RobD1

Real Seeds (http://www.realseeds.co.uk/) have a lot of good info on what seeds are worth saving and how to go about it.

Didn't look like it was a frost - just been down the plot this lunchtime and everything looked OK. Local forecast on BBC last night didn't mention frost. Was just trying to rain as well, but not enough to to wet the ground.

So which forecast said frost for tonight? None of the ones I looked at online seemed to suggest a frost for tonight.

(Highly unreliable) online weather forecast says it's sun all the way: http://uk.weather.com/weather/10day-Sheffield-S10

Planted out a couple of rows of French beans tonight, got a few left over but I think it's worth the risk now be very unlucky to get another frost this late

You got a chainsaw as well Hagg House (on the road Hagg Hill) has a waiting list of 50+. I think Rivelin has a waiting list too. You need to ring the allotment office for more info to join a waiting list.

I'd imagine it's too big to try and dig it up now as it'll be growing well. You need to dig them up when the plant is dormant, i.e. in winter and move them then. The roots will be huge but they're pretty forgiving if you don't get all of it.

I've used them a couple of times in the past. They're not cheap and it's not an exact process really as it needs to be wet when you use them and immediately after. Did it make any difference? It's difficult to say, there was some slug damage but I didn't use them last year and I didn't notice much slug damage then either.

Good Friday was a couple of weeks later this year too Most stuff seems later this year due to the prolonged cold weather.

Wrong time of year r.eally, they've started growing again now. Best to split them in the winter

It was far more popular on the Moor on a Sunday several years ago. I emailed the council last year about the location and day of the week it was on, as well as the declining number of stall holders. They never replied. If I manage to get there, I can't buy anything that needs refridgerating as I've nowhere to put it til I go home. As someone else said, it's not worth turning up for just 5 stalls. It's not been the same since Red Hill Farm pork stall stopped coming.

Erm, this thread is from last year...

Ecclesall Sawmill Easter Monday (5 April): http://www.hcaa.co.uk/news.htm

Yep, cover up any areas you're not digging at the moment. Don't use carpet - besides any chemicals that may leak out of it, it's a nightmare to lift wet, muddy carpet that has started to break up and you've still got to take it somewhere to dispose of it. I'm a fan of the cardboard and bricks myself Digging them out is the best way to go. It's long, sometimes painful, but by far the most effective method, and you're going to have to dig the plot over at some point anyway. Digging the roots out will also help get any other weeds out and make it better for planting.

Not put off at all, we were up there yesterday but four of the five lambs in the 'viewing area' were asleep and the other was suckling so it seemed a bit mean to pick them up So we picked up something from the shop instead

The shop at Hagg Lane & District Gardeners' Allotments Society http://hagglaneallotments.blogspot.com/ Ridiculously cheap and well worth the couple of quid membership! And no, I'm not involved in the running of their shop, just a member

Two years probably sound about right (unfortunately for you), but I'd guess you're nearing the top of the list by now. The Allotment Officer retired in Dec and they've only just appointed a replacement, who not going to start until Feb at the earliest (at a guess). They never seem to have been good at getting back to people, and I don't think I've ever had an email answered. Guess the best advice is keep trying on the phone until someone answers it. Did you get a survey with the newsletter? And if so, out of interest, what colour was it?

When you get to the top of the list, they'll send you a letter. You can ring them up and ask them where you are on the list. How long you been on the list now, I think it's up to 50 odd now for Hagg House?

Hope you all have a very happy Christmas! Edited to say: aaarhg - I'm pixiepear, not RobD1 who sneakily logged me out and himself in without me noticing!

Thanks for the updates, I've changed a few things suggested. The names I used for the ones I added to the map were the ones from the council official map, which is why they may have some slight differences in names but have put the alternative suggestion in the description. I've also put them in alphabetical order (hopefully!). You can add your own info to the sites listed by simply clicking on the edit button - think you probably need a Google account for this though.

Article from Sheffield Telegraph about John Martin's retirement: http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/Allotments-chief-John-plots-a.5898599.jp

Well you did do the hard work on it I've added/amended a few details from the official council map I coincidentally was given today - it's an A4 map covering the whole of Sheffield so it's not easy to spot some of the sites and some of them seem to be connected but have different names, are very small, have different names to the ones generally used, etc. For example there are seven different parts (names) to the Rivelin Valley site. I've added the 'official' names, but there's still a few questions. The council do seem interested in putting a link to it as well and I've just sent the link off to them to get them to look at it. What might be useful is if people can look at their site/local area and check it's correct, see if there's any details they want to add about association, which you can either do yourself or pm our bored group leader mc

Nice work there MC, very useful You should send it to the allotment office! Anyone (with a Google account) should be able to edit the entries and provide details of the allotment association contact details, shop opening times, etc. and add the names to the missing sites.

No that's good, it'll be fine. It's doing better than mine which has shown no signs of doing anything and I'm worried it's just rotted in all this rain.

What do you like to eat and aim to grow that! At this time of year you can plant garlic, onions, broad beans and peas - but make sure you get the right ones that will survive the winter. It's also a good time to plant some fruit as well if you want to grow that. To clear the ground take up the turf and stack it somewhere in the garden, it will break down to nice loamy soil in time. If you're going to grow fruit, remember it will be there for a long time so think carefully where you want it to go. Also dig in plenty of rotted manure (you can get it bagged from garden centres if necessary) beforehand and give the soil a chance to settle back down. Dig over the rest of the garden where you want to grow your veg next year and incorporate suitable organic material (i.e. manure). It's worth spending the time to do that well over winter to give you a flying start next year. Also plan where to have a compost area/bin, possibly water butt. And buy a book/magazine/borrow one from the library, then you can read something when it's too wet/cold/dark to be working on the garden.