Hello everyone I am back after 4 years

[Crystalmoon]

Just wanted to say a big hello to everyone. I had to give up my allotment 4 years ago when I moved home. I'm not a driver & ill health made it impossible for me to keep it on. I have tried growing veg in raised beds in my North facing tiny back garden but it has been a real struggle. My health has now improved enough that I have been able to take on a new allotment a 5 minute walk from my home in Ashford Kent. I am so happy to have an allotment again I have missed having one so very much. I will still have to use raised beds for most of my veg growing (terrible arthritis in knees) but I will also be planting raspberry canes, gooseberries, blackberries, strawberries & some spuds. I got married last Summer so now have a strong husband to help me set up the lotty. Happy days! Not sure if anyone will remember me from 4 years ago....a big wave to anyone who does xxxxx 

[Crystalmoon]

[BarriedaleNick]

Hi ya! Great to see you back and so glad you have been able to return to gardening again.   Were you on the waiting list for long?

[Crystalmoon]

Hello Nick, I put my name on the waiting list 4 years ago the same day I handed my keys back for my old plot. I'm so chuffed it only took 4 years to get a new one.....I had to wait nearly 13 years for my first plot as it was on a very small site within walking distance from home. Being a non driver does make the wait longer as I need a plot very close to home as walking isn't always easy for me. The new plot is on a much bigger site. I am really looking forward to being on a busier site as at my old plot I rarely ever saw anyone else. xxx   

[SMP1704]

Hi Crystalmoon, lovely to see you posting again.  Good luck with the new plot - is there much work to be done?

[galina]

Welcome back from me also.  Let's hope for a really good gardening summer and lots of health and energy for your new plot. 

[Crystalmoon]

Hi Galina & Sharon. The plot is pretty clean not like the wild wilderness I got when I took on my original plot! The new plot seems to be about a foot lower than all the others on the site so I do wonder what has happened to all that soil??? It has general grass/weed covering it all but I've covered it with membrane so the green has all gone, most of it looks like straw now. I've just hired a rotovator for Easter weekend as it was on a really cheap offer at HSS (saved over £100). The council here used to rotovate plots for new tenants but don't any more despite the cost of the plots going up drastically since I last had one. I was hoping to dig it over but it has been so wet here the rotovator seems the best option to enable me to get set up as soon as possible. Need to get manure dug in asap. Hoping we all have a great growing season this year....the actual seasons do seem to be all over the place here in the South East, only really having Winter now. xxxx     

[Pescador]

Welcome back Crystalmoon
Good to hear your health's improved enough to get another plot, and you've got a helping hand!
I'm sure you'll soon knock it into shape

[cambourne7]

Welcome back :) will be great to read your posts again :)

Cam

[Jayb]

Welcome back from me too 
Congratulations on your wedding last year, hope you are both very happy together.
Good news you health is improving and you are able to be growing again, plus with a little help from your o/h. Did they perhaps skim off the top of your plot to clear the weeds, which then left it a little lower than it's neighbours?

[Crystalmoon]

Thank you everyone for such a warm welcome back, I've really missed posting & learning from this site.
Jayb - I think you may be right, I have no idea where the extra soil has gone but I think a good 10 inches has been taken away. The site is very prone to flooding so I will have to dig deeper trenches at the outer edges & build up the central soil levels & used raised beds & just see what challenges the UK weather brings me in my first year. Jane 

[cornykev]

Welcome back Crystalmoon, I haven't been on here much lately, lost interest, moved house, got a plot down the end of my road, after a week or so on the waiting list.   

[Silverleaf]

Hi Jane, I've only been around for a couple of years so I don't remember when you were active before, but hello anyway! :)

[Crystalmoon]

Hi Cornykev wow you were lucky only having to wait a matter of weeks for a new plot....how is it shaping up? xJane

[Crystalmoon]

Hi Silverleaf lovely to 'meet' you xJane

[cornykev]

Hi Jane I got stuck in straight away and turned most of it over and found quite a few spuds, the weeds soon come back after I stayed a away for a while. The winter seems to have been kind to me killing off a lot of the mess.
So I've got back on top of things and dug over and planted spuds and sowed carrots, beetroot, parsnips, spring onions and cucumbers, and the OH even been coming with me.   

[Crystalmoon]

Hi Cornykev wow you've been busy, I still haven't got anything sown/planted on my new plot....busy building 13 raised beds....5 done so far so there is light at the end of the tunnel 

[cornykev]

Your getting there girl, all the best Corny.