[sunshineband]

Very busy day:

Hand weeded the germinating carrots and parsnips, and carefully watered them before replacing the enviromesh

Weeded and watered the new strawberry bed

Earthered up the new potatoes, which have started to appear above ground

Mr Sunnt finished the main construction of the giant cloche -- just the doors to do now (and of course something to cover it with  )

[Herb]

Interesting..... the main ingredient is vulcanized rubber and are fairly inert (which is why they don't rot!), but that said they still could leech chemicals I guess.... Obviously councils don't want them scattered on their sites as they are a pain to dispose of...

What do other people think/know?

Pretty sure they don't leach much, if anything. They have attempted (unsuccessfully), to use them in the past to create artificial reefs - they only issues that I have read has been them breaking free of their chains and causing further damage to existing reeds.

[NN2Blue]

Interesting..... the main ingredient is vulcanized rubber and are fairly inert (which is why they don't rot!), but that said they still could leech chemicals I guess.... Obviously councils don't want them scattered on their sites as they are a pain to dispose of...

What do other people think/know?

Pretty sure they don't leach much, if anything. They have attempted (unsuccessfully), to use them in the past to create artificial reefs - they only issues that I have read has been them breaking free of their chains and causing further damage to existing reeds.

Quote from Wiki:

Due to heavy metals and other pollutants in tires there is a potential risk for the (leaching) of toxins into the groundwater when placed in wet soils. This impact on the environment varies according to the pH level and conditions of local water and soil. Research has shown that very little leaching occurs when shredded tires are used as light fill material; however, limitations have been put on use of this material; each site should be individually assessed determining if this product is appropriate for given conditions.

Ecotoxicity may be a bigger problem than first thought. Studies show that zinc, heavy metals, a host of vulcanization and rubber chemicals leach into water from tires. Shredded tire pieces leach much more, creating a bigger concern, due to the increased surface area on the shredded pieces. Many organisms are sensitive, and without dilution, contaminated tire water has been shown to kill some organisms.

Probably low level toxicity.

[Mafro]

Both the wife and I got up the allotment today which was nice.

We weeded and weeded and weeded and weeded.

I earthed up the tatty's as they have given us a frost warning over night.

We hope to get back up there tomorrow to put in carrot and parsnip seeds and some peas

[the Kergan]

I installed my slim water butt today and connected it up to the greenhouse gutter.

[ratherangelic]

We went to look at our plot (today was our 1st day) to get a measure of what we were undertaking.  Had a nosy round and chatted to our neighbours who all seemed really friendly and full of advice.  The hard work starts tomorrow!!!!! 

[Paul Plots]

Yesterday I planted 60 shallots (all sprouting well and ready to go) and two rows of red onions adding instant green.  :happy:

[Craig69]

Yesterday I made a new compost area & spread the whole of the rotted down compost over the bottom bed.
Made a new door in the fruit cage & planted some herbs in some pots by my fruit trees & also planted another Rhubarb at the bottom of my plot next to the others.
Had a fire in the evening when I went to lock the hens away.

Today, now the F1 GP has finished, I am going to clean the hens out & probably just chill out 

[grendel]

Very quick trip to the plot this morning in passing, and on the way (not direct route) home from the shops, just to see what I need to do and what tools to take bnext time I go to do some work, looks like the mower for paths and weeding (plus beans to plant).
Grendel

[arugula]

Planted 45 Lady Christl, 35 Ambo and lifted the last 25 leeks.

[galen]

This weekend I finally finished planting the spuds down the allotment, sowed my leeks, did lots of weeding, mulched my raspberries, picked my first rhubarb of the year and prepared some areas for my 6 year old daughter to plant out some flowers we sowed indoors a couple of weeks ago.

At home started off some lettuce, calabrese and tomatoes and potted on some chillis

[Mafro]

Planted 1 row of carrots, 2 rows of parsnips and 4 different types of peas

[NN2Blue]

Gentle trip today; completed weeding  the shallots, weeded the strawberry bed. Chatted to neighbours.

[Charityuk]

Cleared another 6 barrowloads, mostly grass and goosegrass today.  Making good progress with the clearing, but still squillions more plum tree roots to dig out -  previous tenant removed the trees 2 years ago, badly, so we have 2-3 foot sprouts all over the place.   We did finally get the last of the lovage roots out. Vile stinky stuff.

Husband and kids finished the third raised bed and planted Novella potatoes in it.   Out of wood now, will try Freegle again as that's where I got the last lot. 

[HHH]

Checked on the plot. Some of the earlies (belle de Fontenay) are just beginning to emerge so earthed up over them. I planted these early March and I'm quite pleased with progress. It matches those I have at home in pots (actually 12" height/diameter sawn-off plastic drainpiping).

The peas are a bit hit and miss: patches of them about 1 1/2" high, but enough bald patches in the rows to make me feel that either they've been eaten or rotted early. I have emergency back-ups developing at home but these probably won't be plantable till early May. I hope that they make it all right.

Otherwise: onions doing fine, spinach and lettuce rows both showing healthy shoots, and the carrots, under their enviromesh cage slowly sprouting.