Not really a  herb I know but if Mods want to shift this post, feel free.

I am a great believer in the power of Turmeric. After taking Turmeric capsules for a fortnight the advantages started to kick in and my Osteoarthritis became bearable. I was told by the Doctor to put up with the knee pain and take Ibruproven until the pain became too bad then he would put me in for a knee replacement.
After taking Tumeric twice a day for the last three months or so I can walk my dog twice a day and visit the allotment every day relatively pain free. I no longer take Ibruproven or pain relieving medication which has to be good for my stomach.The pain before hand, especially at night was unbearable and affected my sleep.
Turmeric has lots of benefits which a quick google will inform you of.
I asked my Pharmacist about it and she agreed that usually it took a couple of weeks to get into your system, and if it worked for me to stick with it.
I wouldn't care, I don't even like the taste of it in cooking but take tasteless capsules.

All I am saying is that it has given me my mobility back

You can't get much more of a bargain than this.

I utilise cardboard a lot on the plot as a mulch. My local Aldi has a large  'craft' box by the door of flattened cardboard boxes with a notice 'Take what you need'
I am doing them a favour by getting rid of it for them and they are doing me a favour by letting me have it.

Each time I do a shop I pile a load of cardboard on top of my food trolley on the way out.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. During the recent drought conditions my soil under the cardboard was lovely and damp and stuff grew better there than on the uncovered part of the plot.

Who's interested in saving and swapping seeds later this year? 
Depending on the level of interest, we could have a circle for:

Tomatoes
Chillies,
Flowers
Veg
All in/everything and anything

Please add your names and tell us which ones you'd like to be part of - and we'll take it from there.

I'm fascinated by plant names, both Latin and English; what they mean and why.

For example, who is Shirley who has a tomato  and a Poppy named after her?

Its not as it seems!
Shirley poppies were bred by Rev Wilks, the Vicar of the parish of Shirley from a stray found in his garden in 1880. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_poppy

.............but did the Shirley tomato also have its origins in the parish?
I don't know ............yet!

If you know any stories behind the names, please share them.

Maggie the old saggy on holiday with the 3 year old Shadow. They are on Bens bed.

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I've tried a few searches but currently drawing a blank, please could someone tell me what this is called please? My mother in law is equally scratching her head. 

It's the white one behind the iris that has gone over .

   

I've just tried making elder flower cordial for the first time this morning. Some of the flowers turned brown when I added them. Anyone know if this is usual?

Recipie suggested adding citric acid which I don't have. Not sure if this is really needed. So just had sugar, flowers and lemons.

I'll see what it tastes like this time tomorrow.

This little chappie followed me into a shed and got stuck by the window. I removed the cobwebs from his feet and let him fly off, which he did very well considering he only started flying today.

   

Hi all,

I'm growing some lettuces from a bargain grocery store seed multipack The varieties were iceberg, little gem, and lollo rossa. I know some lettuce are meant to form heads and others are loose leaf. Is there any reason we couldn't take leaves from all the plants if we don't care about them forming full heads?

Thanks!

Had to Google the title, wasn't sure if 'allotmenteer' was actually a real word and not just a made up one, the more I looked at it the stranger it seemed. 

Anyway.....recently got the keys to a new plot, just a little one but I think it's a good starter size for me considering how unfit I presently am.

I wanted to start from scratch and remove everything that was already there and a lovely fellow plot holder and her husband did an initial dig over for me and removed pretty much all the rubbish. I wanted to have a small paved area to sit at, I was happy to lose a bit of growing ground for this purpose and I can always put things in pots here if needs be. The original path was very wobbly and the scaffolding edging was all rotten and crumbling so all that had to be removed, thankfully it was easy enough due to the condition of it.

The plot has wire fencing on 3 sides and a wooden fence and gate which again was in bad condition and just collapsed when the gate was opened. I pulled it down and built a new one and although it's not perfect, I think it looks much much better. I've still to build the gate as I'm waiting to get the area slabbed first, it'll be easier that way.

The other plot holders are all lovely and many of them have helped me get started, whether that is digging or donating their surplus plants. I have to admit to being absolutely exhausted after a very short space of time at the plot, simply because my fitness levels are in my boots but I'm enjoying it and looking forward to the days when things start to feel easier.

So, here are a few pics to be going on with. There's not too much growing yet as I wanted all the tough stuff out the way first even if that meant missing the growing season for a lot of things.