I can completely empathise, last year my life just went a bit crazy in May when I got elected as a Councillor on two councils as well as working full time as a lead software engineer. The garden went from being uber exciting because I’d finally got the bottom half of my garden done with a polytunnel, new shed and bbq area to being so overwhelming that I couldn’t bring myself to go down there apart to occasionally water and I didn’t visit my allotment for the entire year! This year I’m determined to get on top of things early so when it goes mad in May, I don’t loose control. We spent the day today clearing in the garden getting the greenhouse clear and hacking back brambles! I’m still working far more hours than I was but I’m carving out a space for the garden this year!
Congratulations on the promotion JB, you will soon settle into the new job and be back to relaxing in the garden. I bet your onions will bounce back, watched Tony C Smith munt the sweetcorn when he dropped them upside down but they came back! Greenhouse is 'coming along', and that's all we can ask for. Big licks from Colin.
Great update JB, it was good you took the time to just enjoy your plot, this time of year is great for getting jobs done but if they don't get done, it doesn't matter, there are always jobs to do in the garden. Enjoy your garden tidy and sorting and I am off to clean my greenhouse 😊
JB congratulations on your job promotion. I’m sure in a short time everything will even out so your work and home will be in balance. Happy Gardening from Southern California.
My way of getting on top of the allotment is to work and complete all the jobs needed to be done at the front of the plot a dedicated 1/2 hr daily and to slowly progress bed by bed . The rest of the time on the plot I randomly do what I want and every hour I stop and have a drink from my flask thinking of what to do next. It must be difficult to do the filming at the same time. Your blogs are improving very informative and positive.
This has inspired me to get out in the garden today, I'm so far behind with jobs. Why is when I garden I feel so much better, but getting out there feels impossible?
I know that feeling very very well! Very easy for there to be a bit of a mental block that forms. I tell myself that I'm just going for a walk to the allotment most times, instead of telling myself that I'm going to the plot to do a specific job!
No that's a good suggestion! I've considered all sorts but the best use I've found for it is as a GIANT potting mix container 😅 it's SO good for potting up all my chilli's and tomatoes
Hello JB, as others have already said, don't worry, there will always be another day. Please beware of burn out, it can creep up on you without notice. I am so pleased to hear that you have been rewarded with a promotion at work. With such change comes different challenges and I'm guessing it's way too early for you to have figured out how you are going to manage the workload and maintain a healthy work/life balance but you will find what works for you in time. Don't try to do everything on your allotment all at once. As you rightly point out, sometimes it's nice to go to the allotment and maybe just give yourself some breathing space. Use it wisely 😊. We all enjoy your RUclips channel and no matter when you post a video, we'll all be ready and waiting to watch them. Thank you for your update, the chilli pots and grow system look good, it will be interesting to see the results. Look after yourself, and your family. Take care, Paul
Thanks so much Paul 😊 At the end of the day it's one person trying to do the jobs of two people so it can't go on for too long and the bosses are well aware so it will get sorted. Thanks for the encouragement 🥰
You are tired- congratulations 🙌🏾 on your new job however remember to maintain sleep hygiene before anything else- if you have enough of it you will survive, additionally maintain proper boundaries within work so it doesn’t leak into your home and leisure time ❤ good luck
grownlocal.co.uk/product/grown-local-24-cell-self-watering-fast-root-success-kit/ It's in trays not propogators so maybe that's why it wasn't coming up :)
Hello mate. New subscriber Enjoy your videos. Just wondering what your allotment shed looks like. Your plot looks great and Id love to see a video of your shed
The green foam looks like it could be flower arrangers oasis foam. Lots of people compost it but it doesn't really break down which is why they don't use it so much now.
You inspired me to start growing chilli's 🌶️ this year, very much as a respite from high demand job and the glare of the laptop 😂 remember to enjoy your journey aswell as inspiring others :)
Congratulations on the new role at work. Keep pushing to get the old role passed on or it will not happen and you’ll just burn yourself out. Been there!
We're in a public sector recruitment freeze so it's a really horrible situation where if you don't work to cover it then it just won't get done 🙃 the good thing is we have a great union which means we get all the time back, or we get paid for it!
