It’s often at this point in the year that you realise your shed isn’t going to last another year.  Felt can be replaced and walls patched, but there comes a time when you know a new shed is the best option.

BillyOh sell a massive range of sheds suitable for all gardens and allotments.

Your first thought has to be how big a shed do you want? If you’re on an allotment you might be restricted by the lease or tenancy in terms of what size you can have. A 6ft by 8ft shed is perfect for an allotment.
Then you need to decide if you want to have a window, and what sort of door you want. Then you can look at the options of having a pent roof,

Choosing between overlap and tongue and groove for a shed largely depends on your preferences, budget, and the desired aesthetic. Here’s a breakdown:

1. **Overlap Cladding**:
– **Pros**: Generally more affordable compared to tongue and groove. Offers good weather protection when installed correctly. It has a traditional rustic look, which some people prefer for sheds.
– **Cons**: Can be less durable and secure compared to tongue and groove. Over time, the overlapping boards may warp or allow water ingress if not maintained properly.

2. **Tongue and Groove Cladding**:
– **Pros**: Provides a tighter seal against the elements compared to overlap, making it more weather-resistant. Offers better structural integrity and durability. Often considered more visually appealing due to its smoother, seamless finish.
– **Cons**: Typically more expensive than overlap cladding. Requires more precise installation to ensure the tongue and groove joints fit snugly together.

Consider factors such as your budget, climate, desired aesthetic, and how much maintenance you’re willing to do. If you’re in an area with harsh weather conditions, or if you prioritize durability and a more finished appearance, tongue and groove might be worth the investment. However, if cost is a significant factor or you prefer a more rustic look, overlap cladding could be the better option.

There are several types of roofs commonly used for garden sheds, each with its own advantages and considerations:

**Pent Roof**:
– This is a single-sloped roof that slopes downwards from one side to the other. It’s straightforward to build and is often used for modern or minimalist-style sheds. It’s also relatively easy to maintain.

**Gable Roof (or A-Frame)**:
– This is a classic triangular roof with two sloping sides that meet at a ridge in the middle. Gable roofs provide good water runoff and can offer more headroom inside the shed. They also provide extra storage space if you opt for a loft.

**Hip Roof**:
– A hip roof has slopes on all four sides, meeting at a ridge at the top. It’s more complex to construct but provides better stability in windy conditions and can be more aesthetically pleasing. It’s also a good option if you want to collect rainwater as it offers multiple drainage points.

**Gambrel Roof (or Barn-style Roof)**:
– This type of roof has two slopes on each side, with the lower slope being steeper and the upper slope less steep. Gambrel roofs provide extra headroom and storage space, resembling the roof of a barn.

**Mansard Roof**:
– Similar to the gambrel roof but with a shallower lower slope. Mansard roofs provide even more headroom and storage space compared to gambrel roofs but are more complex to build.

BillyOh for sheds

You might inherit a wheelbarrow that’s rusty or falling to bits, or has a flat tyre!

Want to buy a new wheelbarrow?

Choosing the Right Wheelbarrow

Capacity: Consider the volume of the wheelbarrow to suit your material transportation needs without overloading it.

Material: Steel is durable but may rust, plastic/polyethylene is lightweight and easy to clean but less sturdy.

Wheel Type: Single wheels are maneuverable, dual wheels offer stability for heavier loads. Solid wheels won’t pop or rot!

Wheel Size: Larger wheels for rough terrain, smaller for flat surfaces. Pneumatic tires absorb shocks.

Handles: Look for ergonomic handles for comfort and ease of use.

Additional Features: Consider features like folding handles, tray supports, or tool holders for added convenience.

Budget: Determine your budget based on size, material, and features. Prioritize your needs.

Reviews and Recommendations: Research brands, read reviews for insights on durability and performance.

Warranty: Check the manufacturer’s warranty for confidence in quality and durability.

Evaluate your requirements to choose a wheelbarrow that best suits your gardening or construction projects.

Gather Your Tools: Before you start, gather the necessary tools for weeding. Common tools include a garden hoe, hand trowel or fork, gloves, and a bucket or wheelbarrow for collecting weeds.

Choose the Right Time: It’s best to weed when the soil is slightly moist but not overly wet. Weeding after rainfall or watering can make it easier to remove weeds, as the soil will be softer and less compacted.

Identify Weeds: Take some time to identify the weeds growing in your bed. Some weeds may have shallow roots and can be easily pulled by hand, while others may have deeper roots and require more effort to remove.

