The Big Allotment Challenge – Episode 2
Down to 8 pairs after Shawn and Liz went home last week.

Watch The Big Allotment Challenge – Episode 2 again on iplayer

This week it’s runner beans, roses and relish.

Jim Buttress is the growing expert. They need to grow 6 matching runner beans.
Need to be a good colour, snap easily, flat with no visible signs of seeds, blemish free, straight!
Runner beans need a good rich soil, planting out at the right time. I start mine in pots the size of pot noodle pots. You have to know when the last frost is due – and plant them out after that.
An insurance policy can be to put a seed in when you plant your beans out!
Varieties of bean grown: St George, Scarlett emperor, lady Di, White Apollo, White Lady, Czar.
Shirley and Victoria won this challenge.

There was mention of the blackfly on the beans as they were growing.

Flowers – growing the perfect and doing something with them.
Present one perfect summer rose; use roses to create a summer wreath. Needs to be circular, hole in middle and must be able to hang it up.
They started with containerised roses which can be planted out at any point of the year. The roses also got pests – greenfly and thrips.
The expert made it look easy to make a wreath with circles of oasis.
Jo and Avril won the single rose best in show, and Kate and Eleanor won the wreath best in show.

They then have 1 hour 45 minues to make a sauce and a relish. One pair made a really hot sauce.
Rupert and Dimi won this.

The summing up! I think this would be loads better if they showed four pictures – one of the couple and then a shot from each of the challenges so you can remember how wonky their beans were, or how good their relish looked.

Ed and Hashani were sent home.

Next week: Michelle is back after her allergic reaction, and the teams will be judged on their carrots, gladioli, and chutney!

I think I enjoyed this week more. The format is consistent with last week – and it is in effect a game show about growing things rather than allotments. I think it’s quite interesting to see the people talking about growing their beans but it is such a tiny part of the show really. Giving the names of the bean varieties and rose types was good from an information perspective. I am suprised this isn’t written up in detail on the program info though.
Will there be a book about the series? I suspect there might be, and this might be where they niclude more hints on growing, making and cooking your own!
I appreciate it is very little about real allotment challenges, but the commercial nature of TV means there would be a much more limited audience for a show about people taking on derelict plots. This format ties in with the sewing and baking programs which have been so successful for the BBC previously.

There is a gap for more realistic allotment shows, and it’s filled hugely by what’s on youtube.

I too leaned in to hear more about the secrets of runner beans. There were a few snippets – like don’t put them out too early, and they need a rich soil, but nothing new.

I like the fact they name the varieties and meant to whizz back through and see which beans were the winning variety, but I couldn’t be bothered by then.

Flowers don’t do it for me, but I did enjoy the demo of making a wreath and watching the others make them. The filming shows some really bare wreaths which made me laugh imagining them being the finished product.

What’s a relish? I saw chopped up raw veg and what looked like chutneys to me.

Again I want a recipe from them – the school teachers radish recipe at least!

This is a useful site http://www.allotmoreallotments.org.uk/

Price cut on this item at Harrod Horticultural

Wall & Fence Fruit Tree Protector was £132.00 now £80.00
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Suttons Seeds has this new product today

Tomato Plants – Lucky Dip £9.99
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You would need a seriously big lawn to justify your purchase of one of these. It’d also need a big shed to live in!
Could this be the ultimate ride on mower?

Stiga Titan 740DCR Ride-On Lawnmower with Air-Conditioned Cab & Road-Kit (Excluding Deck) £28159.00
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I’ve just acquired a second hand greenhouse. It’s a lot more work than ordering a new one – you have to dismantle it, and bolts will sheer! You need to remove the glass carefully, take down the frame and then transport it all to its new home.
It’ll all then need a careful wash down, ensure you have the right number of clips etc.
Amazingly we were given the original instructions for this greenhouse so we should be able to put it up just right. Am deciding what base to have for it. I’d like to plant into the ground as I think it gives plants a better chance and the watering is less!

If you’d like a shiny new one then have a look at these!
Greenhouse glazing options
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Garden Buildings Direct has these lovely shiny greenhouses. I’ve picked 8×6 as the size to show you as I think it’s a nice size for most gardens. Obviously if you have a bigger garden then consider a bigger one!

8 x 6 Silver Aluminium Greenhouse £319.95
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Harrod Horticultural has cut the price of these items

Showa Floreo 370 Gloves was £7.95 now £7.45
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We've found a reduced price today on this item at John Lewis

Talking Tables Easter Paper Plates, Pack of 12 was £4.50 now £2.50
With two designs, this pack of paper plates are perfect if you’re having a Easter party

Listen to Gardeners Question time on the iplayer. – this episode was recorded in Eccles on the 7th April and brodcast on Easter Sunday. I was at the college for the recording. It was great fun!
They ask more questions than make it to the final cut. It was really good fun and I recommend you try and get to one if they come and record near you.

Check the GQT on location page to find out where they’ll be next! There was a small charge made by the college for going but it was only £3.50

When you go in you get given a piece of paper to fill in your question on. You hand this to one of the crew and then they decide which ones to ask. The people asking the questions were asked to go to the front row so the sound man could get to them easily.

The producer comes in first and tells you about the show and then disappears into the radio van outside. A sound engineer sits at his desk in the corner and the presenter has headphones on so he can hear the producer. The garden experts sit at a table and answer the questions. They don’t all answer every question. It was interesting seeing them scribble notes.
Gardeners Question Time is a fantastic institution that’s entertaining and educational as well as really interesting. Local gardeners asking questions about real problems, and there’s always some humour!

I will be going again and next time I might pluck up courage to ask a question!

Unwanted allotment advice is a common side effect of having an allotment.

It can often happen that you end up being offered tons of allotment advice every time you go to your plot. There’ll be some old timer with his flat cap and annoyingly weed free plot who’ll offer you masses of seemingly good advice.

Never feel obliged to accept advice. Listen, smile and nod. Say thank you.
You don’t have to follow their advice at all.

Don’t let them offer to do stuff on your plot unless you are 100% sure you want their help and are aware of all their techniques.

If someone has a weed free plot then there may be several reasons: they might regularly dowse their plot in weedkiller, or used creacote on boards, they might spend 60 hours a week weeding it.

Indications of a healthy weed free plot would be evidence of hand weeding, a full compost bin or three and lots of time spent on site.
You don’t have to have a completely weed free plot though. The odd weed doesn’t hurt, and if you stop them seeding then they provide a green mulch, and compost material. You can use weeds dropped where you pick them as a mulch too.

Accepting produce off other plot holders. Always have an idea of what someone’s slug pellet regime is like. If they turn the soil blue then they probably overuse slug pellets.
Do they use bug sprays? When did they last spray? Many chemicals need to be left on for an amount of time before eating.
Always be aware that you might want your plot to be organic but it doesn’t mean everyone else does.

Do you take advice from people with weed free plots, or productive plots? The choice is yours.