Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: mumofstig on December 31, 2013, 14:09
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ready for tomorrow ;)
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What I did on the plot today:
"Swam" wouldn't surprise me if the rest of the country is the same as it is here on New Year's Day. :wub:
Sun predicted for tomorrow morning so it'll be the only chance I get this week.
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Nuffink! too wet and windy to venture down there. Thank goodness I had already got the last of the parsnips up.
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Same here, plots to muddy, hopefully ill be able to go tomorrow.
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It hasnt let up raining here. I am expecting to see our plots sliding down the hill towards us if it carries on. I am not joking either. ???
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still raining here, only have 4 more days off work and doesnt look like I will get to the plot.
Grendel
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It hasn't stopped raining all day, the grounds far to wet to do anything :)
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Squelched to the plot, worried that everything will drown. Pulled a couple of leeks ( no need to dig, and the holes filled themselves as the leeks came out - sort of slushy soil come water). Decided worrying a bit pointless. Put veg peelings on compost heap, looked at bent, wind damaged fruit cage (50th birthday present so very sad) came home to make leek and potato soup.
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First of all HAppy New Year to Everyone....havnt been to the plot as yet due to the weather...just ahve some cerelaic still in so no rush to get there....shut down the rest for the winter. I do however have my seeds.. ;) enough to keep me busy this year.
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Finally dry and sunny today so did a bit more clearing of the big bramble area. I edged my permanent rhubarb bed with rocks and then planted out a few more raspberry canes.
2 injuries of a nasty blood blister on my finger and a very scratched up leg from a giant bramble. Start the year as I mean to go on :wub:
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Went to the plot to check on the comfrey in the greenhouse, it's doing okay it will have to be re potted soon. Ground is far to wet to do anything else. :(
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Dug some leeks, cut down rest of red sprouts, picked some green ones and put 2 new sheets of corrugated clear plastic on lean to greenhouse roof ;)
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Happy new Year everyone - hope is a bumper year for our veg and flower gardens.
Yesterday just had to tidy up my house roof where we nearly had a disaster... a firework fell on my flat roof where I keep my old long plastic troughs (that I used to grow onions etc on the roof) and ignited them... Thankfully we saw the flames it in time and although most were burned we saved the house and roof!! Could have been nasty had the roof caught fire!!
And now as its raining its a in house day so I am busy making finishing touches to my light growing box to start of some show onions..
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wow Gavin great you caught it in time!
Spent 4 hours weeding and poop shoveling today exhausted! wasn't the area I meant to tidy up but I find that's always the way, that 1/4 is pretty much sorted til sping now - trying to get ahead of the game!
some wind damage ripped nets keeping the birds off a few brassicas, the nets fell to bits when I touched them clearly cheap non uv stable ones lesson learned there
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When the rain stops we may walk up the hill and sink on the plot ::)
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I went! Planted out some onions that I had started off in the greenhouse. I hope they don't drown. Sowed a couple of hundred saved sweetpeas in the greenhouse and ordered some more. ... Ooops.
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Had a look at the big puddle of water with some leekes growing out of it!
On the plus side the contents of the compost bin looks brilliant!
Cheers
Aled
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Managed a good few hours whilst it was dry yesterday and managed to make more progress on the couch grass by digging a new 2m x 4m bed ready for the spring. I am over half way back clearing my plot now and will have so much more room than last year to plant as I only got the plot in March. Work and weather permitting I will hopefully get the lot dug over by spring time.
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Went in between storm clouds yesterday to check out the carnage and to plant out rhubarb that I'd dug out of the garden and divided.
Was not wrong on the carnage front! Various propagator lids, cloches and Dalek lids all over my plot, no idea where there're from so I've stuck them at the side of the hut to stop the blowing further and hopefully they're owners will see them if they come looking.
Stuck the 3 bits of rhubarb crown into our perennial bed, or what will be our perennial bed once the over wintering onions and leeks come out.
Son dug some holes with a stick and jumped in the puddles on the path while I chatted to a plot neighbour who had lost his hut to the storms :(
It's been too long and I'm glad to be back after a lazy Christmas!
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OH went to empty the kitchen compost into the dalek and discovered our 4 year old Munty frame leaning precariously over. thinks the sodden soil had allowed the uprights to come free, and the wind has finished the job. Too wet for a proper inspection. The next dry day I will have to go and see if it can be saved, rebuilt, or just completely demolished, and the wood recycled for another project. Rats!
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Haven't been to the plot but erected and tied down my new 4 tier mini greenhouse in the back garden so I can get my seedlings going in pots earlier. Its just a waiting game now!!!!
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Was supposed to be finishing off the paths with chipped Christmas trees but the firm that were supposed to be chipping them never turned up and I have only hearsay to go on that they will in fact come next Saturday. Have emailed to ask them to confirm this. So I faffed around on the usual job of moving soil back onto the plot from the hedge bank. Coupled with ExH's changing his mind several times as to when he was bringing the kids back, was a frustrating afternoon!
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Nowt actually had the day off :lol:
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Still flipping raining. Seriously i am bored with it now. My plot will be drowning the weeds for me ::)
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Emptied the two compost bins onto two beds that got no FYM. Cleared one of the beds in the PT (a few strawberry runners got missed). Will go up during the week and do more work on the PT beds and get them ready for sowing.
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Still flipping raining. Seriously i am bored with it now. My plot will be drowning the weeds for me ::)
Snap! Back to work on Monday so it is bound to dry up after that :(
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Still flipping raining. Seriously i am bored with it now. My plot will be drowning the weeds for me ::)
Snap! Back to work on Monday so it is bound to dry up after that :(
I havent got to the plot for weeks, everytime its dry hubby is at work. ??? Honestly even florence is getting mad she cant go digging ::)
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Even my sand was soggy today but Im so behind I haven't even done the autumn clean up.
I forked over the bed I'd been dumping the chicken muck on, took down the bean frame, it nearly collapsed this year under the weight so it's time to renew. Cleared away all the cage frames, put a tarp over the shed roof as the felt seems to have gone awol in the recent winds. Then dug 2 small beds over, I still need to sort out the strawberry, raspberry and blueberry beds though.
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well going up tomorrow hate to think whats waiting for me havent been for nearly 4 weeks think i might need a canoe if this rain dont stop
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Quick trip down yesterday in the pouring rain to take delivery of some fym and plant some blackcurrent canes. got absolutely soaked so retreated to the pub for a sneaky couple of pints, then this morning I wake up to beautiful sunshine, only problem is I already have plans, hopefully the weather will be nice again tomorrow.
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Dug up the last of the celery then cleared a silted up culvert that is supposed to drain my plot.
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Hurrah - stopped off at the Parish Council just as the bloke was chipping the Christmas trees. He shovelled 13 bags full for me so I took him some chocolates then went up the plot and finished my main paths. The plan has evolved so they are not quite diagonal, but a straight section up the middle longways where the compost bins are, and then branching to each corner. I dug out a few inches of soil before I put the chippings on so 3/4 of the plot is looking pretty heaped now what with the stuff that's come out of the hedgebank - only the quarter where I sowed broad beans is still at the original level!
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Its all too wet to do much. Pulled some leeks and found a potato that had got missed, it was looking good too. The birds are enjoying the apples on the tree and leaving empty apple shells all over the garden.
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Still raining here so nothing :( got loads I want to do as well
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hi all
Went up and had a look, but much to wet. cant wait to get started, turned it over through the week and
now the hand weeding starts.
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Nothing same as yesterday, the day before, last week and the week before, because its still blooming raining. I had to take such a detour today it would have been faster taking a dingy.
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hi all
Went up and had a look, but much to wet. cant wait to get started, turned it over through the week and
now the hand weeding starts.
Nice bit of kit you got there to turn it over!!
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We've just put 10 bags of really well rotted down horse manure on kitchen garden, as we've had a reasonable day with sunshine 12 degrees it was this afternoon. :D
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hi all
Went up and had a look, but much to wet. cant wait to get started, turned it over through the week and
now the hand weeding starts.
Nice bit of kit you got there to turn it over!!
Was thinking 'nice spade' too.
Anyway, 2m3 of compost spread over the plot. My back, arms, legs, shoulders..... hurt.
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Nothing same as yesterday, the day before, last week and the week before, because its still blooming raining. I had to take such a detour today it would have been faster taking a dingy.
Its still raining, sheet lightening, hail, rain. I have just driven home at 20mph along a dual carriageway as no-one could see the nose of the car. Absolutely horrendous. I have no hope of getting on the plot till it does some serious drying out.
somerset is drowning, send boats so we can escape.
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Today Dug over ployunnel put 4 barrows of fym in and spread a bit more on plot,watered garlic & onions in pt and 3 greenhouses with weak Biobizz fish liquid feed :)
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I tried to turn it over by hand, but its just a dense mat of couch grass,as it was, it pulled the mini
digger forward in parts when i tried to turn it. masses of white roots waiting to be lifted now. Though
i guess i'll miss as many as i pull.
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Not a lot is the honest answer! Greenhouse intact but so it should be as it is held in place by 4x2ft deep pegs and the plastic panels are now held in by almost continuous W clips!
The soil is so wet and being clay it is reverting to type - a flooded mess!
Still I can enjoy reading seed catalogues and dreaming of dry weather!
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We've just put 10 bags of really well rotted down horse manure on kitchen garden, as we've had a reasonable day with sunshine 12 degrees it was this afternoon. :D
That's the lovely thing about living in some parts of West Sussex - we usually get a good belt of sunshine.
My soil has been diggable every-time I've managed to get to it. Loads still to do so I'm hoping the snow keeps off long enough once Noah's favourite weather clears.
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Still waiting for the bog to dry up! Anyway have been lucky to use our new wheelbarrow on quite a few occasions, sadly clearing up wind blown debri!
Its dry at the moment lets see how long it lasts.
Cheers
Aled
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We've just put 10 bags of really well rotted down horse manure on kitchen garden, as we've had a reasonable day with sunshine 12 degrees it was this afternoon. :D
That's the lovely thing about living in some parts of West Sussex - we usually get a good belt of sunshine.
My soil has been diggable every-time I've managed to get to it. Loads still to do so I'm hoping the snow keeps off long enough once Noah's favourite weather clears.
So were about's are you along the Sussex coast Paul ???
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Nothing of late. I leave for work in the dark, get home in the dark, and it pours and blows a gale at weekends. The greenhouse is damaged, the ground is far too wet to work and my bean trench is probably more like a short moat.
But where would we be without a challenge? :unsure:
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Today i managed to get both me sheds painted with dark brown preserver (it started to rain earlier this morn then stopped) ;) then put some more fym in another greenhouse :nowink:
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1st time this new year that I've been down the allotment! ;)
Did'nt do anything just had a walk around with a mind's eye of what I'm going to do on the plot this year :)
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Nothing again, i am not explaining why again
Grrrrrr anyone want some, happy to share
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marked out another raised bed and had a paddle between two others
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Felt really Ill this morning but didn't want to waste the dry spell, so Hamish and I took a walk down and I brought a thornless blackberry I potted up months ago then forgotten about in the garden, planted it out and turned over the ground where the beans and potatoes will go, was very pleasant!
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Finally made it to the plot for the first time this year.
Dug up the last of the parsnips and leeks. Dug over the riased bed and replanted with strawberries (yes,I know it's too early ::) but just wanted to dig and plant something). Dug the bed that had potatoes in last year and found 6 lovely pentland javelin spuds that I'd missed when harvesting last year. It felt good to be back out in the fresh air again. :)
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'Rescued' some broken paving slabs, concrete blocks, wood and a wheelie bin that were destined for the dump from an abandoned plot. Made a path in the greenhouse from some of the slabs.
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Took round the veg peelings and chicken manure to fill a compost bin.
Picked a few bits for tea, and noticed that the lower plots are still flooded :(
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Nowt had to go through to Hull to pick up a band saw and sanding machine :)
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Nothing of late. I leave for work in the dark, get home in the dark, and it pours and blows a gale at weekends. The greenhouse is damaged, the ground is far too wet to work and my bean trench is probably more like a short moat.
But where would we be without a challenge? :unsure:
Thanks for this post - it cheered me up! :)
Sorry if that sounds unsympathetic but your post reminded me of what it was like when I worked 8 to 6 through rotten wet winters when often the sunny days were spent at work.
At least I now stand a bit of a chance of getting to the plot mid-week once in a while when the sunshines.
May try tomorrow. 8)
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just was amazed my garlic has come up onlylost 5 so far probaly floating away somewhere moved my neighboure wheel barrow again and collected some seed trays from someones else plot not alot still really wet
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Nothing! One of the few days since I got the plot when I've been off work and the weather's OK that I haven't been up. But.... I have bought some purple coneflower plants and some cut flower/bee attracting flower seeds to attract the pollinators and brighten things up later in the year.
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Yesterday completed the paving slab edging to one of the long sides of plot 3 with a view to completing the opposite long side with a brick edging today. Need to do this so that the new raised bed for autumn raspberries can be finished this weekend. I can't manage to build the 8m X 1.2m bed on my own. It's all off cuts of decking boards so needs two people to lay it out, hold it together whilst attaching the legs and then positioning it.
