Allotment Week - Planting Stuff

Some allotment week this has been. I put my back out earlier in the week and I didn't really get much chance to be down the plot. But today is nice and sunny, and my back is feeling much better so it's time to actually do something.

First off, there is a lot of stuff that was previously planted that needs potting on. So that's what I started with. The Pak Choi got put into individual pots. Previously I had put them into a long trough, but that kind of made it easy for a single snail to get in and ruin a lot of plants all at once. So this time, I'm putting them into separate pots (courtesy of M&S soups).

Meanwhile the Courgettes and Crown Princes all need to be sorted out. Not as good a successful germination rate this year, so I started a few more of them off.

The empty trays in front were the sweetcorns that I started a while back. None of them took. At all. So I guess it's time to try some of the other kernels to see whether those are any better.

Meanwhile The Wife was busy planting more tomatoes, cucumbers, Japanese Spinach, Mizuna and other stuff.

And we weren't alone at the plot. Our Vulpine Princess decided to visit to keep an eye on us and make sure we were working hard and to her exacting standards.

We've decided to call her Velma. After all, she wears orange.

Allotment Week - Shelves finally complete

It's allotment week. Again? Wasn't there one just a couple of weeks back? Well yes. It's because I'm now no longer able to carry over an obscene amount of leave from one year to the next. Covid has meant that I can't go anywhere else. The only places I can go is home and the allotment. I can't go to shops. And any face-to-face contact with other people must be outside and fully masked. As such I accrued a large amount of leave that was generously carried over. But now we're rolling it back so that only 5 days can be carried over. So once again, it's time to spend a week down the allotment.

Today was just a short visit. But I finally managed to get the shelves that I've been building, finished and mounted at the end of the greenhouse.

I suspect that these will end up as the storage points for the Tumbling Toms. I still have to fix the footings properly, but it's wired into the top of the greenhouse to stop it falling over. It's just damned hard trying to screw into hardwoods with just a screwdriver. I really need to get a decent set of tools. Which means I need to go shopping... which I can't do at present. Ho hum.

A productive (and exhausting) Easter Weekend

The plot is looking much better now. Yes there is still a lot to sort out, but it's getting there. Mind you, it's been "getting there" for nearly the past decade. Can you believe it's been nearly 10 years on the plot?

Digging out the couch grass is by far the worst job. But at least now the strawberry beds are all done (it'll keep The Wife happy) and most of the other beds are now very lightly weeded, so a simple forking over will deal with them. But it gives me a certain satisfaction to get things done.

All overseen by the Vulpine Princess of course...

Strawberries and Seeds

I learned my lesson from yesterday. I went to the plot at 9am this morning to get things sorted out before the heat of the day sends me running for cover. Upon opening the greenhouse, I saw a scurry of movement underneath the stands. Suspecting a mouse I bent down to check it out only to see a flurry of feathers. A male House Sparrow had got in, probably through the open window and was somewhat trapped. He managed to make good his escape though. He may have got in yesterday as there were quite a few bird droppings on the chair and other places. But he seemed just fine as there were places where he could drink from the seed trays.

On the subject of seeds, before the heat got too much I started planted a whole load more seeds into pots and trays.

More Peas, Crown Princes, Tumbling Tom Tomatoes (Both Red and Yellow varieties), some more Kelsae Onions, and some Burpless Cucumbers.

Yesterday when I got home, I recharged my electric screwdriver to help in trying to build the shelves, but even fully charged it doesn't have enough strength to turn the screws in. My old drill used a NiCad battery and as is typical with those things the battery is now dead and won't hold a charge so it can't really be used for this. So I think I'll have to bring my BIG screw driver which allows me to get a better grip. At present the shelves are still in bits, and hence are not really photogenic yet.

Meanwhile the Wife's Strawberry Empire has been neglected somewhat. It's now full of clover, thistles and dandelions mixed in with all the strawberries. These have also sprouted runners which are all over the place. Not really a problem but it does need sorting. I dug everything out, putting all the strawberry plants into a separate bucket ready to be re-planted afterwards.

Before...

After...

I'm sure you'll agree that it is much better, but I will have to keep an eye on the re-planted strawberries just to make sure that they take. They should be OK, as Strawbs are reasonably tolerant of being disturbed.

Spring has finally sprung

Unlike a few weeks back, it looks like spring has finally settled in to stay. It's a nice sunny Bank Holiday - which makes a change for a UK BH. This morning there were no less than 8 cars in the car park. 9 if you count the one that was leaving as I arrived. The Apple Tree is in full bloom.