Take care of yourself JB, JB can I ask if you add the used coffee beans to the compost. I have a bean to cup coffee machine and just bin the ground coffee. Where do you buy the trays from as I have a few in 9cm pots but struggle to find a tray to fit and water the plants from the bottom.
Thanks so much. Used coffee is great for compost, rich in nitrogen. These are called gravel trays usually, if you're looking for a term to search :) mine were from Wilko but Garland have a great range which grown local sells too.
Take it easy, some of your best vlogs are the ones where not much happens...as it makes me feel better for not being up the plot digging out brambles (again!!!). So just sit in the sun and think of all the stuff you have done already.
Fortunately I’m not two-plots-two-jobs JB 😜 so I don’t have to worry about that level of stress, but mine seems to peak in the busy May into June period when I struggle to keep up with all the jobs. And then it calms down once everything is planted out by June. Your 🌶️ plants look fandabidozi 👏 A good job jobbed there, for sure! Mine have been probably the least successful to date. I got *plenty* of 🫑 and 🍆 up. but the 🌶️ germinations have been… well, frankly pitiful. I’m on to my third sowing today trying to get enough seedlings up. Many are coming up with no cotyledons or are incredibly tiny. So technically they ‘germinated’ but they don’t look like goers, hence the extra sowings 2w apart. I’ll have enough in the end, just much later than I had hoped. I’m trying different things with each attempt to figure out where I’m going wrong. Every year I think I’m going to have my best ever result… and then not so much #SadPanda ☹️🐼 I think I’ll start my 🍅 going next weekend, but I need space in the propagation for that…
JB please listen to yourself… I’ve worked under pressure and I’ve watched people have heart attacks and mental health breakdowns… I’m a retired mental health nurse…. I got out when I realised that it wasn’t all worth it… please review and listen to yourself ❤
i don't understand why people put greenhouse on sleepers when they just rot making sooooo much work for them selves ,i have secured mine to big paving stones leaving a big boarder around the perimeter great for putting your water butts on garlic looking good
How are your paving stones anchored? I'm fairly sure if I put mine into paving (without the paving slabs splitting as I drilled in) then the frame would still move/buckle/break during a storm? Or do you mean you have a greenhouse base which you can anchor to slabs? My issue is that I don't have a base at all, so I have to make one out of something.
the paving stones are just layed on top of the soil they are the really heavy ones the council used for foot paths 900x600mm my allotment site is in the open and we get terrible winds that knock you off your feet and it has not moved an inch
@@JBNat the green house is not on a base layed stright onto slabs drilled whole into frame work then drilled hole into slab then secured with a heavy duty washer and hex bolt 2 on each side
@@auntyree5131 very interesting, thanks for all the info! I've already ordered the sleepers now but I'll keep it in mind if I ever have to build another one 😂 I do love the extra height they give you.
Ijb please listen to this, go back to your old job , im a 54 year old man who had cancer at 50, i worked like u are now and was sacked when i got cancer , im fine now and im finally alive with my plot, dont do it to yourself , please
Well done on the promotion - wishing you all the best to survive the new job so you can have some extra relaxation time 🎉
Thank you!
I can completely empathise, last year my life just went a bit crazy in May when I got elected as a Councillor on two councils as well as working full time as a lead software engineer. The garden went from being uber exciting because I’d finally got the bottom half of my garden done with a polytunnel, new shed and bbq area to being so overwhelming that I couldn’t bring myself to go down there apart to occasionally water and I didn’t visit my allotment for the entire year!
This year I’m determined to get on top of things early so when it goes mad in May, I don’t loose control. We spent the day today clearing in the garden getting the greenhouse clear and hacking back brambles!
I’m still working far more hours than I was but I’m carving out a space for the garden this year!
Hopefully things calm down a bit but it’s miraculous you’re still gardening and getting videos out! Look after yourself, we can wait 🫶
Ahh cheers Tom! Definitely calming down a bit now. Got some really exciting stuff in the polytunnel too, can't wait to start properly sowing
Relax JB. We are all in some sort of chaos before Spring appears. Look after yourself and Jess. All the stuff is secondary❤
Just chill, we can wait for the 9 videos on the greenhouse, look after yourself, enjoying chilli videos
I love the self-watering methods and am really looking forward to your experimentation. 😊
Hi JB, great video update, thanks for sharing and take care 😊
Take time to relax too
Congratulations on the promotion JB, you will soon settle into the new job and be back to relaxing in the garden. I bet your onions will bounce back, watched Tony C Smith munt the sweetcorn when he dropped them upside down but they came back! Greenhouse is 'coming along', and that's all we can ask for. Big licks from Colin.