HOWEVER ......
Got a text message yesterday afternoon saying there was manure to collect today, so did that instead. Now I have to finish the brick edging tomorrow or else the raised bed will have to wait another weekend to be finished, but I'm expecting a compost delivery and no time stated except 7am to 9pm. :(
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Planted some shallots in loo rolls and placed in polytunnel. (Well they are starting to grow so I guess they know best! ). Also sowed some radish in compost which I grew tomatoes in. Also in PT. Worth a try I reckon.
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Took household composting material to lottie and put on compost bin. While there, I pruned the raspberries down. Let out about 100ltrs of water from the lbc tank onto the polytunnel soil. Dug some carrots and parsnips out and was quite happy with some mooli I grew. Then off home for a cuppa!!!! ;)
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Today i stained another bit of fencing round compost bin,planted 2 tayberry plants (bought them his morning from £1land)also bought 6 bags of red baron,5 bags of pentland javelin seed spuds,then mum phoned me while at lottie-darren iv'e just been to £1land and bought you 3 bags of red baron and 4 bags of pentland spuds lol :lol: mum i have just been there and bought the same,now i have loads to plant. So i planted 2 bags of red and 1 bag of white onion sets into cut in half loo rolls :D Ill plant spuds in 1 of the greenhouses fairly deep for earlies end of this month with parrafin heater in there ;)
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Painted some decking green for a new bed, squelched around a bit, picked some PSB.
Noticed that lots of sunshine is predicted for Saturday. *fingers crossed*
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Lots of juicy squelches when I tidied the junk out of the rainpond.
Took some photos. There are buds on the fruit trees and blackcurrant already!
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Finished a greenhouse base, and am silly happy about it, so excited *!*
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put some more fym on a few beds, and around rasps dug up a few leeks cut some spring greens :)
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Today I went over the FiL's to cadge a big chunk of rhubarb, which split into three when I got up to my plot. I have got one section of the hedge bank back to where I more or less think it "should" be, so I planted it up with wild white strawberry, wood avens, forget-me-not, celandines, viola and campanula which all spread round my garden so hopefully if they survive the move they will cover the bank and make it a pleasant place to be! Then went back to digging out soil and chucking on the plot, and filled another sack with rubbish. I must have shifted over a ton of topsoil by now. Most astonishing find today was a useful length of hosepipe plus one of those hoses that coils up like a spring, both buried under a good six inches of apparently solid ground, never mind the layers of leaves sticks and rubbish on top of that.
Had a nice chat with a fellow plot-holder who admired my hedge laying so she can come again! :D
Oh and I ran 5k this morning so am feeling righteously knackered now!
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General tidy up on the plot emptied half the compost bin on one of the beds .The rest will have to go to the skip all sorts of rubbish has been thrown in it, mostly not suitable for composting .
Noticed my cold frame lid was loose when I checked one of the bolts had snapped off. So quick trip to wilkos was necessary :lol: bought new bolts for the cold frame ,peat pots, and string, tempted to buy some Anya seed potatoes and nearly did but my daughter dragged me away :(
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Finally - no rain...
Went up to the plot expecting the soil to be unworkable, but being in the top corner seems to have its benefits! :D Got a large patch turned over and was given a couple of blackcurrant plants by some friends on the site. Onion seedlings are coming on well (Bedford Champ and Red Baron). Couple of leeks left to lift - might be leek soup tomorrow. Got home and planted Tree Onions in pots on a windowsill.
Was lovely to get out in the fresh air and not get wet.
Cheers,
Balders
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I just went to have a look to see if everything was ok really and was most surprised :ohmy: to see my elephant garlic poking out of the ground was not expecting to see any shoots just yet!!!
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Went up to see if I still have moats. Oh yes, I do! Stuck some wilcos dog roses in a bucket for planting out tomorrow, picked kale and fennel for dinner and squelched back to the car. One of my wellies has a hole... ???
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im on top of a hill so the plot has drained quite well, managed to get another new bed marked out and half dug, pulled some leeks,dug a few parsnips and the last carrots for sundays roast.
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:)Today picked a few sprouts a swede nero kale,fitted auto window opener back into polytunnel as it needs air for the garlic and onions also trimmed privet and blackthorn hedge at back of shed.planted 160 red baron sets into small pots at home,watched my lottie neighbour plant half of sack of spuds,i told him it might be a bit early yet (but he's not bovvered :D) they got two choices.Oh and i made a new handle for my knife in the workshop ;)
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What a busy Saturday many people had...... well done Plotters!!
Me too. :)
Escaped for 3 hours and dug solidly with only a very quick chat in passing. Plot looks better (I love clean clear soil), I feel fitter and so much happier!
Reminder to me: Remember to pay the allotment fees!! ::)
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Yesterday finished digging and rolling out path around raspberry bed on plot 3 and put in raised bed. Finished the wood chip paths on plot 3 and looks lovely. Still a few paving slabs to lay between shed and path and raspberry bed to be planted up.
Note to self - take up remaining carpet tiles on plot 2 and replace with wood chips. Looks so much nicer and softer underfoot.
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finally got to the plot for the first time in months, took the new rotovator and had 1 1/2 hours at the plot, rotovated the whole 1/2 plot and finally planted my garlic.
Grendel
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Dug another 2 barrows of weeds (mainly bindweed roots) from the jungle area. Only a small section left to clear now - can't wait. I went early so it was still frosty and frozen on the very top which made walking around and digging easier. As I left 2 hours later everything had thawed and it was getting very muddy! I also covered my psb as I think the birds might be eating the edible bit grrr!
Harvested some more leeks and the last of the mutant parsnips.
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My day for helping at the Association shop and the seed potatoes have just come in. Sold out of Desiree already, but I've got mine, so I'm ok.
Also burnt off lots of calories moving five barrowloads of soil improver up the hill to my plot. Little zizz called for this afternoon, I think.
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Ridiculously excited today to have put up a nest box. It needed quite a bit of repair and alteration (which I somehow managed to achieve without evicting the hibernating butterfly) but should hopefully now be suitable for great tits. All part of creating a healthy functioning eco-system (is this starting to sound like permaculture?)
Also met another lovely fellow plotholder, next door but one in fact. He was very impressed with my hedge restoration so possibly I may be doing his bit next winter if we can do something about the half-plot in between us whose owner is only seen about twice a year and is looking a bit neglected.
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Popped to the plot yesterday morning. Lovely sunshine, and it felt quite warm, once I got moving. I planted some gladioli corms from Poundland. I had some of these last year, and because the corms didn't look very big I thought I'd probably have to wait for a year before I got any flowers, but I had a flower spike in every one, and the colours were lovely.
I picked about a thousand pounds of sprouts - not really, but that's what it felt like when I was prepping them for the freezer! Dug up carrots, swedes, parsnips. Pruned autumn raspberries, dug over the bean trench and cut the old leaves off the strawberries. Decided enough was enough when everything started aching, and retreated to fight another day. I was so pleased to have made a start that I felt an inch taller, then I realised it was all the mud on the bottom of my wellies! Went home feeling very self-righteous.
Seed potatoes are in the garden centres and nurseries now, so I've bought mine ready, because last year I left it until February and then couldn't get the varieties I wanted. Tomorrow I plan to sow onion and shallott seeds in the cold greenhouse. Another season under way!
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Went up to lottie today,it cold though,got one of them garden seats with cast iron at the ends it was looking a bit lopsided and green mouldy so took it apart and took it home to refurbish it,ran all the wooden gaboon slats through the planer/thicknesser came up lovely ready to yacht varnish,wirebrushed the cast iron frame ready for hammeriteing it looks like new allready,be nice and neat and tidy for the next ten years :D i'll post some pics, but should have taken some before,i will defo have some for after :lol:
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Very busy on Saturday, really spent the day clearing around outside i've got a mountain of leaves quietly decomposing near the compost bin to be added as and when. Cleared a load of branches and twigs from the lawn. Gave the compost bin a turn or two as well. Spent time outdoors with the children who i hope are starting to "get" the outdoor bit of life. Did a few errands as well. There's a small wood behind where i live, and i am fortunate that the landowner allows me and the children access there regularly. It always puzzled me why i never saw a woodcock there. Well went for an amble on Saturday and i was really pleased to flush one. Less than 50feet from my back door. :)
Cheers
Aled
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Yesterday finished digging and rolling out path around raspberry bed on plot 3 and put in raised bed. Finished the wood chip paths on plot 3 and looks lovely. Still a few paving slabs to lay between shed and path and raspberry bed to be planted up.
Note to self - take up remaining carpet tiles on plot 2 and replace with wood chips. Looks so much nicer and softer underfoot.
And thats just what I did today.
Removed around 60 carpet tiles which were very wet and heavy with green slimy stuff on. Dug out the few remaining bits of bindweed (fingers crossed that should be the last of it) and laid mypex down before covering with wood chips. Fellow plot holder suggested cutting the carpet tiles in half and using them as a path between rows of veggies to stop the weeds.
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Went this morning and started removing the smaller branches of the tree that fell during the recent storms. Will need a chainsaw for the rest of the tree. At least I can get to the back of the plot now.
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Put some scaff boards in greenhouse for spud beds either side,varnished another handle for sledge hammer,went home and wire brushed cast iron garden seat ready for hammeriteing ;) very nice and warm at lottie sun out all day :)
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Got my leeks moved to the greenhouse. 60 need thinning to 30 tomorrow.
Totty
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Emptied the kitchen waste into the now full of manure :wacko: compost bin,dug up some parsnips,leeks & pulled some beetroot,then pruned the Autumn raspberries as much as I could,will need the big loppers for some of them. Had to tread them back in with my heel as they had loosened with wind rock I suppose.
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Dug up a few leeks which are not a bad size now. Picked some sprouts. Plenty left so probably will need to start freezing them. Pigeons are nibbling leaves!
Removed all yellow leaves from sprouts, PSB and mystery plants ? cauliflower given to me last spring.
Did bit of weeding though very few weeds (lot of hard work before winter :D). Plot still muddy.
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Very soggy plot - bleeping clay base still showing its origins despite loads of manure/compost etc.
Seem to be on the edge of a number of plot holders giving up! Not me so might look for some change.
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As the plot was very wet yesterday, I decided to work on the home plot. Pulled up some of the dead plants in the borders and then cleaned out and washed the greenhouse and put the onion sets into modules (red karmen). Then tidied the shed. A good days work. :)
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I sat, for ages, and thought. I watched a robin pecking around in the place I'd been digging and thought I must put some perches round the plot for him. I moved two paving slabs so there is no longer a path across the middle of my plot for people to come and dump rubbish in the hedge mwa ha ha...
There was a van backed into the gateway when I got there, and a bloke up the other end who left, looking round a lot, as soon as I walked into the site. Maybe just a co-incidence but did look a bit dodgy. Mind you I went for a walk round to have a look at the other plots when I left, too.
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After more rain last night, popped up for a quick look this afternoon ....... Three hours later and covered in mud, managed to finish last few bits of tidying up on plot 2 so it's now DONE!! Only had it about 18 months so really over the moon it's now finished. Low maintainable was the design theme and seems to have turned out that way. Mainly fruit with raised beds for squash and pumpkin. Let's see if the low maintain becomes reality this year. :D
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Today i did some more varnishing on my shavehorse and tool handles,:lol: moved wires from off onions weeded around them, moved a couple of scaff boards from an old onion bed as i need them elsewhere,dug muck in whats piled around cabbages and turned soil over in another bed, pruned 5 apple trees ,2 pear,1 cherry , 1 plum and cut back rasps,scattered chicken pellets around strawberries and spuds in greenhouse,(phew :D)nearly there,cut 9 spring cabbage dug 15 more leeks and 1 swede, thought about mending leaky hole in 1 of me sheds (another job another day), then went to mums to pressure wash back yard but it got to dark so thats 1st job tomorrow,then came home nice cup of coffee :wacko:
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Finally started clearing and tidying the lottie shed. Looking a lot better now. Still need to make more shelves for everything, but at least I know where most stuff is!!! Lol ::)
Plus result from Freecycle. Not one but 2 compost bins acquired 8)
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Finally managed to get to the plot - it looked like a mud flat :ohmy: and my plot neighbour suggested we should plant rice :lol: .Started to tidy up the leek bed and then the heavens opened. Scampered off home!
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Took 13 bags of multi compost from £1 land up to lottie planted 5 spuds in greenhouse what i missed yesterday went to mums to wash all windows in her house (3stories),went home watered all onion sets and seeds. ;)
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Cleared out my garage so my leaky convertible has a house and can stop pretending to be a pond.
Took up 6 x 60L compressed leaves from the garage to the plot, which is even more boggy than before. I didn't think that was possible!
At home the pea shoots are ready for their first haircut. I've sown another planter of them to keep my fingers from itching, plus some cress and some radishes. The wilco loganberry is in a pot and already sprouting green leaves. Am wondering whether or not to sow broad beans in pots at home, as I am going to be behind on digging again this year.
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looked out of the window at the soggy garden, figured that today is not a good day to take the rotovator up to the plot.
Grendel
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it like spring here in norfolk but ground still wet ;)
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it like spring here in norfolk but ground still wet ;)
Spring - as in water rising out of the ground?
