GMG Green Thumb Club

[vandermolen]

Jeffrey,

I like your intimate seating arrangement.  Are you two able to sit out there and enjoy a meal or a glass of something nice?  Hopefully, the neighbors aren't too loud?

PD

We usually only sit out if we have visitors. Unlike me my wife is always 'on the go'. Neighbours are ok on both sides. Our cat is pleased to have the garden back. Here are some Man Cave photos:

[Pohjolas Daughter]

We usually only sit out if we have visitors. Unlike me my wife is always 'on the go'. Neighbours are ok on both sides. Our cat is pleased to have the garden back. Here are some Man Cave photos:

Nice!  It does look though that you are very close to being driven out of the cave by your book and CD collections!     Said by someone who is struggling to thin things out herself here.

And, yes, your cat looks very content. 

PD

[vandermolen]

Nice!  It does look though that you are very close to being driven out of the cave by your book and CD collections!     Said by someone who is struggling to thin things out herself here.

And, yes, your cat looks very content. 

PD

Quite true on all fronts!

[Irons]

You can't see anything from the front of the house - they can walk right around the garden and can sit down on the garden chairs if they like. Some seemed interested in the 'Man Cave' at the end of the garden!

A most pleasant garden, Jeffrey. The path actually leads to somewhere which is a plus. Is the red shrub next to the path an Acer?

[Irons]

The annual Bookham Village Day takes place in June and our allotment association set up a stall selling plants with the proceeds denotated to charity.

  https://www.iliveinbookham.com/events/village-day-2021/

This year because of Covid instead of June the event took place yesterday. This created a problem as plant sales in September would not be successful. We settled on guess the weight of a pumpkin with the prize being a large crate of mixed vegetables at a £1 a go. Entrants were allowed to pick it up. For the kids I purchased a Bug Hotel kit on ebay for a separate competition for a smaller pumpkin. I did the afternoon shift with one other. I'm pleased to report we were rushed off our feet with a total of 119 having a go. We also did well selling stock from "The Hut" laid out on trestle tables.

The pumpkin weighed in at 18lb and the winner was only 3oz out. She was absolutely delighted with her winnings, which included two of the monster onions I have grown this year. Great day, but exhausting.   

[Pohjolas Daughter]

The annual Bookham Village Day takes place in June and our allotment association set up a stall selling plants with the proceeds denotated to charity.

  https://www.iliveinbookham.com/events/village-day-2021/

This year because of Covid instead of June the event took place yesterday. This created a problem as plant sales in September would not be successful. We settled on guess the weight of a pumpkin with the prize being a large crate of mixed vegetables at a £1 a go. Entrants were allowed to pick it up. For the kids I purchased a Bug Hotel kit on ebay for a separate competition for a smaller pumpkin. I did the afternoon shift with one other. I'm pleased to report we were rushed off our feet with a total of 119 having a go. We also did well selling stock from "The Hut" laid out on trestle tables.

The pumpkin weighed in at 18lb and the winner was only 3oz out. She was absolutely delighted with her winnings, which included two of the monster onions I have grown this year. Great day, but exhausting.

That sounds like you came up with a fine alternate plan, things went smoothly and all ended up happy!     Well done to all of you! 

PD

[Irons]

That sounds like you came up with a fine alternate plan, things went smoothly and all ended up happy!     Well done to all of you! 

PD

Thanks PD. I was sent a couple of photos. Self explanatory, the first of prize and second of the pumpkin.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Thanks PD. I was sent a couple of photos. Self explanatory, the first of prize and second of the pumpkin.

Great photos!  Your produce and flowers are all arranged quite attractively and look scrumptious!  I'd certainly be betting on them.     How much money were you able to raise in the end and which charity did you decide to donate the proceeds to?

PD

[Irons]

Great photos!  Your produce and flowers are all arranged quite attractively and look scrumptious!  I'd certainly be betting on them.     How much money were you able to raise in the end and which charity did you decide to donate the proceeds to?

