Unofficial retrobike allotment thread....

Now I love a toad, one of my favorite beasties, but they're not exactly sprightly are they.
You have my sympathies re' the Kale, we can all feel your 'pain' there - last time I tried to grow some cabbages an invasion of caterpillars turned them into doilies over night.

What is it about brassicas? Just about everything that walk, crawls, slithers, flies and probably swims wants to eat them? I generally don't bother for this very reason but you can't beat a bit of colcannon in the winter months so I grow the kale.

We too have an allotment cat. She made the difference between planting bean seeds straight into the ground and them not all being taken by mice.

Several plot holders feed her now so she isn't as keen as she used to be. The pheasant family is quite safe from her as she is only a small cat.

Trying to keep on top of the weeds now.

sorry I edited my post as you were typing. But yeah, everything (except my dad) loves a brassica. I guess they're like a uber-succulent leafy weed to the wildlife.
The only problem with cats of course is the soft pebbles..

I've not had colcannon with kale, must give it a go, love the cabbage version. I like my Kale boiled in milk; the milk kind of curdles leaving 'eggy' lumps, but it goes so sweet you'd swear there'd been sugar added. Delicious - infact I lived on homegrown Kale, spuds and 2p baked beans for about 2 years once!

ferrus":7wac3trc said:

The only problem with cats of course is the soft pebbles..

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http://www.simonscat.com/Films/Flower-Bed/

So true

Iwasgoodonce":5y2sdbi3 said:

What is it about brassicas? Just about everything that walk, crawls, slithers, flies and probably swims wants to eat them? I generally don't bother for this very reason but you can't beat a bit of colcannon in the winter months so I grow the kale.

We too have an allotment cat. She made the difference between planting bean seeds straight into the ground and them not all being taken by mice.

Several plot holders feed her now so she isn't as keen as she used to be. The pheasant family is quite safe from her as she is only a small cat.

Trying to keep on top of the weeds now.

Click to expand...

Ironically the Large White caterpillar converts brassicas into poisonous oils which it stores in its body rendering it inedible, hence birds go know where near them. Insects do however scoff the eggs.

grumpycommuter":2bxd7fjp said:

Iwasgoodonce":2bxd7fjp said:

What is it about brassicas? Just about everything that walk, crawls, slithers, flies and probably swims wants to eat them? I generally don't bother for this very reason but you can't beat a bit of colcannon in the winter months so I grow the kale.

We too have an allotment cat. She made the difference between planting bean seeds straight into the ground and them not all being taken by mice.

Several plot holders feed her now so she isn't as keen as she used to be. The pheasant family is quite safe from her as she is only a small cat.

Trying to keep on top of the weeds now.

Click to expand...

Ironically the Large White caterpillar converts brassicas into poisonous oils which it stores in its body rendering it inedible, hence birds go know where near them. Insects do however scoff the eggs.

Click to expand...

I grow a small patch of the things at home for the chickens who love tucking into a pile of cabbage leaves, amongst over things. They've now discovered the delights of the black and red currants. As for the local squirrels – they're nibbling/dropping the forming apples in our mini orchard, thinking they're nuts or whatever – right, where's my super soaker...

A few months ago little cordoned-off areas began to appear on several plots...most peculiar! After a swift questioning it turns out that this allotment site has a pheasant problem Everyone puts a fence around their brassicas as the birds walk onto the plot but are incapable of flying over the top. We may have some nesting in a loganberry bush we have inherited.

Pictures soon, especially now the weather has broken and i'm not watering constantly....

grumpycommuter":246k5u6e said:

A few months ago little cordoned-off areas began to appear on several plots...most peculiar! After a swift questioning it turns out that this allotment site has a pheasant problem Everyone puts a fence around their brassicas as the birds walk onto the plot but are incapable of flying over the top. We may have some nesting in a loganberry bush we have inherited.

Pictures soon, especially now the weather has broken and i'm not watering constantly....

Click to expand...

It wouldn't be this fellow by any chance?

Digging is pretty much complete!! Finally almost all the plot is under cultivation. We have bindweed still coming up, some couch grass in places and the usual annual weeds but nothing to really cry about. The bindweed is a pain but continual treating with 'some stuff' is slowly working. It helped spending so much time earlier in the year digging and sifting.

Weeded the beetroot, kole rabi and spring onions today, while the good lady did the sweetcorn. Carrots to weed tomorrow. Dad's done loads of stuff, the plot is looking great.

Howard - could well be! Havent seen any yet but the wood next to us is where they are bred so i'm sure they will put in an appearance soon.

ferrus":1pgxjo9i said:

The only problem with cats of course is the soft pebbles..

Click to expand...

Cat Eggs - not as chocolaty as you first think