Grendel
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Made a start on my pot/rockery area and now ache all over after lugging round bags of rocks
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Took the eight year old, so the work programme was a little flexible. We made three perches for the robin to sit on out of bamboo canes and bits of string found in the hedge. We measured out and dug along a quarter of the edge where I am expanding the plot back to its statutory 8m wide, this strip here is only about a foot wide so not too arduous. Noted the difference between topsoil and subsoil, and then had to dig another test pit in the main part of the plot to see if it was different there (it was, soil is a lot deeper). Dragged a sackful of soft fruit prunings out of the hedge and brought home to shred for the compost heap. Unearthed one of those concrete blocks they stand perimeter fencing in - what this was doing buried at an angle halfway up the hedge bank I have no idea, not what we are going to do with it now. Finally, unpacked 40 Lady Christl seed potatoes and stood on correct end in their box and put in the workshop with a tent of bubble plastic over - will just have to keep an eye on the temperature.
So far, eight year old's interest seems to be being maintained!
Oh and have just bought another compost bin for £5.52 on ebay! Thought I had left it too late for buying really cheap ones but that's not too bad as it is in Telford where I work so collection costs minimal.
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MrLev, Hamish and myself went down for a bit this afternoon, himself dug and dug, I planted fruit canes and dug, and mini just sort of bashed around looking for worms and frogs.
We've only had out plot since August so not really had a chance to grow much but thought we were doing well in the was against couch grass have sieved through half our plot for roots, but regardless the blooming stuff has come back with a vengeance! So for now were just turning over the soil to kill off the top growth until it's drier to get at the roots, hopefully with things being planted well get at more roots!
Picked up some blackberry, raspberry and tayberry canes from the 99p shop, had a good rifle through them and found some that showed signed of life, fingers crossed!
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Planted a pinot noir from Wilkinsons - probably not ideal conditions for a grape vine to go in - but I'm hoping this one will thrive in bog land. (I did put a lot of gravel down first). Only £3.25 though so compared with mortgage payments not a big deal if it fall through,
Cheers,
Balders
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Yesterday collected 7 really good condition pallets to build a fence for one side of plot 3. Took them to the plot and measured to check they will fit. Today will cut down and repair old fence panels to go around part of the perimeter of plot 3 behind the shed and then the pallets will continue along that side to the new raspberry bed at the far end of the plot. Compost bins, water butts and the shed form one of the shorter perimeter edges so still have a long edge to do and not sure what to do where the new raspberry bed is (forms the other another perimeter edge).
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Did a bit of harvesting. Gave the leeks a comfrey tea feed, they are still too thin. Admired our Association's new comtainer, which was delivered this week. Also admired another plotholder's "new" greenhouse made with recycled double glazing units. Might copy the design principle.
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Cleared another 2 barrows worth of weeds/roots from the jungle area, cut back lots of bramble ( only a few more scratches on arms and legs). Raked and evened out the recently cleared area ( about 3 m by 7m). Found some more interesting 'pots' for my new rockery/pot area - an old wheelbarrow and a metal dish thing with a handle. May have been used to cook chestnuts? Anyway it looks good in the rockery area now! Collected another 2 bags of stones to go onto the area.
A lot more than I intended to today and now ache all over but a job well done!
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Dismantled an old greenhouse. Never, ever, doing that again. Hastings is surprisingly far away from where I live too. Should have paid more attention in Geography!
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I finally finished off the staging for the wife's greenhouse. I will try and upload a photo. The blue racking means the shelves can be removed to allow tall crops to grow through.
It won't win any beauty prizes, but hopefully it will work.
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One bag of couch grass, one bag of chinese greens and sprouts - covered my early rhubarb with an enormous pot - am going to try to force it (into giving me some produce end of Feb (maybe)).
Was lovely today - no rain - from about 10am the sun actually felt warm on my face. Oddly, nobody else on the site for the first 2 hours I was there ,then one other soul turned up - perhaps the others were saving theirs...
Cheers,
Balders
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Did a bit of edging around the paths to smarten the place up a bit, chatted with my neighbour, grabbed a handful of sprouts and some chard for tea. Admired the PSB,
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Soils is so wet that can't do much with it. Used my azada to see if I could turn bits over which was fine as far as could reach from paths but the middle is out of reach!!
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It was so wet I could just pull the leeks out without having to get the fork out. The raised beds are working well though, they have been worth the effort of building.
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Finally got down there today, turned a few of the raised beds and dug the manure in. sived one raised bed ready for the carrots to be sow next week. pulled some veg for tea and pulled all the sprouts up so i can start to dig the ground over ready for the onions to go in when they get big enough to be transplanted. did a bit of digging on some virgin ground at the bottom of the plot( its the side really but it slopes that way. But there again my plot is a square so where is the top or bottom?). This created a nice stream where the water ran off, I reckoned i drained all the plots above me into next doors plot. :ohmy: Dont worry he dose'nt grow or dig it, just keeps ducks on it .Lol :nowink:
Mike
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:D it an long now when we all can sit in allotment with a glass of wine and thinking got to weed that area and plant the rest of the vegges happy days Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
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Planted some daff bulbs I picked up v cheap - hopefully some will survive and they'll brighten the place up a bit in the spring. Tidied up the 'dump' area - plenty to go to the tip - and spread the last of the bark chippings around the newly made 'storage' area.
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I did the same as Tea Break and dug along the bottom of my plot where it meets the road and has been flooded for weeks now, I back filled it with stone to create a soak away but noticed when I was going home that there was a little stream running from my plot across the road and down into two of the plots below me I won't be popular :(. Cleared one of the beds in the PT ready for the strawberries to go back in. Harvested swede, parsley, parsnips and kale. Hoping to get up a couple of times this week.
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First of all i found out that we had a couple more burgalries on site,not mine this time but this lovely elderley lady next door but one to me someone smashed the lock her shed and took her brand new ryobi 2 stroke tiller,she has never used it yet she let me use it on her plot in october to show her how it worked and was looking foreward to using it this year,so i put on a new hasp staple and spare lock i had for her she was so upset so i said ill use my howard rotavator on her plot when she needs it,and there was another elderley neighbour she also had her shed broke into nothing taken but everything smashed about so i mended and tidied it up for her till she gets back from holidy in spain.Wish i could catch the horrible b****** vandles who did this,we think its the same person(s) who have been doing this, mine 6 times so far other peoples a few times as well. Then i managed to get the muck turned in in the ploytunnel ready for spuds going in tomorrow,cleared cold frame and dug that over and started to make a fork handle for one of the other plot holders,had enough today then went home.Darren
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Sorry to hear about the burglaries.
Really need a period of dry weather before i can dig and manure my plot!
Cheers
Aled
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I started to move a bedside in about 6 inches to make the path between the bed and the greenhouse wider and safer. I had done about 1/3 in 2 hrs when my neighbour, teacher, adopted grandad came over to inspect my work. He told me to get out of the way and finished it for me in about 1/2 hour. :D I took a phot but do nots know how to post it.
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I was up there when it was barely light filling my new compost bin with horse "manure" as provided free. Equals hay (some dry some spoiled), shavings (some dry some soaked in horse wee) and horse tods. 14 bin bag fulls equals a full dalek, with some brandlings introduced from the other bin, lid on, see you in a few months.
Back sat at my laptop ready to start working from home by 8.30 and found I had left my power cable in another office so had to go in after all >:( put me out for the whole day that did!
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Today put some strenghtening 4x2's it polytunnel to push ends out a bit, strung 6 lenghts of wire in pt to hang strings to support tomatoes.Planted pineberry strawbs from pots in pt the ones i got off dmg (thanks dmg).Filled up double eltex gh heater with red diesel (didnt have any parrafin) lit it and it warmed up nicely,brought 2 bags of mp compost home to transplant crook onions tonight.
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Glorious afternoon on the plot in the sun. Thought would dig the post holes for my shed 'veranda' as the soil is soft currently :nowink:. 2ft down, no problem both dug in a half hour! . Didn't know we were sitting on sand, but it does drain well! Forgot the spirit level so back filled with mud/rocks/soil for now (and am not certain about the lottie regs for extensions anyway). Looks great. The other 2 hours mostly involved sitting in the sun with the odd potter here and there.
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Sun? what's that then :unsure:
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Sun? what's that then :unsure:
:lol: :lol: its that orange ball in the sky that we rarely see.
Not been able to do anything on the allotment. I'm ether working or its raining, I'm getting fed up now so I'm going to treat myself to a pair of waterproof trousers.
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Started clearing some of my borders for planting more veg and annual/biennial herbs.Should have done it months ago but it was a bit daunting so I kept putting it off.The soil was much nicer then I imagined it would be after about 14 years as mixed borders.I've heeled in a lot of shrubs and perennials for deciding what to do with while a lot have been shredded. It was a bit sad, I remember that a lot of them were grown from seed or cuttings and can also remember where I bought others.My four blackcurrant bushes are also for the shredder,I got about 15 pounds atleast of lovely jam from them every year but with so many wild blackberry bushes around I'm planning to collect blackberries next summer/autumn for the jam production.
My flower beds will now be confined to strips running up either side of the garden which will also contain perennial herbs and cutting flowers.All in all it will give me 5 new beds of about 16 square meters each.The plan is to also remove most of the lawn with just what is needed under the clothes line remaining.This will give me about 10 more 16 square foot plots again but depending on how energetic I feel this will more then lightly be for growing season 2015.Glory,slipped discs or insanity await :D
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Planted some spuds in the greenhouse and pt then went home,had this horrible pain in my right arm,laid on it all night stopped the circulation :mad:
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:) Hi Folks, I'm new, have been lurking for a while but decided to join in this year. Was hoping to be posting reports of progress on our slightly unruly plot but unfortunately my first post is to report a broken collarbone after an argument with a runaway car on Wed :(
So my first question is has anyone here broken their collarbone and any idea how long before I'll be digging again?
Can't help feeling the next few weeks are going to be more than a little frustrating!
Rachel
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Hi Rachel and welcome, there is a welcome thread somewhere you might not get spotted here but sorry to hear about your trouble. No idea about the healing time, someone will know. I took on a grassy messy plot in April and got loads harvested last year by cutting corners, cardboard box temp raised beds, cardboard over weeds etc so don't stress about digging!
Today- dug out three new beds in the area that was neglected last year due to Mr Foxys den, he's now left for good so can organise the compost heap properly now. Looks much tidier already.
Spread muck about, pulled out last of the old boarder edging (slug magnet) wood. 30 snails and about 40 hibernating slugs bit the dust :D. I used to ignore the little slugs but having finding out one slug can have 40 eggs I'm much more diligent now.
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Planted wild garlic, campion, stitchwort and snowdrops in the hedge bank. Then went back to digging to "square up" the edge of the allotment. Began to think I must be mad as it has started to look quite large already and I have hardly anything sown in it yet, so why I am adding another 70cm by 8m strip I don't know!
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Sorted my 1000L IBC tank today next to polytunnel raised it up 2ft high with 4x4 wood and breeze blocks to gravity feed aquapods in pt,Then clad it in wood sections to look like a pallet compost bin ;),Took pallet fence down behind pt asit was a bit wonky then put it back up with some posts banged in ground to strenghten it now it looks nice and straight now :D,dug 10 leeks and 5 cabbage :)
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Having developed a slightly unnatural obsession for trying to grow French Tarragon over the last few years I ventured into my greenhouse to see whether the plant I dug up to try to overwinter was showing any signs of life.
Despite not even being watered it's now producing new shoots all around the now brown central stem - might have to buy some chicken soon (or maybe "Le guide pour idiots Anglaise to growing Tarragon Francaise!")
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While in the green house this morning I noticed my Rhubarb was coming up so I put a large flower pot over it to force it up, In the green house I noticed all my fuchsia plants were starting to shoot so they had a bit of tlc as well :)
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Waaaay too windy for the plot today - and looks like torrential rainstorms are predicted for tomorrow ... So, potted up the pineberry runners that dmg sent me (thanks again for them) and put the Lady Christl and Sarpo Mira potatoes that T&M delivered mid-week into egg boxes to chit for a month or two...
Cheers,
Balders
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I can finally add something for 2014 :) FINALLY got down the plot properly for a few hours. IBC filling up reasonably well, but water overshoots guttering in heavy rain so only half full. Will build shed extension in April / May to catch more.
FINALLY got the Garlic planted. All I need now is a cold snap, they do say that Jan/Feb are the coldest months so I've got me fingers & toes crossed that'll be alright. Life rather got in the way of planting it in November. Managed to get 5 rows netted, need to net the other 5.
Finished getting the weed matting down and pegged with proper serrated pegs which seem to work. Also eye balled where my paths are going to go and left them open so that they can grow away then be strimmed down in the spring.
Unless I get a spare few minutes that will be it now until post-Valentines Day as I am working / working&travelling for the next 20 days straight until a particular retailer's (that rhymes with Shmesco) Valentines Roses are safely on the shelf. :)
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wwooowh, timed that well today, took the rotovator down the plot, still a bit wet, but I took tthe chance, the plot was wet and quite overgrown, so I took it steady, 3 hours to rotovate a half plot, stopping frequently to clear the blades, got it done as darkness fell, got home and 10 minutes later the heavens opened, hail, thunder and lightning.