PD

Our stall raised on the day a total of £200.10, much less then past years due to plant sales. All total money raised at the event, it must be thousands, goes into a single pot and donated by the Bookham Village Association. A month earlier there was an open garden day - before you ask, no I definitely did not! - which incredibly raised over £8,000.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Our stall raised on the day a total of £200.10, much less then past years due to plant sales. All total money raised at the event, it must be thousands, goes into a single pot and donated by the Bookham Village Association. A month earlier there was an open garden day - before you ask, no I definitely did not! - which incredibly raised over £8,000.

Excellent!

So, then there must be other groups there?  Are they all community allotments and their members?

PD

[Irons]

Excellent!

So, then there must be other groups there?  Are they all community allotments and their members?

PD

No, loads of stuff. A geriatric pop group, beer tent, surprisingly a line-up by enthusiasts of Corvette Stingray sports cars and loads more. We were very much a sideshow. 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

No, loads of stuff. A geriatric pop group, beer tent, surprisingly a line-up by enthusiasts of Corvette Stingray sports cars and loads more. We were very much a sideshow.

Oh, o.k.  Sounds like a fun day for all!    And good to hear that so much money was raised by all.

PD

[Szykneij]

I was out this morning cutting back some acers that had got very leggy, when I happened upon this:


Camellia in bloom.  This beats the previous record (set about 10 years ago) by 3 days.

And this:

We've become used to rhododendrons flowering a second time in September, but this azalea has now flowered three times in a single year.  And not just the odd rogue blossom - it's covered in them.

I'm jealous. We had some light snow overnight and the temperature has been hovering around freezing all morning. What part of the world are you in?

[Szykneij]

My garden is put to bed for the winter, but I did send off my tomato seed orders yesterday and stocked up on seed starting mix, so I'm ready to go once the spring arrives.

[Irons]

Keeping myself busy dismantling pallets and building two raised beds at the allotment. The hardest part is filling them up!

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Keeping myself busy dismantling pallets and building two raised beds at the allotment. The hardest part is filling them up!

Wow, yet more raised beds for you Irons?! 

How are you using/assembling the beds?  And where do you get your soil from to add to them?

Ever the curious,

PD

[Irons]

Wow, yet more raised beds for you Irons?! 

How are you using/assembling the beds?  And where do you get your soil from to add to them?

Ever the curious,

PD

Yes PD, the Mark 3 GT model. 



Two raised beds constructed from the timber of six pallets. Filling is problematic. As I plan to grow root vegetables in the second all soil has to be free of stones.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Yes PD, the Mark 3 GT model. 



Two raised beds constructed from the timber of six pallets. Filling is problematic. As I plan to grow root vegetables in the second all soil has to be free of stones.

Impressive Irons!  Did Madame I. assist in the construction of them?  And it looks like you lined them with something?

PD

[Szykneij]

Yes PD, the Mark 3 GT model. 



Two raised beds constructed from the timber of six pallets. Filling is problematic. As I plan to grow root vegetables in the second all soil has to be free of stones.

Those look awesome! I can appreciate the amount of soil it must take to fill them. My neighbor and a friend have a number of raised beds, but I prefer containers at this point. I like the flexibility of being able to move things around as they grow. 

[Irons]

Impressive Irons!  Did Madame I. assist in the construction of them?  And it looks like you lined them with something?

PD

Mission control keeps well away from the allotment. I lined the original boxes with plastic sheeting purchased from B&Q. Unfortunately not UV resistant and the area at top exposed to sunlight disintegrates. Slivers of plastic mixing with soil growing what we eat is not ideal. The black lining of the second bin is UV protected.

Those look awesome! I can appreciate the amount of soil it must take to fill them. My neighbor and a friend have a number of raised beds, but I prefer containers at this point. I like the flexibility of being able to move things around as they grow. 

I agree. I would not have raised beds in my garden for the very same reason. Was fun building them though.