Take time to relax mate. Great content.
🐝 Thanks for the great video 🌻 Just relax gardening is a hobby not work
It's about the journey, not the destination. Don't worry about how long it takes 😊
Great update JB, it was good you took the time to just enjoy your plot, this time of year is great for getting jobs done but if they don't get done, it doesn't matter, there are always jobs to do in the garden. Enjoy your garden tidy and sorting and I am off to clean my greenhouse 😊
The allotment will wait for when you're ready. Chillies looking good JB.
You will get there at some point
JB congratulations on your job promotion. I’m sure in a short time everything will even out so your work and home will be in balance. Happy Gardening from Southern California.
My way of getting on top of the allotment is to work and complete all the jobs needed to be done at the front of the plot a dedicated 1/2 hr daily and to slowly progress bed by bed . The rest of the time on the plot I randomly do what I want and every hour I stop and have a drink from my flask thinking of what to do next. It must be difficult to do the filming at the same time. Your blogs are improving very informative and positive.
This has inspired me to get out in the garden today, I'm so far behind with jobs. Why is when I garden I feel so much better, but getting out there feels impossible?
I know that feeling very very well! Very easy for there to be a bit of a mental block that forms. I tell myself that I'm just going for a walk to the allotment most times, instead of telling myself that I'm going to the plot to do a specific job!
Congratulations on your promotion. My youngest sister texted me this morning excited about her promotion at work to. 😊 ❤
Woohooo! Congrats for your sister!
Are you looking for ideas for the bathtub? Worm farm!😊. Apologies if you already have plans for it and I’ve missed it.
No that's a good suggestion! I've considered all sorts but the best use I've found for it is as a GIANT potting mix container 😅 it's SO good for potting up all my chilli's and tomatoes
Hello JB, as others have already said, don't worry, there will always be another day. Please beware of burn out, it can creep up on you without notice. I am so pleased to hear that you have been rewarded with a promotion at work. With such change comes different challenges and I'm guessing it's way too early for you to have figured out how you are going to manage the workload and maintain a healthy work/life balance but you will find what works for you in time. Don't try to do everything on your allotment all at once. As you rightly point out, sometimes it's nice to go to the allotment and maybe just give yourself some breathing space. Use it wisely 😊. We all enjoy your RUclips channel and no matter when you post a video, we'll all be ready and waiting to watch them. Thank you for your update, the chilli pots and grow system look good, it will be interesting to see the results. Look after yourself, and your family. Take care, Paul
Thanks so much Paul 😊 At the end of the day it's one person trying to do the jobs of two people so it can't go on for too long and the bosses are well aware so it will get sorted. Thanks for the encouragement 🥰
You are tired- congratulations 🙌🏾 on your new job however remember to maintain sleep hygiene before anything else- if you have enough of it you will survive, additionally maintain proper boundaries within work so it doesn’t leak into your home and leisure time ❤ good luck
Hi JB, I looked on Grown Local for the seed propagator you showed but I couldn't find it
grownlocal.co.uk/product/grown-local-24-cell-self-watering-fast-root-success-kit/
It's in trays not propogators so maybe that's why it wasn't coming up :)
Hello mate. New subscriber
Enjoy your videos. Just wondering what your allotment shed looks like. Your plot looks great and Id love to see a video of your shed
The green foam looks like it could be flower arrangers oasis foam. Lots of people compost it but it doesn't really break down which is why they don't use it so much now.
Oooh good shout!
You inspired me to start growing chilli's 🌶️ this year, very much as a respite from high demand job and the glare of the laptop 😂 remember to enjoy your journey aswell as inspiring others :)
Ahhh that's so great to hear thank you!!