Grendel
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Not a lot, did some varnishing on me garden bench,emptied buckets from leaking shed :mad:got to get that mended tomorrow lucky ive got a spare roll of felt
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Finished my "new" greenhouse yesterday, very pleased :D :D
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yesterday - before the squalls came - refelted the shed roof, dug over 1 quarter of the plot (it is a full-sized one) and OH - sadly - had to take down the Munty frame. Will need to build something new for the runners. The plot certainly looks tidy - for now.... :lol:
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Today... not a thing on the plot. Too wet... even if it wasn't raining the ground would be squelchy.
wwooowh, timed that well today, took the rotovator down the plot, still a bit wet, but I took tthe chance, the plot was wet and quite overgrown, so I took it steady, 3 hours to rotovate a half plot, stopping frequently to clear the blades, got it done as darkness fell, got home and 10 minutes later the heavens opened, hail, thunder and lightning.
Grendel
I hope you didn't slice and chop and fold those weeds in grendel unless they were all annuals. Boy would any perennials be delighted.... spread and multiplied ready for the new spring growing season. :(
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yes, but by continually rotovating until I plant the weeds dont stand a chance (its worked fine for me over the last 3 years, so no reason it shouldnt keep working), plus I laid some weed fabric over parts of the plot.
today in the rain I got my garlic into the ground, - been trying to get the plot ready for it since november.
Grendel
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Not a lot, did some varnishing on me garden bench,emptied buckets from leaking shed :mad:got to get that mended tomorrow lucky ive got a spare roll of felt
Too wet today to do anything
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Went and had a look, first time for a few days. Dug up a few leeks and parsnips for the roast dinner tonight. Plot is looking really sad and empty. I could kick myself that I didn't sow broad beans in the autumn. I was convinced I would loose them to a really cold winter.
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Potted up my chitted broad beans just in case the ones I sowed in November fail, but they do look fairly strong tho about 1 1/2 inches and a couple of leaves.
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Showed a prospective new tenant around the site. Luckily I timed it for the only 20 minutes it wasn't tipping it down. He seemed keen. I figure if he is positive in these conditions he has sufficient stamina! Picked some leeks and kale while I was there.
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not much again if this flipping rain dont stop might try planting rice :(
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Yep rain doing my head in as well!
Cheers
Aled
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Not been to plot for couple of weeks as either been raining or typical, working when dry day!
Need to pick last of my sprouts. Not many left and also pick some of bigger leeks. Might take chance today but keeps raining :(
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deweeding and digging around raspberries, moving a path and planning !
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Did nothing on plot today it started snowing(ish) so went to friends for the day to help him in the wood shed
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Went down to the allotments this morning to check everything was OK. There is so much lying water. It's going to be some time before I can actually do some digging, that's if it stops raining. Still, musn't grumble, although it's rained heavily for weeks here in the Northwest we aren't in the same situation as those flooded areas in the South of England. I feel so sorry for them.
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Another 'look only' visit. Desperate to finish moving the raspberry canes to their new bed but that ain't gonna happen anytime soon. Need to dig up the parsnips and leeks as well but the ground is so heavy.
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Put my double heater in pt to keep onions spuds strawbs and garlic warm as we are going to get some horrible cold weather this next coming few days :mad: and gave my garden bench the third coat of varnish, looks like new :D
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Decide to tidy the back garden, finally got round to removing the dead bedding plants, cleared the leaves and planted a dozen polyanthus into to pots to brighten the patio area. Also planted the snowdrops that my sister had given me.
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Just planted out some garlic and shallots in a raised bed covered with fleece to keep birds off and keep them protected if the weather turns even colder. Only 3 degrees here in Hampshire but just grey not raining for once paths pretty wet at the allotment
Cheers HH
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Surprised myself be being able to dig down a raised pile of dirt at the back of the plot- it was covered by nettles in the summer, and I wasn't sure what to find, but the roots pulled out easily and the soil looks friable and lovely. Played with my new shed 'verandah' by temporarily sticking the corrugated plastic across the tops of both doors and sitting in my chair under it in in the rain :) works a treat.
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Dug up couple of sprout sticks. Few more left but quite small so not sure if will end up throwing on compost,
Did bit of hoeing and though ground looks wet, soil under looks crumbly.
Leeks getting bigger. red onions have lots of green. Ground too wet to dig yet.
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2 lengths backstroke ....and fed the ducks on the pond oh i ment myonion bed :wacko:
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Just a look around today! So uninspiring with this horrible wet weather :( Rice fields anyone?
Cheered myself up by going around the garden centre and buying/looking stuff !! :)
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Hoed around onions cabbages and garlic filled up heater with more diesel ,went home :ohmy:
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Planted some strawberry plants ( then had to go to work, yuk)
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I just popped in to have a check on everything and couldn't resist getting the seeds out when I got home and sowed some summer cabbage in pots to go in the greenhouse. I know its a bit early but I couldn't resist!!!!!
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Moved my rhubarb to bed in my new area of allotment. Harvested remainder of beetroot. Harvested Chard. Harvested some Chinese Broccoli. Too soggy for anything else.
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Went food shopping and spotted rhubarb plants in bags for £1! Came home with 2 plus an asparagus plant. Going to pot them up after lunch.
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Was planning on doing a bit of tidying etc but came across a problem when entering the site:
(http://i1305.photobucket.com/albums/s559/Rachel_38/e76f5166745c97e0d20221e8f07fa1bf_zps17c48fda.jpg)
This bridge is normally 2ft above a small stream!
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Not been to plot for couple of weeks as either been raining or typical, working when dry day!
Need to pick last of my sprouts. Not many left and also pick some of bigger leeks. Might take chance today but keeps raining :(
Dry day? What is one of those??
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Well, not on the plot but at home. Took delivery of wizard beans, jalapeño seeds and oca tubers from Real Seeds. Sowed the jalapeños in propogator at 28C Deciding whether to store beans till Autumn. Working out what to do with oca as never grown them before.
Also started chitting tater delivery from Marshall's. Accent, Charlotte and Lady Christl. Look good tubers particularly the Accent as they have lots of tiny pinhead size chits waiting to grow on. Moved onion seedlings and leek seedlings into grow house within poly tunnel. Installed electric tube heater into bottom of grow house. Still to plant cristo garlic in peat pots in pt but rugby on now so may have to do that tomorrow.
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Made a 'terrace' from the slopey bit up the back, dug out, shored up and flattened out. Looks very tidy, and I got very cold.
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Went to see if there was any damage all ok,neighbour had 3 broken panes in gh checked fuel in heater in, pt ,
lovely and warm in there didnt stay in there too long with fumes :wacko:
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I have prepared the bed for this years broad beans and dug a new bed on the back half of the plot, picking out all the wireworms to feed to the blackbird that was following me round. It was so nice to be out in the sunshine!
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At last, I was able to get to the lottie , repaired my cold frame again and cleaned it, I've put a heavy piece of wood across the lid this time, so the wind cannot flip it again. Had a General tidy up , a little chilly but it was nice to be out in the sunshine again. Amazing our it lifts ones spirit. :)
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Harvested leeks and parsnips and still some left!!
Drained down one of the big water butts that was over flowing ...... such a shame as will need it later in the year i am sure. Couldn't believe that it was full. Just shows how much rain there has been.
Tidied up bags of manure that are waiting to go on bed where the parsnips are. Getting dark so came home.
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Took more scavenged timber to the plot, added more planks to the raised terrace bit, looking good and re-made compost bin & turned the compost. Starting to look organised up there now rather than the debris/junk dumping area.
Dug the new sweetcorn bed over, lovely soil.
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Planted strawberries which have been outside vernalising into the PT. Planted garlic which has been in modules into the 'onion/garlic' raised bed - was really surprised at how workable the ground was despite all the rain, so glad that I decided to do raised beds.
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Put some seweed liquid feed around leeks which are finger thickness still got plenty left,opened pt let some fresh air in ,swept carpet in shed, and moved a dalek ready to start filling up with cow muck and straw,went home :)
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Built another shelf in anticipation of all the seeds that need sowing soon :)
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Waited round for the police to arrive as our container, we have had for a whole 2 weeks, was broken in to and our lawnmowers, hedgetrimmer, petrol and a stapler stolen. Communal flower box upended and tipped out so the thieves could stand on it too. Police haven't attended yet as too busy, but the allotments officer from the Council came up and did the inspection at the same time. They are going to put a spinner on top of the gate this week, but I don't think that would have deterred them.
Whilst I was there, I sowed a few more Wizard field beans (4) to fill in the gaps. The rest have all come up. Did a bit of weeding.
Went back up this pm to meet the photographer from the local paper who are going to do an article and video for their website. Still not heard from the police.
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Sorry to hear about your break in anne, >:( we ahd a few break ins the other week we didnt phone the police as they never come even if they did we usually get what do you expect us to do about it,but hope you get something sorted out good luck.Darren
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went down today just to have a look .decided to have a dig but the soil was still very sticky so abandoned that.i had to make do with just looking and planning this years plot
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finally got a spade in the ground started a new raised bed had to stop as the ground is still to wet really and wasvery heavy
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Didn't get to the plot but popped into B&M Store and found 3m plastic hoop cloches reduced to £4.99 and also bought 2 blackcurrant bushes for £3 for both.
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Played with the compost bin, chopped some logs, And looked at the pond which has formed where i used to have a veg patch.
Cheers
Aled
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Battened down the hatches for tomorrows storm forecast down here. :(
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too windy to go today so played with my leek seedlings started so aubergines and did some cress with my kids :D
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Broad beans lifted clean out of the ground by the storm, along with some lettuce. My garlic has been decapitated by a low flying shed, but other than that the plot has survived quite well. Greenhouse and shed survive for another day. Will be very glad when this weather has finished.
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oh dear went to the garden centre to check out grape vines to wet and windy for the plot ..got my vines and bought another greenhouse and seeds ....dont need more seeds !!!!!! plz keep me away from these places i blame the rain ,fine day im not there ::)
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Got half way there and turned round when the heavens opened with strong winds too. Luckily the postman had been, bearing gifts of a greenhouse catalogue. It is to be my retirement present to myself for the garden. It wouldn't last 5 minutes at the allotment.
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My plot is still far to wet to do anything just have to wait on Mother Nature .
I will be setting some seeds away at home then transplanting later when the weather improves.
I have been missing from this site for a while as I picked up on An old hobby photography and it has kind of taken over my spare time but at least I can take the camera to the garden had some great shots of plants and wildlife.
I can't wait to get back to the plot although the weeds have been kept at bay I need to reflect the roof on my shed just one of the many jobs that need doing.
Happy gardening john
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Drained the water butt that collects water from the shed roof. Second time in 10 days.
Parsnips have disappeared completely so will be fun trying to find them if it dries up enough to dig some out.
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Finished cleaning out greenhouse, finished laying slabs for greenhouse floor, sorting through seedbox, whilst watching the rain (yet again), started building a raft, may need it soon ::)
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Turned over a bed ready for parsnips,secured windows in pt (taped them up)put some coco and pebbles in pt for mulch around onions and garlic,swept greenhouse floor slabs, :) put bubblewrap over spuds in pt before they come through to warm up a bit :)
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Put some very old green manure seeds to sprout to see if it will be worth sowing them later on. Then went up the plot with some equally old broad beans to fill out round the ones I sowed in autumn, and in the process blocked off one of the mini paths to make more of a keyhole bed. Did a bit of spot weeding and moved some brandlings from one bin of muck to a newer one. Suddenly realised the neglected half plot next door had been covered in tarpaulin and deduced it has been taken over by the nice bloke the other side. Then was just about to leave and realised my rhubarb was all sprouting up so had to go and coo over that.
Birds all singing, spring definitely in the air, will no doubt chuck it down with rain later today and be dumping snow by end of next week but an aura of optimism today!
And then on the way back from shopping I decided to go to a small local garden centre just to look round, and was shocked to find they are closing down :ohmy: So everything was 20% off. So I bought 6 3" lavenders, a Gaultheria procumbens (was looking for G shallon) and a hop for the hedge. And two flexi trugs. And went back up the allotment and planted them all (except the flexi trugs) and then did another hour of weeding.
It can rain tomorrow now if it wants to.
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The standing water has gone but the soil is still very squelchy, so potted up the onion sets into trays of compost.
While in the greenhouse I sowed some carrot seeds in a box, some chitted sweet peas into pots.
I had a review of my seeds... Oh dear, I've got three kinds of peas when I had more or less decided not to grow any this year and two kinds of runner beans! I'm sure somebody comes along and sneaks all these extra seeds into the box when I'm not looking! :nowink:
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Had a really good few hours at the plot this morning. Dug over a couple of beds and weeded the rest. Still very wet at the bottom of the plot, but OK at the top. Pruned out the dead raspberry canes. Gave the broad beans, the onions, leeks and garlic a good dose of comfrey tea. Then it started to hail and I came home. Got very muddy.
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I ignored the plot despite the sunshine and warmth - it'll be just as
wet saturatedas it was the other day.
