[New shoot]

What do you mulch your asparagus with please, New Shoot?

This year they have had a good scatter of pelleted chicken manure and then all the compost out of the buckets I grew my greenhouse toms in last year.  Last year they had farmyard manure.  I alternate and find that the combination seems to suit them 

[Lardman]

Greenhouse borders cleared and dug over - its as dry as a bone in there and no sign of life  - total sandpit.

Homemade chicken manure compost - tipped over asparagus, rhubarb and blueberries and all the dead flowery things put in the composted bin.

Its the first time I've done any real work out there since July and it shows 

[Living in Hope]

Pruned my new apple trees, how come they never look like the diagrams in the books!

[DigIt]

Pruned my new apple trees, how come they never look like the diagrams in the books!

LOL. I agree.

[Dantheman]

Hi guys, up on the plot today i made up a few more raised beds, put some plastic sheeting around the compost bin, move a big pile of clay which was out of the raised beds (whats the best stuff to break down clay).  De-nailed  some more pallets. had a bit of a chatter and a coffee.

[greentig3r]

Got a good hour and a half while the nipper napped in the buggy. I prepared a new area for strawberries and dug over an empty bed. Both got some 6x (chicken manure) raked in.

The other half got some paths skimmed and covered with tarpaulin and we brought home some leeks.  

No sign of the garlic and onions sets that went in at the end of November..  

[DigIt]

Hi guys, up on the plot today i made up a few more raised beds, put some plastic sheeting around the compost bin, move a big pile of clay which was out of the raised beds (whats the best stuff to break down clay).  De-nailed  some more pallets. had a bit of a chatter and a coffee.

Combination of lime and organic matter over a period of time will help with the aggregation of soil particles and help break down the clay.

[Dantheman]

thanks will dig some in got manure coming next weekend will sort some lime out in the week
 

[DigIt]

thanks will dig some in got manure coming next weekend will sort some lime out in the week
 

You may have to leave a period between the applications if using manure.

Have a read of this :  http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=87872.0

[glasgowgal]

Third trip to new plot today.  In the rain.

Discovered we have fish in our pond

Chatted to a couple of fellow plotholders who told us we have a very heavy fruiting plum tree

However they advised that the raspberries are very old and should probably be replaced.

I planted the Poundland blueberry 'bushes' (twigs!). Yes we did have ericaceous compost and pine chippings to improve the acidity of the soil!

GlasgowGuy tried to seal up the leaks in the shed, make the roof more storm safe and removed carpeting and assorted rubble to the skip.

GG

[becs]

Very productive weekend!!

Got OH up there digging (much to his disgust!) and managed to finally dig over the last two beds ready for potatoes and strawberries.

Broken back but very satisfied!

[MJS]

My hubby went and paid up for the coming year. £18 well spent. Surely we can't still  be newbies , we're into our second year now. 

[kosh42|EFG]

Put up some pea netting in the poly tunnel for some early sweet peas, took out and replaced the shed windows that were blown in during the storms and sorted out hooks and clips for all of the hand tools in the shed.

It was also the first time it has been dry enough to do some digging, so took two Gorilla tubs of weeks, stone, couch grass, and loads of manky potatoes that must have been planted several years ago.

I'd forgotten how hard clearing neglected ground was. I am broken.

[becs]

My hubby went and paid up for the coming year. £18 well spent. Surely we can't still  be newbies , we're into our second year now. 

£18?? sounds a bargin, we pay £3 a week!

[DigIt]

Had to do something positive for 2012 so I've bit the bullet and have just sown :

Chilli Pepper - Lemon Drop (3)   [last time I grew these in 2009, they were sown 19/1]
Tomato - Latah (3)
Tomato - Urbikany (3)