Start Weeding: Begin by removing weeds from the edges of the bed and work your way inward. Use a hand trowel or fork to loosen the soil around the base of the weeds, making it easier to pull them out without disturbing nearby plants.

Pull Weeds: Grasp the base of each weed firmly and pull it out from the soil, ensuring you remove the entire root system. Be careful not to damage nearby plants or seedlings while weeding.

Use a Hoe: For larger areas or densely populated weed patches, use a garden hoe to cut weeds at the soil surface. Push the hoe back and forth just below the soil surface to sever weed roots from their base. This method is particularly effective for annual weeds.

Dispose of Weeds: Collect pulled weeds in a bucket, wheelbarrow, or compost bin for disposal. Avoid leaving weeds on the soil surface, as they can re-root and continue growing.

Monitor Regularly: Keep an eye on your allotment beds and monitor for new weed growth regularly. It’s easier to remove weeds when they are small and before they have a chance to become established.

Mulch Beds: After weeding, consider applying a layer of organic mulch, such as straw, wood chips, or compost, to the bed. Mulch helps suppress weed growth, retain soil moisture, and improve soil structure over time.

Preventive Measures: To minimize future weed growth, practice good garden hygiene by keeping pathways clear, rotating crops, and avoiding soil compaction. Consider using landscape fabric or cardboard mulch to smother weeds in areas where you don’t plan to plant.

By following these steps and staying proactive with weed management, you can maintain healthy and productive allotment beds throughout the growing season.

The Great Allotment Waiting List Conundrum

I get contacted as the allotment site secretary about allotments. People ask in all sorts of different ways for an allotment plot. Some of them have an idea there might be a long wait, or a list and some expect – or even demand – to be allocated a plot instantly.

I ask them where they live and then share with them a map of the allotments in our borough, pointing out ones they will literally drive past to get to our site. I always suggest they apply to those closest to where they live but make it clear they are welcome to visit our site and go on our waiting list.

The visit to our allotment is a great tool to help weed out the allotment-unready. People who don’t want to pop down and have a look are not keen. I can’t imagine turning down a visit to an allotment site and have been known to spend holidays peering through fences and over walls at allotment sites to see what happens in other parts of the country.

I keep the details in a spreadsheet so I can contact them when they reach the top of the list. Sadly, getting to the top of the list takes time and often by the time I contact them their circumstances have changed or the desire for an allotment has gone off. Sometimes I wonder if that’s because it’s a rainy day and if I waited until the sun was shining, they’d be full of enthusiasm for the great outdoors again.

We get contacts from all over the borough. Some people live 6 or 7 miles away and still think it’s feasible to put their name on our list.

The reality is that driving 7 miles here and 7 miles home to water your tomatoes is actually both time consuming and expensive in terms of fuel costs.  Google Directions tells me exactly how long it’ll take and where the traffic jams are.

One of the problems where we live is we’re at the low end of the county and many people higher up will experience different weather and not bother coming to our allotment site even though the sun will be out and it’ll be a couple of degrees warmer down here.

I try to discourage people from committing to long journeys not just because of the weather differences but because of traffic. I have had one lady bring the key back on her second visit after the traffic jam took her 40 minutes to get here. Another person visited once in two months and didn’t get past their probationary period. It’s not always the distance. Sometimes it’s just not the right time for people to take on an allotment. I’m always happy to skip over someone if the time isn’t right – and come back to them when another plot comes up. But I need to know.

I refresh this data list annually to check I have people’s correct details still, that they’ve not moved and that they’re still interested in an allotment here. This is the interesting bit.

I phrase the words carefully to elicit a reply. Those people who reply quickly are eager and desperate for an allotment. I know they’ll respond quickly when I actually have a plot for them to come and view.
Sometimes people will have found an alternative site. Sometimes people don’t reply to my email to tell me – and I’m forced into a position where I’m almost harassing people to get a response from them.
I once had someone come back to me 20 weeks after I’d sent him messages asking if he was interested in an allotment. He was keen but again failed to respond to any messages when it was his turn for a plot.

And then there’s the stickiest conundrum of just how persistent should I be in chasing people when they’re at the top of the list? A phone call, email and a text over a couple of days should be sufficient. Very few people go completely off grid for any length of time these days.
I once left it ten days and several messages – only getting an answer service, so I assumed they were on holiday and had left the phones at home. But no, it turned out they just didn’t want an allotment any more and responding to a text with a simple no thanks for just too much.
I get that most people don’t answer the phone to unknown callers and my number will show up in most people’s phones as just a number. But it’s just plain rude and frustrating when people don’t respond to emails, texts or calls.