But at home I sowed the leek seed, potted up some lupins and plonked the shallots into modules.
It's a start.
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Yesterday recovered from the shock of seeing sun and popped Down to the plot and doubled the size of the bed for my spuds. Ground pretty wet but managed to expand the bed and pile up turf . Some beds waterlogged but can't complain compared to others at present. Also collected some spent mushroom compost and top dressed my asparagus bed. Unfortunately the size of the bags had shrunk and the price increased as compost now mixed with peat and called "conditioner" !!
Cheers
HH
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got 2kg of maris piper seed potatoes in Wilkinsons thes morning, then got brain freeze walking home in the hail.
Grendel
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I Still can't get to mine :(
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Didn't get to the plot today but potted up 2 Blueberry plants and a Blackcurrant plant. Hoping to get to the plot in the morning.
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took more shallots up to pt then moved all big onions and shallots from pt to cold frame sorted through big pile of seaweed took out all the big stalks ,and boxed off a long bed with scaff boards to make a path next to it :)
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Went to the lottie and squelched to the greenhouse , put some seed compost and potato fertilizer in there ready for planting, squelched back to the car.
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was not that bad got the parsnip bed ready moved another part of the boundry fence back was a bit windy but was nice to see the sun
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Weeded and dug over one of the beds. Harvested a couple of savoys for lunch tomorrow. Made a seed bed for leeks and sowed them.
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Cut back raspberries,cleared a couple of raised beds all they need is a quick dig over.picked leeks,carrots,turnip,parsnips,sprouts and nice savoy cabbage.made a mental map of this years layout.hitting the polytunnel tomorrow.
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not to bad on plot yesterday moved compost bin old compost in heep,put poly down to try and dry and heat ground for my onions and shallots theses are growing in pots the now should have been in weeks ago,rain rain but not as bad as some places i feel for anybody in the prob areas, in the greenhouse i have got my herbs planted basil coriander parsley i grow this for a little stand at our local market shop which we have every 2 weeks.Word has it that s/markets are going to put there prices up on veges also getting more from outside the EU!!!! >:(
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Lost my compost bin, Florence pulled a swede
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s184/judey_wooo/plot/b2eb23d7b4b673aba1a967ad67cb2b3c.jpg)
And at home she did some broad beans as today is letter B day. :D
(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s184/judey_wooo/plot/4c17c41f53123aaf7829abbb7969778b.jpg)
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Went to check for damage as winds got very strong last night everything is ok soil to wet to do anything,had a cup of coffee in shed and watched the bird scareing crow kite doing acrobats on end of fishing rod :lol:.off down harbour nowto see if anyone is going to sea :ohmy:need to get out there earn some money ;)
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I had put some weed suppression fabric over one of the beds recently. Had to refit it after the wind. Buy it had all stayed on. Put some fleece over my leek seed bed. Harvested some leeks for lunch. Quite a spring like day today.
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managed to pick last of sprouts and curly kale, parsnips, leeks and swede have rotted in the ground
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Sown in pots 15 Grando Violetto broad bean seeds, that I had left over from last year. Also sown some green Brussels
Now Thinking of buying some red Brussels seeds too. :)
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It will probably be a mistake but I put out a couple of 3m plastic tunnel cloches and sowed a couple of rows of parsnip and carrot with Crimson Forest spring onion between the rows. Its my first full year on my plot and I am trying to get a head start. I guess the sunshine got the better of me today!!!
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Got some kale for lunch and checked for any damage.
There is still a lot of white fly around I think I will have to spray it soon.
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Dug up a row of parsnips and then emptied the last few bags of manure onto the parsnip bed as have only got one row of parsnips left in the ground now. Stupidly put the bags down to go and get the rake to level out the manure and spent the next 10 mins chasing the bags around the site as the wind blew them all over the place. Was good exercise but looked a right idiot chasing them about.
Not much else done as ground so wet and can't put anything in yet.
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Spent a few hours at the allotment today,finished cutting back raspberries,cleared the dead leaves from the turnip bed,finished tidying up the strawberries.a bit late but put some pots over the rhubarb to force some on.my son dug over three raised bed and an area I had potatoes in last year.I'm up the side of a hill so soil doesn't get to heavy.starting to look like my allotment again and not a neglected corner.put my three varieties of potatoes in trays to chit and some compost in my leek tray,it's in the kitchen now warming up before sowing my leeks.happy enough but I'm searching the house for my veg diary to see when and what I planted last year!
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Began construction of two more raised bed frames. No point in assembling them until the ground has dried out a bit - too muddy.
Sprinkled GrowOrganic around the winter onions as they are looking in need of a tonic.
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Didn't get to my plot yesterday as it was wet most of the day.. and it was a day at home as it's our 34th anniversary today as well.. but went out for a great big juicy steak last night.
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Sowed peas in guttering and broad beans in pots placed both in the conservatory. Brief visit to plot spread mushroom compost mixture onto the enlarged potato bed.
Cheers HH
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Washed / cleaned and tidied Greenhouse, planted Cherry tree in a massive planter, started/planted mushroom spores, mixed / turned compost heaps, and re-potted 3 strawberry plants into 10" pots. Most productive day in ages, it was nice to have the sun on my back for a change!
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nothing was going as it wasnt raining then we had hail the size of marbles ....made a change from rain :(
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Popped down yesterday and spread some manure, put back the onion sets the birds had pulled, dug a few parsnips, took away the damaged netting pulled up the misc cabbagy type plants.
Popped down at lunch today and did half an hours digging in an area I didn't dig last year full of couch grass can't believe that stuff if still growing at the time of year it had already started to spread back into an area I dug before Christmas.
All the sunshine got me so excited that I've just sorted through all my seeds!
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placed seed potatoes in trays. Onion sets, usually plant them out this time of year, due to the saturated ground, planted them in trays in greenhouse. Quickly laid remaining slabs for a small patio area in front of greenhouse, will set them properly later in the year when its dry (fingers crossed).
If this wet weather continues I'm seriously considering growing rice
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Cleared a drain gulley, put a thick layer of leaf mold mulch around some fruit bushes, dug up some leeks, weeded one side of the poly tunnel. WOW, all in 1 1/2 hrs.
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Planted about 120 garlic. 90 outside and covered over to try and warm them up a bit. the other 30 went in the poly, also sowed purple carrots, nantes2, spring onions and beetroot in the poly for early cropping. :) :)
Mike.
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Just a quick check on things on the lottie, garlic &onions doing okay. in the greenhouse the all 4 comfrey I potted up from roots are doing well there about 4 inches high. :)
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Started the chilli peppers :D Cutting right back this year , just bhut Jolokia, padron and jalapeno, although I expect I'll sneak some hot lemon in there somewhere.
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Not a hope of getting onto our plot today its probably more likely to see a swan than a human on it. :(
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I'm hoping that the soakaway is doing it's thing, because I can well believe a third of this month's rain is coming down today. It is YAMMERING down here.
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I emptied the water butts yesterday cos I knew more rain was on its way. Found a place that meant that it didn't just drain onto the main paths as they are saturated already. Didn't stay long except to have a look round at the other plots whilst the water butt was draining and make sure everything was ok. Was quite nice in the late afternoon sunshine.
Today haven't made it as far as the greenhouse at the end of the garden (100 foot away) cos the rain and wind are horrendous. Keeping a close eye on the fences as one has been repaired several times since Christmas Eve and rocking back and forth a lot today.
Hopefully get to the plot tomorrow as it is supposed to be dry?
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I think my allotment may blow away… I wonder what would be left if it did.
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Plots still to wet, at home I've sown Brussels, peppers, onions, purple sprouting broccoli, lavender, verbena, in trays and pots ,which are all in our spare room, hubbys not impressed :tongue2:
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Just went down to the allotments to check on damage from yesterdays storm. Four small tree's have been uprooted on the far side of the brook, fortunately they've fallen across the brook and so minimal damage to the plots. There are lids off cold frames, 2 greenhouses with very little glass left insitu, dalek composters and empty water barrels strewn about. Could have been alot worse.
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I called on my way home from work to check for storm damage. Just lost 6 panes from my greenhouse. Unfortunately they landed on my neighbours plot. I took the liberty of going onto her plot to clear away the broken glass. Some of it fell into her leaf mold so I hope I managed to get all the bits.
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Lost one pane from then greenhouse in the garden which was very quickly repaired with Perspex.
A lot of the plot next to mine is under about 6 inches of water.
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Went to check for any wind damage on the plot. Luckily everything seems to be fine. ;)
Also composted a bucketful of home peelings and stuff!
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Not a lot ive not been for two days,been helping a friend on his garden. i will go up on sunday to see for any damage :ohmy:
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I think my allotment may blow away… I wonder what would be left if it did.
Any weeds I bet. :lol:
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Checked that the greenhouse was still there....never mind if it was damaged. Fortunately all OK and appears to be not much damage about the site - a fence down between 2 plots was all I could see.
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Storm and a half is rattling through, again. Blow wind blow, come on do your best........ Oh hang on stop wind, stop. I need to pop out to the shops ::)
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Did a short time mainly in the greenhouse. Planted some early potatoes in potatoe bags. Covered them with fleece. Hope they will be ok. It can get below freezing at night but up to 17 in the day. Hope the thick sack soil and fleece will protect them.
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All I could do today was to pick the broken glass up, lost 6 24 x 24 panes from the greenhouse the door I found about 10 feet away >:( Going to replace with polycarbonate sheets, not quite as stable as glass but far less dangerous.
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cant get up there at the mo my missus is expecting and due date is today but can imagine its going to be a bit wet was soaked a few days ago when i last looked and some of the pine forest near our allotments was like fire wood
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been round to allotment befor work not to much damage don compost bin lid gon :D of to the moon
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We are going up today to see if we have a plot left the storm last night was horrific ???
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We are going up today to see if we have a plot left the storm last night was horrific ???
Hope all is ok when you get there.
I planned to go tomorrow when I get a few hours free but that's cancelled.... my sister tells me she is "unavailable to visit mum" so she wont be doing her bit to help (half-term school holidays so she is away again leaving me to get on with it!)
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I think I might give it a couple of days to let the neighbouring plot holders retrieve their sheds and greenhouses, not having either at the plot sometimes helps.
Grendel
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My greenhouse is still up :D, others not so lucky, still too wet, hopefully tomorrow should be able to get a couple of hours in. just planted tomatoes, peppers and chilli's at home, that's my gardening done for today.
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Just popped down to the plot to check the damage. All is ok except half the covering on the shed roof has come off. It is far too windy to do anything about it today so that will be tomorrow's job.
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Too wet for the allotment today, but went to West Yorkshire Organics' Potato Day instead. All varieties 15p a tuber. They didn't have Ambo though. Went for small numbers of more varieties. This year I am growing Sharpe's Express, Home Guard, Pentland Javelin, Wilja, Charlotte, Picasso and Cara. Most at the allotment, but some in a barrel at home.
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Well greenhouse has gone, even the door has vanished, all that remains is a huge amount of broken glass. Water butts ( that were full!) vanished, can't find them. Basically total devastation,. So upset, could have cried when I saw it . :( :( :( . Not going to replace the greenhouse, its not worth the heartbreak.
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Oh muls, I am so sorry :( I can imagine how devastating that must be.
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Least nobody was hurt. Even the ibc tanks have moved !
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Early I know but it had to be done, I sowed some greyhound, hispi F1, some Sage and also Thyme.
Onion seedlings looking it a bit sickly but they are growing, very slowly :)
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Got a phone call from my son, saying there was a delivery of bark chippings at allotment. So went down and had a couple of barrowloads. Will put around the fruit bushes.
Was sunny at the time, thank goodness!!! ;)
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So sorry for those who have suffered damage. Our site looks OK but then we have no sheds or greenhouses, also it is quite sheltered with tall hedges and trees. I planted a Gaultheria shallon and rigged up a "cane store" with a weldmesh cloche I had inherited: turned it upside down and hung from a couple of nail-infested posts I also inherited. Thus canes (inherited out of the rubbish in the hedge) are neatly available and something like rhubarb can still grow underneath. Went to the closing-down garden centre and bought another rhubarb (Victoria), made a number sign for the plot, but fell asleep before I could go back up the plot to install either. Will go up tomorrow before Morris practice.
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Sorry to hear about your greenhouse Muls,it is exceptional this year if that is any consolation.
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Thanks RJR and Snowdrop, I am totally stunned about it. It didn't stand a chance when angle irons that are left are bend double !
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so sorry for all that have suffered going to see how much devastation is on ours tomorrow as its supposed to be fine i know our pine forest has suffered which shelters one side of our plots just hope it aint all over place but if it is it is other places sound like they have really suffered
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Well greenhouse has gone, even the door has vanished, all that remains is a huge amount of broken glass. Not going to replace the greenhouse, its not worth the heartbreak.
I know the feeling - happened to me twice. I really do feel for you. Just clearing up the broken glass is a nightmare revisited. :( Heart breaking.
2nd time I had the suppliers put the thing up and it was a good make too but it swayed and folded and crunched..... more glass to clear.