Time for a haircut too. 👍😁 Time for yourself us important. 😊
Hahaha did you notice it halfway through the video? 😅
@@JBNat 🤣 I did. Glad you can take a few minutes to yourself. 👍
Congratulations on the new role at work. Keep pushing to get the old role passed on or it will not happen and you’ll just burn yourself out. Been there!
We're in a public sector recruitment freeze so it's a really horrible situation where if you don't work to cover it then it just won't get done 🙃 the good thing is we have a great union which means we get all the time back, or we get paid for it!
@@JBNat So long as you can “handle it”……….and your getting paid………I guess it’s a win 😉
Take care of yourself JB, JB can I ask if you add the used coffee beans to the compost. I have a bean to cup coffee machine and just bin the ground coffee. Where do you buy the trays from as I have a few in 9cm pots but struggle to find a tray to fit and water the plants from the bottom.
Thanks so much. Used coffee is great for compost, rich in nitrogen.
These are called gravel trays usually, if you're looking for a term to search :) mine were from Wilko but Garland have a great range which grown local sells too.
Just enjoy the plot time. Its not a race dont forget
Take it easy, some of your best vlogs are the ones where not much happens...as it makes me feel better for not being up the plot digging out brambles (again!!!). So just sit in the sun and think of all the stuff you have done already.
Fortunately I’m not two-plots-two-jobs JB 😜 so I don’t have to worry about that level of stress, but mine seems to peak in the busy May into June period when I struggle to keep up with all the jobs. And then it calms down once everything is planted out by June.
Your 🌶️ plants look fandabidozi 👏 A good job jobbed there, for sure! Mine have been probably the least successful to date. I got *plenty* of 🫑 and 🍆 up. but the 🌶️ germinations have been… well, frankly pitiful. I’m on to my third sowing today trying to get enough seedlings up. Many are coming up with no cotyledons or are incredibly tiny. So technically they ‘germinated’ but they don’t look like goers, hence the extra sowings 2w apart. I’ll have enough in the end, just much later than I had hoped. I’m trying different things with each attempt to figure out where I’m going wrong. Every year I think I’m going to have my best ever result… and then not so much #SadPanda ☹️🐼
I think I’ll start my 🍅 going next weekend, but I need space in the propagation for that…
Any idea what's caused the germination troubles!?!
Take it easy mate
👍
JB please listen to yourself… I’ve worked under pressure and I’ve watched people have heart attacks and mental health breakdowns… I’m a retired mental health nurse…. I got out when I realised that it wasn’t all worth it… please review and listen to yourself ❤
Can I ask what you do for a living JB?
I work in the public sector on environmental issues!
i don't understand why people put greenhouse on sleepers when they just rot making sooooo much work for them selves ,i have secured mine to big paving stones leaving a big boarder around the perimeter great for putting your water butts on
garlic looking good
How are your paving stones anchored? I'm fairly sure if I put mine into paving (without the paving slabs splitting as I drilled in) then the frame would still move/buckle/break during a storm?
Or do you mean you have a greenhouse base which you can anchor to slabs? My issue is that I don't have a base at all, so I have to make one out of something.
the paving stones are just layed on top of the soil they are the really heavy ones the council used for foot paths 900x600mm my allotment site is in the open and we get terrible winds that knock you off your feet and it has not moved an inch
@@auntyree5131 how did you screw the frame into them? Just a masonry drill and then a plug of some kind?
@@JBNat the green house is not on a base layed stright onto slabs drilled whole into frame work then drilled hole into slab then secured with a heavy duty washer and hex bolt 2 on each side
@@auntyree5131 very interesting, thanks for all the info! I've already ordered the sleepers now but I'll keep it in mind if I ever have to build another one 😂 I do love the extra height they give you.
Re the archex. Unless they are very expensive sturdy ones they will need to be well staked or they will blow over in the first sfrong wind.
Yes they look pretty decent, they've got planters attached at either side. Will be interesting to review them, I've seen plenty of awful ones!
This working for a living is overated. Ive been rewirring the house we are renovating looking out the wndow at the plot on a lovely day. So anoying.
Oof yes proper renovation work is draining. Hope it goes smoothly!
Ijb please listen to this, go back to your old job , im a 54 year old man who had cancer at 50, i worked like u are now and was sacked when i got cancer , im fine now and im finally alive with my plot, dont do it to yourself , please