Sunny day for Spring Cleaning

Today is a nice sunny day. Too bad that it's as windy as a hurricane. It's still too wet to do anything outside, so today we're spring cleaning the greenhouse. When we previously did a clean we washed the whole thing. And that's what gave me last year's Lung Infection that laid me out the rest of the year. So this time, no inside washing. Just sweeping and tidy-up.

We cleared out on side of the greenhouse, and swept it all up. The wooden slat on the bottom shelf are supposed to have spacers, but although they look smart, they don't stick very well. So instead we decided to remove them altogether and fit all the wooden slats together. It makes for a stronger shelf, but obviously when you remove the gaps, you need more wood. So I sawed up some spare planks to the same length and fitted them. But I still need a few more.

Once one side was done, we moved all the stuff to the other side. We thought we'd try shuffling things around a bit. The Palette Table which I made many moons ago sticks out into the doorway a bit, so we thought we'd move it to the very back of the greenhouse.

So we played a bit of 3D Tetris to shuffle everything around... and then realised that it wouldn't work. There is a shelf at the very back where we put some of the seedlings and smaller plants. When we water anything on that shelf then the water occasionally runs to the side and drips down. In this case it would drip onside the desk. and cooking area. So we shuffled everything back again. We may as well stick with the layout.

We had intended to also do some seed sowing, but I think that's going to have to wait. Maybe tomorrow.

Still too wet for real work

We're still flooded. Not as bad as is has been, but still bad enough that you need to give a good tug on your wellies or risk leaving them behind in the quagmire.

But the damp conditions do make it easy to pull up the weeds in the pathways. So today was a simple clear the paths day. Not that we did a great deal because it threatened rain. Still as the saying goes, every little helps.

We're dumping the weeds into the pathways on the lowest portion of the plot. Later on I'll be covering all these paths with a good thick layer of newspaper and piling a whole load of wood chips on top. Hopefully this will raise the levels and with the compost from our overflowing bins we can raise the levels of the beds too. Anything to get a little higher ground underfoot.

Squelching time again

So the storms have passed, but we're still getting a lot of rain. So much so that once again the plot is underwater. Which kind of puts our plans on hold. We can't dig any of the beds. Movement on the plot is restricted. And we certainly can't get the greenhouses clean because the tap water is still switched off.

So in the meantime, there is very little to do. I did slaughter the other two George's that were at the allotment and I left the seeds drying on a high shelf in the greenhouse, out of the reach of any pesky rodents.

So the only thing I can do is leave you with a picture of the daffs which appear to be enjoying themselves in the weak spring sunshine.

Time for Slaughtering the George again

We have a regular ritual. The "Slaughtering of the George". We've always called the biggest marrows "George". It's our carry over of the best courgettes and provides the seeds for the next year.

• 2019
• 2018
• 2017
• 2016
• 2015
• 2014

We've usually done it down the allotment. But this year it's too cold and wet. The plot is flooded again with all this rain from various sources (aka Storms Ciara, Denis, Jorge and a few days inbetween.) So this time it's in the kitchen.

Choose your George. (We have two more at the allotment)

Slice it open.

Collect seeds.

It really couldn't be easier. Now we just let the seeds dry and they'll be ready to plant at the end of the month. Ready for the next tsunami of courgettes.

New Life

I have just finished a two hour stint in the Allotment Shop. Needless to say that we did not have many customers at all. Only two. But we did have another allotmenteer stop by for a cup of tea.

I think the weather is definitely keeping people away. And I don't blame them. We've just had two weekends of storms, and it's still very blustery out there right now. Far too windy for any decent working on the plot, even if mine is a bit squelchy underfoot from all the rain.

But there are signs of life. Things are starting to perk up and break through. The welcome yellow sight of the Daffs for one.

And two, the Rhubarb is starting to peek through.

Soon I'll be able to make my infamous Rhubarb and Ginger Jam again. But until then, there is much to be done. Just not today.