And yes, you could probably guess from my rant, I have a plot to let and have made contact three times with someone and they’ve not responded. The next person on the list has also had their data check email and hasn’t responded to that.
Spring has sprung and the weeds are growing every day – let me let this plot soon. I know it’s not an emergency to get someone on the plot but every day that does past is a day someone isn’t starting to sow seeds for spring.

Free stuff for your allotment: Where to find everything you need for your allotment for free or nearly free 

Buy this book now on Kindle

Shop now at Thompson and Morgan

Nurserymans Choice Annual Summer Bedding Mix

36 plugs ONLY £5.99 with any order

Lavender Duo

24 plug plants ONLY £5.99 with any order over £30

An outstanding cordon cherry tomato for glasshouse or outdoor culture. Tomato ‘Sungold’ has an exceptionally high sugar content, which easily rivals ‘Gardeners Delight’, making its attractive, golden-orange fruit irresistibly sweet and juicy. The high yields of delicious thin-skinned fruit (each approximately 13g) are ideal for salads or as a tasty snack. This popular variety also has good resistance to tobacco mosaic virus and fusarium wilt. A hardy nature ensures this vigorous performer will crop well into winter in a cool greenhouse. Height: 200cm (79″). Spread: 50cm (20″).

These are my favourite cherry tomatoes to grow. They ripen quickly and produce huge amounts of fruit, You need to pick regularly though else they’ll over ripen and split – but they are so delicious you’ll be happy to put the time in every day to collect the ripe ones!

Utterly lovely fresh and can be roasted too for sauces.

Spider season hits: New spider-proof shed

With 25% of the British public admitting they’re too scared to venture into their sheds due to arachnophobia*, experts at Tiger Sheds want to tackle this head-on with the world’s first Spider Proof Shed.

No longer will you fear grabbing your gardening tools or bustling for your bike; visit your outbuilding with confidence with the Spider Proof Shed. The shed has been intelligently designed to repel spiders and unlike your standard garden shed, the whole space is airtight.

As we all know, spiders like to crawl their way through the smallest cracks and holes so the expert designers have taken extreme care to cover any potential areas that the eight-legged visitors can sneak through by including a special airtight door seal. The windows are made from toughened glass and are completely sealed in to ensure the shed is not only water resistant but spider proof too!

The shed also comes with lining paper in a sky blue colour, as this has been scientifically proven to help repel spiders. Tiger Sheds are also offering extra treatments as an upgrade with your purchase, such as treating the wood used with peppermint, citrus and insecticide; all ingredients which spiders despise!

A novelty ‘No Spiders Allowed’ sign comes as standard with your purchase, making the perfect decorative piece for your Spider Proof Shed. It even features some useful tips on keeping your shed spider free!

As an optional extra with this product, you can include our ‘Creepy Crawley’ den, which is a special home designed to attract spiders away from your much loved garden shed. The Spider Home is a dark wooden box with holes for the spiders to crawl into. The inside of the box is painted black to make it even darker to attract them to stay in the Spider Home. We suggest you place this outside your Spider Proof Shed.

Jack Sutcliffe at Tiger Sheds said: “Before developing this product our skilled design team carried out extensive research to fully understand exactly what repels spiders and keep your garden building spider-free. The product is scientifically proven to be spider proof and is the perfect shed for anyone who has a fear of spiders and wishes to enter their outbuilding in full confidence!

“For those who are still sceptical we also offer an optional six-month ‘pest test’ which will be conducted by a fully trained member of the Tiger Sheds team who will carefully inspect your Spider Proof Shed for any spiders. If we do find any, these will be carefully removed and a full investigation will take place into how this may have occurred.

For more information on the worlds first Spider Proof Shed please visit: https://www.tigersheds.com/product/spider-proof-shed/

Bet that one hurt!

I’m currently chicken sitting for someone who isn’t well. I’ve been collecting the eggs> This was the first lot I collected. There’s an absolutely huge one.

The bees love it.
Mine is covered in honey bees.  This is a path that I’ve not weeded for a few weeks since the poached egg plant started to flower. It’s now so full of bees it sounded like a full bee hive!  Buy poached egg plant seeds online at amazon

Buy seed trays on ebay – a great way of starting plants off