the only veg she eats at the moment is baked beans. Or secret carrots which is when they are hidden inside mash potato. She is better with fruit and loves strawberries.

As for amusement on the plot - I am taking up a mini picnic table for her and a tent which she can use until we build her den. She has done a drawing of what she wants - its a cross between the teletubbies house and a hobbit house. We have a 80ft x 30 ft plot and will only be using about a third or a quarter this year so we have lots of room for her to build in.

AL

What I will say is that we have noticed a remarkable turnaround in their attitude to cabbage and sprouts - ie: they wouldn't go near them until we had grown and picked them from the plot - and now they often shovel it in nicely. And I don't know what primal instinct is at work, but it is one of my greatest pleasures to see my children eating their greens up.

sb

[Grumpy Git]

Thanks Guys n Gals.  I'll take on board your recommendations.
I do have on the allotment some fruit bushes, that I think are gooseberries (thorns), raspberries (canes) and currants, well I think that's what they are they look similar to ones in the garden centre.  I think I'll prune them all back now and see what happens.  I also have a load of strawberries, that seem to have become triffid like in that they've spread over a large patch. The person who had the lottie before me had set aside an area for fruit which divides the plot up nicely.  Should I do owt with these bushes and strawberries ?

As far as getting the kids to eat the produce.... well if it can go on a pizza it'll; be okay !!!  grrrr  I'll remain grumpy until they eat the stuff.

Out with anger in with love

[TULIP-23]

Grumpy Git
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Now Im new here too. Just Enjoy yourself.

I dont know what I will produce this years but with all the great Help and Advise here on A4A you cant go wrong.

So you see you dont have to stay grumpy and you have two great little helpers

Good Luck this year and an Bumper Crop to you and the Helpers.

Greetings  Take care Tulip-23  Mike

PS  KEEP SMILING THEN THE GRUMPS GO AWAY. ;D ;D ;D

[adrianhumph]

Hi grumpy Git, :D
                           I hope you enjoy your new plot, Hold back with those secatuers, your fruit bushes all need different pruning techniques. Are your raspberries summer or autumn fruiting ??? If you are not sure try & ask other plot holders as they may be able to tell you, they have different pruning needs. Are your currants black or red ??? they also have two different methods of pruning ,once again ask a fellow plot holder.
                                                                      Good luck
                                                                      Adrian.

[Grumpy Git]

I've no idea if I have summer or autumn fruiting raspberries.  Would you suggest just leaving them this year and seeing what happens?

[adrianhumph]

Hi Grumpy Git :D
                           The summer fruiting canes tend to be taller (about 6 feet), if you have canes this tall then they may well be summer fruiting, therefore these are not cut down as they will bear fruit this year. If you cut them down no fruit :'(  The Autumn fruiting canes are usually only about 4 foot tall, these should be cut down now to the ground and new canes will start to grow very soon from below ground that will fruit from August onwards. If you look closely at the ground you may already start to see the new canes emerging. I would suggest no immediate action until you can find out which type you have. I inherited some autumn fruiting canes on my plot last year & did not cut the old canes down until early May, I still had a bumper crop in August ;D

                                                                     Adrian.

[Grumpy Git]

I reckon they must be autumn producers as they are about 3feet high.  I think I'll have a go at pruning, if I get something it'll be a bonus.

Thanx