3rd time Lucky.... I was all for giving up with greenhouses too up but tried a lean-to greenhouse with safety glass screwed to hefty a block wall. Had it for many years now through several severe storms.
For down on the plot you might be able to pick up a second hand one.... most sites tend to be fairly open so it's always a risk.
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Popped down yesterday to check on things, I had to go in the main entrance this time because the other gate was obstructed buy something, walking through the lottie see pots fencing and water buts ,blown all over the place someones new greenhouse was on its side and bent out of shape ,I was expecting my blowaway greenhouse, to be just that, blown away but to my surprise it was still there just shook up a bit pots and thing all over the place.
Sorry to hear about your greenhouse Muls you have all taken a battering down there this year, lots of damage.
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just pushed my greenhouse back onto its base :ohmy: - it was saved from going over completely as it was held up at a crazy angle by the very full dalek compost bin. Second time in 2 months.....otherwise, thank goodness, no other damage on the plot. Also admired my lovely new rhubarb shoots
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Not a lot ive not been for two days,been helping a friend on his garden. i will go up on sunday to see for any damage :ohmy:
Well ive been up lottie, im minus two shed roofs they were over there somewhere so got to get some more felt and wood, my neighbours 3 greenhouses smashed to pieces 1 pane of glass and 2 pieces of polycarbonate left,plenty of other damage across the site.Darren
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I could actually access the plots today!! Looks like access has been available for a few days although there are still some tricky puddle/lakes to navigate and about 1/3 of the plots are still underwater.
Fruit cage still just about standing although some plastic bits need to be replaced (ebay job) and the central piece of shed felting needs to be re-done this week. I am most annoyed at a person rather than the weather though....
My beds are edged in reclaimed material - pieces of wood or big heavy logs etc as I needed to mark off beds and paths - at least until I can get grass in between. When I get there today about half the beds have their heavy logs etc removed and they are all about 2 plots down in straight lines (looking suspiciously like some sort of attempt at a dam). Now *maybe* the wind moved some but the fact it is all the front beds (easiest access) and generally the biggest ones have been moved and they have all ended up in the same place in straight lines and piles makes me think it is more likely to have human causes!
So I spent an hour putting everything back - it's still not quite right and there are some pieces missing I think but it will have to do for now. Far to wet to contemplate anything else. This week's jobs will be repair based I think
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The first lovely sunny day in ages :D Hubby replaced the blown off shed roof covering, I planted the shallots and the kids sowed some trays of mixed lettuce leaves :)
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I could actually access the plots today!! Looks like access has been available for a few days although there are still some tricky puddle/lakes to navigate and about 1/3 of the plots are still underwater.
Fruit cage still just about standing although some plastic bits need to be replaced (ebay job) and the central piece of shed felting needs to be re-done this week. I am most annoyed at a person rather than the weather though....
My beds are edged in reclaimed material - pieces of wood or big heavy logs etc as I needed to mark off beds and paths - at least until I can get grass in between. When I get there today about half the beds have their heavy logs etc removed and they are all about 2 plots down in straight lines (looking suspiciously like some sort of attempt at a dam). Now *maybe* the wind moved some but the fact it is all the front beds (easiest access) and generally the biggest ones have been moved and they have all ended up in the same place in straight lines and piles makes me think it is more likely to have human causes!
So I spent an hour putting everything back - it's still not quite right and there are some pieces missing I think but it will have to do for now. Far to wet to contemplate anything else. This week's jobs will be repair based I think
It might be worth you making some staples out of wire to bend around your logs/wood to anchor them down to make it more difficult for them to 'blow' away again
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What a mess!!
Had a walk about yesterday and there were two sheds on their sides, roof felt scattered about and can't workout who it belongs to as several sheds have their felt torn or missing. Water butts, daleks, other bins and netting in disarray everywhere.
My plots weren't too bad, a few bits to tidy up but the worse was a guy who spent last summer turning a bramble ridden plot into an oasis of beauty with raised beds, bark chipping paths and two beautiful poly tunnels. Well I say two poly tunnels........ One had only the frame left standing. Cover completely disappeared and the staging that was inside had been blown over the plot. He's going to be heartbroken.
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Messy on our plots but ours are ok, we only lost a compost bin lid. Managed to get the compost that has been stored down here up the hill and that was it as it was wet wet wet under foot.
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The wind had damaged 1 of my cloches, overturned the one that was protecting the sprouting broccoli and dumped a homeless chair. There was quite a few shed roof felt needing repairing, judging by the hammers knocking on site! But it was great to be there with the sun shining! :)
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I am going to get a cheap plastic poly on evilbay , put it up in May, take it down oct. I really can't deal with this again. :(
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well most suprised ( or lucky )no damage at all to the side and front of me no sheds left mine not touched and when i went to carry on with bed 21 for parsnip sowing later it wasnt wet ..something strange going on ..not knocking it but really weird
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The wet end was under a couple of inches of water, but it was going down by the time I left. Also gained a plastic cloche which had blown in from somewhere. :nowink:
Managed to get a fire going, consequently still getting wafts of smoke-smell when I turn my head quickly.
Pulled some leeks for the dinner.
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For down on the plot you might be able to pick up a second hand one.... most sites tend to be fairly open so it's always a risk.
It is open, right on the south coast cliff ! I am not going to bother with another.
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Was dry on Sunday so burnt some rubish wood then stuck the ash on the veg patch.
Cheers
Aled
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Managed to get both of my sheds mended as it was a lovely sunny day watered pt and greenhouses moved more onions and shallots to cold frame,ibc tank filling nicely, more greenhouses popping up here and there along the plot, quite a few people there busy as bees.
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Topped up the soil in one of the beds. Weeded another. Noted someone had nicked a cabbage. Inspected the hole someone has made in the fence at the bottom of the site. The council have sent someone to weld a very spiky spinner on top of the gate to deter thieves. Odd really as they wouldn't let us have anti climb paint on the fence.
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Mended short run of fence between myself and other half plot holder on plot number 1. It's amazing what a few iron stakes and that rubber coated wire can do. It's not brilliant but will stand up as long as there aren't any winds as strong as of late.
Redid the black plastic covering on the full compost bins as they were looking decidedly dodgy. Otherwise not much to do as ground too wet to dig.
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Been up lottie today fixed auto window in polytunnel and bought some expanding foam to fill in gap where i have joined the 2 greenhouses together lovely job done, apart from the big blob that dripped on my head :mad: :lol: so got back home and had to shave all my hair off :lol: :lol: :lol: not really the weather for a skinhead :ohmy:.Darren
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Been up lottie today fixed auto window in polytunnel and bought some expanding foam to fill in gap where i have joined the 2 greenhouses together lovely job done, apart from the big blob that dripped on my head :mad: :lol: so got back home and had to shave all my hair off :lol: :lol: :lol: not really the weather for a skinhead :ohmy:.Darren
A bit off topic, but was wondering if you have kept doors at both ends?
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Sat i brought the reat of my seed spuds and a few more packets of seeds for the collection!
Sunday I dug out some couch grass an spread some muck. the better half prepped some timer for making a few boxed in beds for carrots and strawberries.
Brought some grow bags on offer in home base + 15% off.
Sowed some broad beans inside, rats will eat them on the plot.
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Cleared up the broken glass from the greenhouse, good start.
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Sowed 36 broad beans "The Sutton" into modules for our allotment's plant scheme and they went into the greenhouse.
It was a lovely sunny morning to work outside for a change.
The plot is still too wet to install the new raised beds.
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Sowed Broad beans The Sutton, Sprouts Evesham Special, Autumn Brocolli, Cauliflower All-year-round, Sweet Peppers, Sweet Basil, Basil Red Robin and Tomatoes Garten Perle. Couldn't wait any longer :nowink:
On the plot I've dug over a raised bed, put up the cloche on it, so I can sow early salad crops. Finished of the edging on the pathway. All still very wet but it was great to get out and do something.
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well, managed 6 hours down the lottie on Sunday, had a good tidy at the back of the plot. Rain back today, so just took 2 trees down to repair the gaps in the hedge at the back of the lottie, which the previous neighbour caused by setting fire to his shed and part of my hedge. >:(
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Been up lottie today fixed auto window in polytunnel and bought some expanding foam to fill in gap where i have joined the 2 greenhouses together lovely job done, apart from the big blob that dripped on my head :mad: :lol: so got back home and had to shave all my hair off :lol: :lol: :lol: not really the weather for a skinhead :ohmy:.Darren
A bit off topic, but was wondering if you have kept doors at both ends?
Been up lottie today fixed auto window in polytunnel and bought some expanding foam to fill in gap where i have joined the 2 greenhouses together lovely job done, apart from the big blob that dripped on my head :mad: :lol: so got back home and had to shave all my hair off :lol: :lol: :lol: not really the weather for a skinhead :ohmy:.Darren
A bit off topic, but was wondering if you have kept doors at both ends?
Hi yana yes i have doors at both ends, (http://chat.allotment-garden.org/gallery/40538-101213180527.jpeg) its better if it gets to hot.Darren
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Lovely day managed to get shed roof fixed and covered also put up another extension on end of shed with polycarbonate roof and side ;) so i can hang garlic and onions to dry,and made a scaff board box raised bed 16x8,and watered spuds in pt and gh's :)Darren
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I spent the afternoon sorting out the greenhouse and washing pots and modules out - ready for all the compost I've just ordered ::)
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Took 8 slabs down the lottie that I got for free. There to go on the ground in the blowaway greenhouse. its got is wood chippings in there are present and it has woodlice and slugs in it, white mold in places.
I can sweep the slabs and wash them with Jeyes fluid. :)
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I too took 7 slabs up the lotty to continue the path on the side of the beans.
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Went up this morning, expecting to continue clearing up from the storm, only to find some kind person / people had done some for me, totally shocked and soo surprised . :D
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Dug over about half the plot- so much better than last year (my first year) digging out all that couch. Soil panned with all that rain around the BBeans so did a gentle fork around them.
New (2nd) munty up and cardboard at bottom of bean trench. Bring it on :D
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Finished the path and dug up 3 leeks to have with me home cured honey bacon.
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Finished digging a new 2m x 4m bed and bagged up all of the couch roots ready for the tip. Also planted out some lettuce seedlings out under plastic 5ltr water bottles to try my luck with an early crop (Planted too many anyway!!!) Also tidied between the garlic as the weeds have been enjoying the sun!!
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Brief visit this morning. Expanded size of bed for peas and added mushroom compost mixture to it and broad bean bed along with some chicken manure. Also reconnected water butt to guttering after it was dislodged by the recent lovely weather !!
Can't wait for spring
Cheeers HH
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Planted one cherry and one pear tree. Yum! (Fingers crossed). Built my cold frame, ready to put out some broad bean seedlings.
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Squelched along the main path to my plot...
Lifted some leeks.... not so wet as I thought it would be so..... forked the area over.
Pushed the soil miller across the surface elsewhere while standing on the paths..... looks fresh and clean. :)
A relaxing hours outing.
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Took 8 slabs down the lottie that I got for free. There to go on the ground in the blowaway greenhouse. its got is wood chippings in there are present and it has woodlice and slugs in it, white mold in places.
I can sweep the slabs and wash them with Jeyes fluid. :)
That white mold is probably some sort of fungi and is generally a good thing.
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Took 8 slabs down the lottie that I got for free. There to go on the ground in the blowaway greenhouse. its got is wood chippings in there are present and it has woodlice and slugs in it, white mold in places.
I can sweep the slabs and wash them with Jeyes fluid. :)
That white mold is probably some sort of fungi and is generally a good thing.
You could be right if it was outside i wouldent worry about it , the chippings are going on the flower border anyway.
With slabs, the slugs wont have anywhere to hide waiting to eat my veg. ;)
Had a wander down the lotty this morning with max, just checked on things in the greenhouse, noticed the crocus I planted as flowered, couldn't do much really as I had Max with me, I'm always worried he will eat something he shouldn't .
I'm going to the allotment hut tomorrow to buy my second early spuds, and if it's another nice day I'll lay the slabs.
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Popped down with 19yr old that needed a walk and some fresh air and a borrowed Jack Russell that didn't. She actually dug over a bed for me whilst I cleared up the shed and pottered. Dog was shattered from earlier walk so was no trouble and just had a sniff about, whereas daughter got cold and sniffy and we had to go back early ::)
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Lovely weather this morning. Went down to plot and dug over onion bed and bean bed.
After working for a couple of hours decided it was time to pop home for lunch.
Soil pretty wet but managed to remove numerous weeds and add some chicken manure plus spent mushroom compost
Cheers HH
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got to the plot at last, despite overnight rain, and the plot looking like a drained puddle, the rotovator coped well and dug a decent 6" deep, 2 hours and I turned the whole (1/2) plot over, just at the end I decided to pull the remaining brussels and brought them home to see if there was anything salvageable remaining, didnt plant anything as its still quite wet, but was impressed to see some shoots from the garlic planted a few weeks back.
Grendel
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Gorgeous weather so went down for a tidy up and mooch around. Ended up digging over a couple of beds, sowing a few broad beans and harvesting some rhubarb
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Still too wet to do much, but a neighbour had donated some of his summer rasps so managed to plant them. No idea what variety they are but they're huge and taste gorgeous :)
Dug up some of my Joan J rasp runners, which were escaping into the path, to take up to the school garden which starts again on Wednesday.