Which in turn has meant that the Bees are out and about.

And the Rhubarb has finally decided to start growing with renewed vigour.

However, this also means that the weeds are starting to get in on the act as well, which means that garlic is starting to get a little overwhelmed.

I spent most of the morning working on the new shelving unit for the end of the greenhouse. However I was soundly defeated by the weather. The sun was just too much and I decided not to bake and headed for cooler climes and a ice cold drink. Tomorrow I'll go to the allotment a lot earlier in the day so as to avoid cooking.

Dealing with George

It's George time again. I'm a bit later this year, but that doesn't mean that it's any worse. In fact there are plenty of seeds to be had from last year's George. Or should I say one of them, because there were two of them left over.

The seeds will dry in the greenhouse over the next week. Stored safely out of reach of any potential mouse. And the long weekend next week will see them duly planted. I learned my lesson from previous years where I almost lost them from late frosts. Although looking at the weather this time around, I don't think that will be much of an issue... but you never know.

Work Parties, Compost and Shelves

Today was the first day of the working party. I didn't take part as I'm still trying to keep a distance from people to avoid catching the dreaded you-know-what. But I did stop buy to photograph the hard workers.

The shop has finally got a new delivery of compost in. The compost from the bins is OK, except because it didn't get to a hot temperature, it didn't fully kill any seeds that were in it. So the best compost for starting seeds is the more professional variety. So I bought four bags worth ready for the new seeds.

But as I was there I did notice a pallet that was available. Now I've used this size before to make shelves, so I knew exactly what to do with it.

So cut down the middle and then interlace the slats. Unfortunately as this was unexpected, I didn't have my power tools with me so I couldn't screw it all together at the end. But tomorrow I'll take my tools and finish it off. Of course, it can't fit in the greenhouse since there are already two of these running the full length of the 2nd greenhouse. But I can certainly use this to make some shelves for the outside of the greenhouse. I've wanted to make a growing area at the back of the greenhouse for a while now, so perhaps this will work. I'll have to see what I can work out.

Allotment Week - Day 9 - Treasure from the Trash

So, final day of being down the allotment. Next week it's back to the old grindstone again. But at least I can pop to the allotment in the evenings, so not all is lost.

Today has just been a day of tidying up and pulling out a few more weeds. Not been able to do much as I must have pulled a muscle in my back yesterday. Anyway, one thing I did notice was that somebody had thrown away some branches into the "green" waste bin. By green I mean living material but in this case it was brown. The branches seem to have been cut from a cherry tree, and were quite dry. Ideal for chopping up into firewood for the Ghillie Kettle. So thats what I did.

It's not the first time I've raided the rubbish bins for useful stuff. It's a common theme that people recycle and re-use whatever they can on the plots. Albeit wheelbarrows, or windows.

The frost on the tops of the cars this morning suggests that it's still not the right time to go all out with the sowing just yet. Despite it still being rather warm in the greenhouse. So for now, the sowing will have to wait. Maybe I'll start sowing in Easter. It's only a couple of weeks away.

Allotment Week - Day 8 - Anonymous Benefactor

So what happened to Day 7 then? Well like Day 6, I thought the snow flurries were reason enough to stay home and avoid the plot. I could have gone because if the greenhouse it was still quite warm, but I don't really have a lot to do in the greenhouse just yet. All of the major work is outside.

I've now pretty much finished all of the pathways. The last time I managed to put wood chip down everywhere was a couple of years back, so having this lot is a major difference to the plot. Now I have to say that having seen the results of the previous years  woodchip, putting newspaper or cardboard down as a barrier mulch is a waste of time. The Couch Grass rhizomes go straight through it as if it wasn't there, and although the newspaper does break down after a few months, it doesn't really justify the amount of work necessary to get rid of the stuff. The best option seems to be digging out the roots as a where you can.

At least the front is now completed.

However I couldn't have carted all of the amount of wood chip without an anonymous benefactor. It is common for many people to offer things for free. We trade amongst ourselves and help each other where we can. The other day I was down the plot and our resident plumber told be of a wheelbarrow going free over on the West Side of the allotments. Sure enough I went over there and saw that there was a lawn mower and a very sturdy built wheel barrow, with a sign on them saying free to a good home.

Well I have no need for a lawn mower, so that I left for whoever else wanted it. But the barrow? Considering the state of my old one, then yes please.

So I was using it today to shift the wood chips when somebody said "Oh you got it did you?" Yes, it was the person who repaired and donated the barrow. So now the benefactor is not so anonymous. Andy, thank you so very much for making my life easier.