Ep56: Dues day! What I pay for my full size allotment plot

Gardening with a dog on my UK allotment plot and in the home garden - weekly diary/vlog of our exploits beginning Jan 2023 🌽🍓🥦
It is pay day on the plot - in more ways than one... The site fees are due this month but also the plot is paying back with some lovely harvests. It is also seed ordering time at the site - will I be restrained or completely indulge all my seed-based wants and desires?!
It is time to bring in the tender plants and ready the garden and plot for cooler temps. Anyone else completely obsessed with the weather? Frost or no frost? To harvest or not to harvest? When will the rain hit? I also visit the garden centre (oops) and Dorie has a play date with her cousin, Lottie.
Mentions:
Welsh Herbs - www.welshherbs...
Kings Seeds - www.kingsseeds...
I hope you enjoyed this week's video - please do like and subscribe if you did. Thank you for watching 💕😊
You can also follow me on Instagram at / dogontheplot 🐶

[@mariadrummond2188]

Ach, no worries about the long episodes, it is worth noting that Gardener’s world is 1 hour long! 😊

[@dogontheplot]

True!!! 😂

[@mandytaylor1008]

Love your long videos Thankyou keep doing them please

[@dogontheplot]

Aw thank you Mandy! I'm 100% committed to seeing out the year - might have to think about how it'll be sustainable going forwards after that because - to reply to your other comment - yes, I work full-time and do it all myself. I probably took on too much, what with the channel as well, but hey ho - it's what makes life interesting!! Thanks for the squash tips - I'm glad I did as you said because it was a nice haul in the end. Slugs though - aghhhh! They've been a nightmare this year. Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment 😊

[@WendyL63]

Hi Kerry, thanks for another long, informative, enthusiastic, dog lovely vlog. I snuggle up with your vlogs like i do with a good book. 👍 😊

[@dogontheplot]

Oh Wendy - this might be one of my favourite comments ever! 😍

[@mandytaylor1008]

Yes get them out as ours were wet and slugs ate half of them

[@ggwildlife]

just found your videos and enjoyed them, will look forward to the journey **SUBBED**

[@dogontheplot]

Welcome! Pleased to have you and thank you for the sub 😊🌟

[@rachelfosterdiy]

I've grown my first 9-star broccoli this year. I planted them out quite late, so I'm hoping they survive the winter and give a good crop next year 🤞

[@dogontheplot]

Oh yes fingers crossed!

[@rebeccamansbridge3926]

Great video, that’s my local garden centre I live about 15 minutes away from it

[@dogontheplot]

Ahh! It's a good one and I like that it opens early 👌 Thank you Rebecca 😊

[@susiespearing6165]

An enjoyable catch up Kerry 🙂 .Id cut back and multch your salvias ,as that variety isn't very hardy ,lost all mine last winter after years 😢 lift any potatoes now as they often just turn to mush with the frost .

[@dogontheplot]

Thank you Susie - I've taken some cuttings from it just in case I lose it. My 'lips' varieties were fine last year and if they can stand that terrible winter they can survive anything!, but this blue one I did bring into the greenhouse last year because it was still in a pot - now that it is in the ground I thought I better take the insurance cuttings! Ok - will cut back and mulch before the next cold snap. Thank you!! It is quite a sheltered spot, but would rather be safe than sorry. I haven't got round to the potatoes yet - oops - but this first frost was so light I think they're fine but, yes, again, will have to make a decision before the real frosts turn up. I have A LOT of the rabbit bedding so could potentially just tuck them all up under that for the time being?

[@janesteel946]

Hi Kerry, My allotment site have just joined the National Allotment Society. Our catalogues have arrived so myself and my allotment neighbours are super excited to get our seed catalogue this weekend lol. Great video 😃

[@dogontheplot]

Hi Jane. You know what, I thought when I got the catalogue it would just be all 'traditional' varieties and a bit boring - but it had loads of cool stuff in there. I really like that they have a key for telling you which make for reliable crops or exhibition veg etc. - though, tbh, I mostly go for the ones with cool sounding names and pretty pictures! 🤣 Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment.

[@janesteel946]

@@dogontheplot Hi Kerry, I thought that to, I had a glimpse of the catalogue at our last community meeting. And I to like cool names an odd looking veg/plants 😂. I have a question for you. What is the most interesting/weirdest plant or vegetable you have grown? 😁

[@dogontheplot]

Haha - I thought I'd replied to you, but I think I just got stuck on the answer and went away to think about it! Hmm... I guess the sea plants are pretty different (samphire, sea kale and sea beet) but they aren't doing that well so I need to rethink where to put them for next year... Lots of things I grow seem odd to the mature gents down the plot - the tromboncinos were quite the talk of the site! - but I think they seem pretty ordinary to us in the gardening-social-media-world. I have ordered the orange cauliflower from the Kings Seeds catalogue - after saying I was giving up on single head cauliflowers! 🤣I tell you what I do want to give another go next year - the achoca. They got eaten this year, as did the edible lupins, so I know next year they need lots of protection. It is all lessons learnt..