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Manured and watered the poly beds and had lots of chinwags with other plot holders ;)
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Went to the allotment hut, bought 7lb of Picasso for £2,50 thats the spuds sorted, going back to buy red sun shallots, and some sharp sand next week.
On my plot dug over the potatoes bed ready for planting.
Removed all wood chippings from the greenhouse and put them on the flower bed found a few slugs, but they won't be chewing anything now ;)
Made our compost bin, just need to put some wire mesh around the base.
Went to B&Q and bought some vermiculite and cell inserts to start my cabbages .
At home the 15 Grando Violetto broad bean left from last year have sprouted.
Happy Days :D
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Not on the plot but in the garden, dug out one small round bed and one enormous corner bed. By the time I had sorted the sod that was more or less the day done!
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Another load of fresh horse manure and stable bedding delivered a couple of days ago, so more wheel barrowing today. Filled the last of the black compost bins and placed a few more barrow loads onto the plot ready for digging in. Also mulched all the fruit bushes. Signs of seeds in greenhouse germinating, quite a bit of heat now inside the greenhouse when the sun is out. Need to get some more seed potatoes though.
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Dug up the strawberry bed as it's produced less than a dozen fruit in 3 years. Finished putting the rest of the glazing clips on the greenhouse as we're forecast more windy weather next week. Started to tie up the raspberry canes. I cut them all down winter 2012-13 and Im still none the wiser which are summer and which are autumn fruiting ::)
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Moving plots this year so had a good look at the new one, did quite a bit of digging on the new plot and harvested broccoli, leeks and Brussels from the current plot :)
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Cleared out 'dumping ground' next to communal shed which I took over in the autumn and had filled with all the carpet, wood, etc. that I found on the plot - all piled on top of 8 very rotten pallets.
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Emptied out last years spent soil onto some very low beds. Added some well rotted manure onto a few beds. Sowed some beetroot and turnips under fleece. ( I know but its nearly march) :lol:
Florence did some amazing weeding all on her own, she even told me how to shake the soil of the weeds LOL she was amazing and earnt five shiny stars for her reward chart.
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Just a quick visit - I did some harvesting while my 10 year old helper sowed a deep tray with leek seeds.
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Dug the last of the parsnip and cut a cabbage for lunch.
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Sowed a load of chilli pepper, sweet pepper and aubergine seeds today!
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Went up with grandaughter and nephew today got them two to sow 14 packets of assorted flower seeds :tongue2: while i dug over big patch of garden and sowed full packet of spring onions in pt ,also got my mantis runnig again after tuning it up :lol: then tilled in pt and raised bed watered all gh's and pt.Darren ;)
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Finished clearing up the raspberry canes, weeded the asparagus bed which is very wet - hope the crowns are ok. Weeded around the blueberry bushes and cut back the the blackberry canes which were going mad. Noticed the shiplap on the shed and chicken coop was buckled so applied a couple of coats of stuff .
After that lot my gloves were shredded and very smelly so I cleared up the mess in the top greenhouse and called it a day. It's nice to be outside, but it does remind me of how much needs to be fixed - everywhere !
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just forked all the big piles of horse poop and compost all over the plot today, 4 yr old grandson was amazed that I had lots of horses visiting my plot :lol:
told me he now likes cabbage so I got him to sow some baby cabbages (sprouts) in the greenhouse.
At last the plot is now all tidy, everything mulched and a good layer of compost and manure laid over all the beds, ready for digging in. Bring on the summer :D
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Dropped of some roofing felt for my two storage box's , then went to see the physiotherapist to see if she can do anything about my popping knee, I now have some exercises to do, as if I don't get enough >:(, went back to the plot and potted around in the greenhouse until it clouded over and started to drizzle :)
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Made a cold frame from some recycled try wall Perspex from a skip (with permission)
Pulled all the summer cabbage stumps up and dug a section about 12 foot by 30 foot.
And really feel like I have achieved something up there, at last.
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Replaced 2 panes of glass in gh as some clever dick threw a stone over hedge :mad: did some more tilling and put some door stops on gh to stop door sliding off runner, and put some more spuds it trays for chitting :D
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Sowed a few kent blues in small pots (these are for cossetting in the culticave) and some chervil roots in a long planter as an experiment.
Lemon drop chilli is covered in small flower buds... :)
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Finally went up to see what's happened after the last lot of weather and it was just such a joy to potter around. As the ground is still so wet and puddingy, did some weeding of the garlic ( yellow tips on the leaves) in the raised bed and also the flower patch.
Discovered a hole in the boundary wire netting so patched that up to be done properly later. They had not touched the leeks but the garlic chives were chewed down almost to the ground.
Went back home very happy. Just waiting for it to be dry enough to start the onions off now!
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It's been a while, but got to the plot today. And what a beautiful day too.
Cut down the raspberries that have been on my list since beginning of January, dug up the last of the parsnips, a quick dig over of the bed, added some well rotted compost and transplanted broad beans that a fellow plot holder kindly gave me as mine aren't quite ready to go in yet.
Dug in the manure that was sitting on the potato beds so those beds are ready for when the seed potatoes go in a few a weeks time. Ground was ok and not waterlogged.
Dug up some leeks for dinner tonight and cut a few bits of broccoli.
Feeling much better just getting the fresh air let alone catching up on some of the jobs that needed doing. Had to make the most of it because not going to be a fine day until Sunday now.
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Cleared more of the wood chippings out of the greenhouse,and screwed pallets together on compost bin.
On the way to the plot I drove past a stable that as put out some fresh horse manure, I'll collect some tomorrow and put it in the compost bin. ;)
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Got the mantis on the job again turned soil into nice tilth popped some broad beans in and some more garlic, went to b n q got 250lL of verve mpc for less than £12 :)then sowed 204 mixed cabbage,kale,sprouts put them in pt until sprouted then they will go into coldframe :D
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My dwarf nectarine tree has started to bud and looks like it will soon flower. I haven't managed to get round to building a sturdy frame to protect them from the wind, rain and dreaded leaf curl so managed to buy a large seedling mini greenhouse which I erected today. Now my dwarf nectarine, peach and apricot are happy and snug as bugs in rugs and there's even room to get a couple of seed trays in as well :)
(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj86/TheNutcracker1985/Mobile%20Uploads/image-2.jpg) (http://s270.photobucket.com/user/TheNutcracker1985/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image-2.jpg.html)
(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj86/TheNutcracker1985/Mobile%20Uploads/image-1.jpg) (http://s270.photobucket.com/user/TheNutcracker1985/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image-1.jpg.html)
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When clearing the last of the wood chippings from the greenhouse I found this nasty ,hubby said it's a witchetty grub. :lol::lol: .Looks like a chafer to me. ;)
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Did some more digging in of compost,planted more garlic and got two rows of spuds in maybe a bit early but whats the worst could happen, frost might knock them back a bit if we get any that is :)
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I planted out the onion and shallot sets which have been sprouting away in trays of compost for the past week or so. I was only going to put them in the cold frame, but decided in a mad moment ::) of spring-like weather to plant them out. That is when I discovered that there is a frost forecast. I covered them with fleece so if they hunker down below the parapet, they should be okay. :ohmy:
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Dug up all the 5 year old strawberries that did nothing last year and prepared bed for my new strawberries plants
Sowed parsnips under protection
Prepared carrot bed
Prepared the new herb bed
Dug manure into potato beds
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walked up to the plot, heavy rain, very soggy again, walked back home :(
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Day off from lottie went and did some work on my friends garden,lots of weeding ;)
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Onions went in, hey ho its march. Spud beds got covered to warm up the ground.
Spring is coming :lol: :lol: :lol:
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It IS spring :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D
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Moved almost my entire crop of garlic (30 bulbs). When I planted them they were on the edge of the allotment, but now I have extended it they were left looking a bit silly. Also, with all the topsoil I have added, they were in a valley because I didn't want to bury them. So now the valley is filled in.
Did quite a bit of weeding, mostly buttercups, put a few more barrowloads of topsoil on, levelled it around and dug out some new little paths. Put up a cloche to warm/dry the soil a bit ready for sowing next week.
Wrecked the bunnies' plan to build a new residence in the hedgebank, for now...
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Didn't do enough! :wacko:
Lots of chatting though!!! ;)
Will get stuck in more tomorrow!!! :D
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took a couple more bags of seed potatoes up to the greenhouse at the lotty, tried to do a bit more digging, but too much like hard work from last nights rain, planning on doing some tomorrow, but guess what, more rain forecast >:(
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refelted my shed roof for the second time this "spring" and then painted the shed. There was also some swearing :nowink:
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Dug first early trench, put first earlys in and covered them with 1 year old manure and the soil dug out of the trench.
second earlys next, I had them covered with the bubble wrap in the greenhouse and last night the temps went down to -2.6.
It did not touch the spuds (I hope) but I think they are better in the ground.
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Stuck in handful of early Charlottes snug under a pile of strawy manure, dug and weeded over the parsnip bed ready, and the roots bed and raked to 'a fine tilth' :tongue2: ..and yes that was a kids rake I used! I'm 5ft :D
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This splash of sunshine makes it very tempting to consider putting in early potatoes but we're not out of the frost zone yet. I managed to resist...
....instead I pruned two apple trees and a pear tree. Getting towards the late end of when it should be done but had to wait for the grass the dry out enough to stop the steps sinking into the lawn.
(Plenty of brilliant perches for the aviary!)
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Just a bit of fettling up after yesterday... wanged in two metposts for the tayberry and blackberry, which will also have hooks on for coats and bags. Rearranged the much shorter posts I inherited, including the ones holding up my weldmesh cane store, and transplanted some broad beans which thus found themselves in my new "utility" area. Observed many bunny prints and put a weldmesh cloche over where I hope the asparagus might come up if it hasn't died over winter or from having a couple of inches of topsoil on top... and finally tried out my new soil thermometer which says soil temp is 6 degrees and horse muck in the dalek is nearly 11 degrees!
And back in time for second breakfast!
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managed 2 hours this morning before the rain really started
Pulled up all the pencil thin leeks in 1 bed, they were looking awful where something had nibbled them in autumn, I'll need that bed in a few weeks and I've eaten all the onions
Dug up the last of the parsnips, dug over that bed and dumped some muck on it, will need a bit more tlc To the edges at some point as the couch grass is invading.
Could do with a dry week so I can really get digging
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Managed to finish sowing my broad beans, tidy up my garlic which Is quite big now and plant some of my onion sets. Got bored of that so stopped after a while - it is my least favourite job! I also harvested a couple of cabbages and some PSB
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Slightly 'jaded' after yesterday's wedding festivities. Gentle seed sowing only today.
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Managed to get all my onion sets in before the rain arrived :)
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Planted my gooseberry and currant bushes and a rhubarb crown till rain stopped play - raspberries and the path round the greenhouse will have to wait for another day.
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Planted some early potatoes in tunnel,also sowed three rows of early carrots in tunnel.dug area outside for first potatoes,brought up chicken pellet,blood fish and bonemeal and couple of bags of manure well rotted.at home put up bench for seedling trays filled them with compost,going to let it warm up before starting off this years seeds.
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Hubby went up and laid an 18 slab pathway using the old council slabs ( large ones which are blooming heavy) all on his own, he dug a bit more, moved three gooseberry bushes which my dad had planted. ( right next to where he parks because wait for it he wanted to keep his shoes clean ) ::)
Pulled six lovely leeks, not huge but lovely. And got very very very wet ::)
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Still too wet, did however turn a little bit over, there were a lot of worms there. :)
Cheers
Aled
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went down this morning for an hour, bit more diggin, have about another half hours worth of diggin left to do, then its all systems go for planting (hopefully it will stop raining)
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Went to one of the plots today even though it rained lots last night,it didnt stop me rotovating, :Dthe soil had drained and dried quite a bit with the sun we had, got 5 packets of onions red and white (poundland) planted and did a bit of weeding too ;)
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Evening All
Had a right good go at it yesterday. Three quarters turned over now and covered up.
hopefully get it all done, then manured and turn that lot in before st patricks day
when I hope to get my first earlies in.
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finished digging in all the remaining green and horse manure this morning, all systems are go :tongue2:
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Drove up to the plot. Looked at all the water. Turned round and drove home again.
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Didn't do anything on the lottie today, still far too wet. But I did potter round in the garden pruned hydrangeas, weeded, trimmed hellebores. It really felt like a spring day at last and when I went out to the shop later I saw my first baby lamb. La, la, la la la...
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Planted some more onions,more tilling done and put a lock on my hm greenhouse,gave plot neighbour a blow away greenhouse and fixed it steady for her she was buzzin :lol: also got parsnips planted out in loo rolls
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I took up some kitchen waste and stayed to move the old polytunnel frame (I grow peas & beans up it ;) ) to this year's position.