[@janesteel946]

@@dogontheplot Haha I thought you might have missed my reply lol. Yes I thought your tromboncinos were fantastic, I think I’ll try those next year. And I to like the look of the orange cauliflower lol. Never heard of Achoca but it sounds interesting..(I googled it haha)

[@thewitch69]

hi im in west mids and didn't notice a frost then again i don't tend to get up early unless my son is in college lol but oh boy is it getting breezy and very cold , most of my pumpkins are in but i only did tiny wee baby bear ones and did the Emma's allotment dairy recipe for stuffed mini ones it was delish lol and yes i like long vids too lol

[@dogontheplot]

Hi Bev. It was super light! I wouldn't have said it was a frost if I hadn't noticed the ice on the glass. The mature chaps down at the allotment though, they were all adamant it was a frost! haha. I'm looking forward to trying the new varieties I've grown this year - I know the Uchiki Kuri are delicious - I am curious about the baked potato ones! Have a great week.

[@thewitch69]

@@dogontheplot im a bit disappointed i didnt get millions of squash now lol i did sow something like 20 or more pumpkin seeds some uchi and butternut ,got no butters only 2 decent uchi and only about 6 baby bear pumpkins, i think it must be lack of nutrients i need to seriously get hold of some kind of manure for next year,, but yes beware of the next "frost" lol 🥶

[@myrustygarden]

What a lovely update Kerry 😊 and Dory of course. It’s floating around 8to 12c here but it’s been chucking it down 🌧️🌧️. Wow that’s a great discount 💪. 😂😂 Dory the Dibber. Excellent 🎃 and squash. The farms here have theirs outside still 🙏. Fab harvest 😂 I’ll stop waffling on but I had a great visit. Have a lovely week, Ali 🌧️🌧️🌧️🇨🇦

[@dogontheplot]

Thank you Ali - yes, temps are up and down here now. Rain came in last night with storm Babet but luckily no high winds really. Going to be a wet weekend! You take care.

[@bewoodford2807]

what a fabulous garden centre. where do you live in the east midlands? Badger prints? Your temperatures seem higher than mine here in Wiltshire! This is the first time i've come actoss your vlog. I thoroughly enjoyed it - real gardening. Thank you 😃

[@dogontheplot]

Yes, it is a nice one - that one is in Derby and I tend to swing round when I'm on my way home from my partner's. I am in Leicester. Could be badger (that would be exciting!) ... but I know we have foxes and foxes do love to dig in woodchip. I have a wildlife cam but I'm a bit cautious about setting it up on the plot in case it goes walk about... So glad you found the channel and enjoyed it - and thank you for taking the time to comment.

[@stevedickinson9095]

The longer vlogs are great, there are plenty of people doing short ones, but not as many doing longer ones that keep me interested. Do the longer ones mean less time editing for you too?

[@dogontheplot]

Aw thank you! Unfortunately no! The longer the vlog the longer the editing process. I usually have 80-100 clips to assemble 🙈

[@stevedickinson9095]

Ouch!@@dogontheplot

[@therightpearplot]

Nothing worse than getting into a good vlog and it ending. So I for one am happy for the long ones. 😊 The excitement over the seed catalog has me giggling. I will be the same when the fothergill ones are delivered to our site soon. I don’t Need any seeds, but I may want some more 😂😂 My nine star are looking good if not a bit covered in grey aphids. Looking forward to some harvest off them next year. If I get onto doing cuttings from mine next year, may send some out. Bought mine as plug plants earlier this year. 😊 Great October harvest, 😊 I’ve brought in all my squash now, beans all out and half my carrots and all allotment beetroot. Prep here i come. Seems strange to see everyone with coats on again. Was your greenhouse in the garden when you moved in or did you buy that? Allotment planning for me now. 😊 Keep smiling and keep warm. Thanks for the mention ❤ A & T xx

[@therightpearplot]

Ohh and I love my Japeto Hori and secateurs ❤❤ only lost it yesterday for 10 mins 😂😂😂

[@dogontheplot]

haha!

[@dogontheplot]

Oh you're on it Allie! Very organised. I'm thinking I might just pile a load of rabbit bedding on top of the potatoes for now... I got the pumpkins in yesterday before the rains hit last night, so I can tick that one off now. Greenhouse was here when I bought the house but quite a bit of the glass has broken because I move around in it like a bull in a china shop. I've been very kindly gifted one for the allotment, but haven't quite got my head around putting it up yet 🫤- need to get those old compost bays out first!

[@Garden-of-weeden]

Wow I’m east mids too lol

[@dogontheplot]

Are you getting ready for the storms coming in this evening? I'm just heading out to harvest the dried beans before the rain.

[@Garden-of-weeden]

@@dogontheplot I’m just hoping and praying my pollytunnel will be ok other than that I’m just crossing everything lol

[@dogontheplot]

@Garden-of-weeden eeeek!! Yes! I'm watching my sunflowers blowing about but doesn't seem to bad... I think it's meant to be more rain than wind 🤞

[@Garden-of-weeden]

@@dogontheplot oh phew! Tho rain for you isn’t good with your plot? Here’s hoping it all drains quickly for you!

[@mandytaylor1008]

Looks. Like a badger

[@dogontheplot]

Ah, someone else said badger too... I do have a wildlife camera but I'm a bit nervous about leaving it on the plot as they aren't cheap...

[@myrustygarden]

Yes I think that the biggest issue is people stealing pumpkins 🎃 when Halloween 👻 gets closer 😡😡

[@dogontheplot]

When I had the pumpkin patch in the front garden - which is open to the street - I was really worried about this (but it was actually fine!). I didn't think I'd have to worry at the allotment though because it is behind closed gates and it isn't nice to think your fellow allotmenters would do that...

[@mandytaylor1008]

Get the squash in they not really going to benefit being out anymore.