Still too wet to dig :(
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Spent a couple of hours on the allotment today we finished the compost bin laid the some of the slabs in the greenhouse cut back the hedge and brambles. Lovely afternoon :D
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Did a spot more digging, a bit of chickweed (ing) covered spuds that have come up in gh with bubblewrap ;)and watered them,went to other lottie to check pigeons havent pulled any more onions up. Finished early around 2.30 then me and me missus went fishing on harbour for a few hours :D
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Had another great day on the plot. We have now finished all the wood chip paths which means we can now walk all round the beds without walking on the mud which in this weather is a must.
We also cleaned out and removed dead wood from the black currant bushes and burnt all the old wood and rubbish . Another very productive day. :D
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I was going to prepare a bed for the onions but when I got to the allotment found my shed had been unlocked for me and everything was messed up inside, I have no idea if anything has been taken as I had not cleared up the mess from the last time I had uninvited visitors. My enthusiasm drained from me and I just hoed between the garlic and came home.
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Sorry to hear you have had a visit by some bar stewards, they probably haven't taken anything (just made a mess), unless you keep lawn mowers, hedge cutters, strimmers, etc in there, but its not a nice feeling . I'm about to put a new shed up this year, but I will build it myself and it will include a secret wall cavity/compartment, so at least if any bar stewards do going pilfering, all they will hopefully find is my storage of plastic pots and old bread baskets.
no work at the lotty today, just took my last bag of tatties up to the greenhouse this afternoon and watered seedlings growing happily in the warm gh.
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I was going to prepare a bed for the onions but when I got to the allotment found my shed had been unlocked for me and everything was messed up inside, I have no idea if anything has been taken as I had not cleared up the mess from the last time I had uninvited visitors. My enthusiasm drained from me and I just hoed between the garlic and came home.
So sorry to hear this,must make you feel terrible. :(
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Dug over 2 beds
Dug 3 potato trenches
Refreshed the carrot box with compost
Drank coffee
Matured the pumpkin/courgette bed
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Just squelched and looked.
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Finished laying slabs in my greenhouse.
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On way to lottie i went by this skip Wow full of treasure (old garden fence ) :lol: loads of good usable timber,asked the skip user if ok to take,yeah mate elp yerself, said ill be back in a minute wiv me barrow, got back and took the lot, pieces 5 feet long 8x1/12 he was chuckling watching me,i was like a kid with sweets :lol: :lol:,made a raised bed and put some more wood in gh beds ;)
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Planted out some shallots that I had started off and kept in the cold frame for a week or two. Sowed some quick growing carrot between the shallot rows. Planted out four cabbages that had been growing in an open cold frame over winter. They may come to something.
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I was going to prepare a bed for the onions but when I got to the allotment found my shed had been unlocked for me and everything was messed up inside, I have no idea if anything has been taken as I had not cleared up the mess from the last time I had uninvited visitors. My enthusiasm drained from me and I just hoed between the garlic and came home.
Happened to me a while back Gypsy. It's miserable;e sorry for you. I hope you get your mojo back quickly. Maybe this weekends nice weather will help
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Sorry for you Gypsy, what a pain.
Speed-planted some more pots and red epicure broad beans, 10 mins then home- Kids got in the way of my plot time :mellow:
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Sorry to read about your "visitors" Gypsy. i know how you feel. In my first year as a Lottie little things went missing a small radio cheap hand tools bags of compost (mostly things of little monetary value. but that's not the point) However, during the winter of 2012/2013 all my more expensive tools went missing (spades, fork, shears and other sundry essentials. All Spear and Jackson stainless steel.) I have strong suspicions who the perp is but no proof. Have upgraded my security since then. So fingers crossed
My allotment day consisted of a good coat of looking at soggy soil and wind damaged GH. Now off to the pub for a calming couple of pints and praying for warmer drier weather so I can get stuck in.
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Made another raised bed for my strawberrys,sorted out someones gh as it was taking a battering from the wind,very strong today but plenty of sun
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Took 2 foot of a hedge that was annoying me :) Burnt all the rubbish too :unsure:
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Delivered two 125litres of verve multi-purpose compost to the lottie! Just about managed to move it from my car to polytunnel!!! :wacko:lol
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Sorry to hear of people troubles with things going walkabout. It leaves a nasty taste in your mouth.
Today we decided it was time to do something about the centre path. it was made of grass extremely uneven and muddy. We have now edged the path with wood and filled the middle with wood chips. It is a pleasure to walk on an even path. :)
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I sowed under cloches- two sorts of radish, two varieties of lettuce, parsley and salad carrots. Planted out some greyhound cabbage and snowball cauliflowers through weed suppression fabric and under mini-bottle cloches.
Pulled the last of last years cabbages and harvested some leeks
Sat down and had a beer
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Purchased and built a coldframe, sowed broad beans in pots along with some tomato seeds . Hoping to get my strawberry bed made today but other half wants to paint the new fence which I suppose is more important
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Helped our daughter with her new plot, did a bit of digging and measuring up. Sowed a replacement Wizard field bean for the one that didn't show.
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Put out the rest of my onions sets and dug a couple of beds over. Inspected the broad beans that I sowed last week directly - no sign yet.... Hmmmm
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Due and weeded. This hopped out of the long grass and gave me a shock so took my new strimmer home without using it :nowink:
I think it's a female toad. I put a pond in last year so am hopeful of slug removal help! The broad beans show how big it is. She jumped off to my compost heap :D
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a froggy (toads don't hop) looks like she is ready to spawn
been sorting out the pile of timber which has been collecting at the back of the lotty, started putting in new posts for the chicken wire fence as the old posts are starting to rot, had a bonfire to get rid of the odd bits of timber which were no good for anything useful, and other assortment of rubbish, had another fork out of the couch grass which has been growing happily in the fruit cage over the past couple of years.
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Got quite a bit of weeding done today,planted some more onions ans shallots ;)
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was\ going to the plot, but the weather was good so the garden fence was started on its rebuild.
Grendel
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a froggy (toads don't hop) looks like she is ready to spawn
/quote]
Really? she had red eyes. and yes I hope so- in my pond please :D
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went on a 5mile walk with Max, then went to the lottie, Swept the the greenhouse floor and washed with jeyes, planted my lavender,covered my store box with felt, cut a vent in my walk in green house, and pulled up some WEEDS, then had a chat with the other plot owners while max had a nap. Lovely day :D
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In the warmth of a lovely sunny day I..... found my strawberries and lifted them removing the weeds as I went and left them tucked along the path for planting in a w bed.
One row of leeks lifted and one to go.... leeks for dinner!
And I had time to say hello to the plot neighbours I haven't seem all winter. :)
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Lots of people up the site, I counted about a dozen plots being worked on over two sessions. We sowed Brussels, pot marigolds, shallots, corn salad, parsley, rocket, sunflowers then the eight year old lost interest and I went back later to finish sowing the marigolds and do some weeding along where the Camassias have started showing their noses.
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Popped down this morning for an hour, replaced a couple more fence posts, did a bit of hoeing, turned out to be nearly 3 hours by the time I got back. Went back in the afternoon, with the grand children (one at a time) wanting to see if there was any strawberries ready. That was the afternoon sorted. ::)
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Went to the allotments at 8.45am to meet a prospective allotmenteer (he requested that time) but he didn't turn up. :mad: It did give me chance to put the cane and wires in place ready for the peas.
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popped up for a couple of hours this morning and got the plot rotovated.
Grendel
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Yesterday: I dug over part of the new plot for the cordon fruit trees, erected the post and wire support and planted the cordons before a 13 hour night shift. Today it was straight back down the lottie after a quick stop off at home. As sensible decisions were out of the window today and I have blisters upon blisters after digging was a potter about the fruit plot day, the paintbrush came out to give the bees a hand with pollinating the nectarine trees. The metal post of four generic small fruit cages were trimmed down to fit my blueberry beds to stop the birds from getting to them before I do this year, the cages then built but putting the netting up has been saved for another day as it was rather breezy. Summer flowering bulbs were planted throughout the plot to add a splash of colour and a couple more grape vines planted (I blame my mother for buying them - I was post night shift on Wedsnesday, she commented they were on offer and she knows I am a sucker for fruit plants!) Went home to find that I seem to have caught the sun on my face and back and am now on the sofa avidly applying after sun and hoping that the redness goes down before I am back to work tomorrow morning.
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Finished building the warming bench in the greenhouse and wired everything up, just need some sharp sand to fill it now. Sowed spring onions, parsley, coriander, lettuce, radish and some rocket. Cut some 8ft branches from the ash tree to use as supports for the sweet peas.
Forked over 2 raised beds and found some self set blackberries amongst the couch grass- I think they're from the thornless canes so I potted them up to see. Weeded around last years chard which is doing it's best but was getting choked. Reweeded around the asparagus, the weeds are on steroid !
Nice to be outside but garden looks like a bombs gone off in it still :(
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When we got home from the plot, we Cleaned the fish pond out , smelly job but at least we can see the fish now. ;)
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Went up this morning ,raided the skip again of very useful timber ;) washed the 3 gh's with jeyes went to garden centre got 2kg of onward peas will sow next few days,went to other lottie finished planting the last of shallots and onions (phew) did some more tilling there,went back to main lottie filled a couple of gaps in cauli row with some from another row, did some weeding around onions, spread a sack of soft sand in pt then went to mam's to pick up some baking from her then went home :D
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First post for me. People out in force at the plots for the first time this year it seemed. We sowed a variety seeds in the GH which reached 115 degrees, sowed early carrots outside, topped up the wood chip paths and wired the espelier supports. My nephew just swapped to the plot next door so was investigating the contents of the shed he inherited for a token payment to the chap retiring, he was very pleased.
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Weeded, fed and mulched all fruit on plot 2 and 3. Got chatting to guy who has just come back from 6 weeks in New Zealand. So jealous and is on list of places to visit......
On plot 1, planted out enough broad beans to fill a 2.4m x 3m bed with broad beans that I had sown at home and had grown to about 3 inches tall. Planted out shallots and onions that I had started off in modules and then planted the remaining shallots and onions that hadn't been started off in 2 other beds.
Had a cup of coffee with fellow plot holders and came home well chuffed with the work that I had done. :D
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This morning dug over the potato bed again and the drawf runner bean bed. Put the hoops in place on the raised beds. Spent time talking to my sister and a fellow allotmenteer. This afternoon went with my sister to have a look at the allotments she has her name down for. She's hoping she doesn't have to wait too long! Then dug the 10x12 foot area at the back of her garage so she can have a mini veg patch and put up her mini grow house.
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popped down the lotty this afternoon for an hour, spent 2 hours yapping
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sowed some beetroot seeds under my new cloche tunnel.
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Collected all the clots of couch from round the plot and piled them in one heap.
i,am thinking of spraying it when the couch appears and covering it for the rest of the year.
any better ideas anyone?
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Collected all the clots of couch from round the plot and piled them in one heap.
i,am thinking of spraying it when the couch appears and covering it for the rest of the year.
any better ideas anyone?
You could dry them out & then burn it all
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Collected all the clots of couch from round the plot and piled them in one heap.
i,am thinking of spraying it when the couch appears and covering it for the rest of the year.
any better ideas anyone?
Drown in a water bin ?
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More digging out & turning of compost. Mended the bins as some of the slats keep falling out, goodness knows why each bin has different sized slats :mad: added loads of manure. Weeded around the rhubarb & daffodils at he front of the plot, then started to weed bed 5. Guess what I found? Even more horsetail.
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Thanks snowdrop and sparky. there's just so much of it. Will it rot if I just leave it. dont want to sound lazy
but i've more pressing things to get on with.
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Thanks snowdrop and sparky. there's just so much of it. Will it rot if I just leave it. dont want to sound lazy
but i've more pressing things to get on with.
NO it won't rot if you just leave it :(
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Did some more digging,planted 2 rows of peas,weeded cauli's and moved some to other lottie put wires over cauli got another row of spuds in watered spuds in gh and pt :D weeded around razzogs ;)
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ok. cheers sparky. guess i'll just have to sift through it.
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Yesterday (Sunday) - went to the lottie for only the second time this year and dug almost the whole thing over!
Get it all done while the weather is clement - it can't last after all! ::)
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Started tidying up new second plot :D :D , very pleased.
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Collected all the clots of couch from round the plot and piled them in one heap.
i,am thinking of spraying it when the couch appears and covering it for the rest of the year.
any better ideas anyone?
Drown in a water bin ?
How long would that take to kill them ?
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Popped down for an hour this afternoon. No yapping today, so was able to finish recycling an unwanted IKEA shelving unit (which was destined for the local tip) for my greenhouse staging. And started removing yet more couch grass roots ready for putting in new fence posts.
drowning plants = about 3 to 4 weeks.
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Sowed coriander,parsley,basil,sunflower,iceberg2, little gem, great lakes lettuce, and some flower seeds,and made a fence along back hedge ,then washed polycarb roof on my extension off the shed 8)
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If there is such a thing as the perfect weather for digging up half one's asparagus plants, 12C, sunny and windless is it - garden jacket off first, swiftly followed by jumper (JayG-friendly), shirt stayed on (neighbour-friendly! 8))
Only had 10 plants altogether, and I've had them about 10 years, but they take up too much space in my garden for the return I get, although I would miss having none at all. :(
Last year's strawberry runners moved to start a new bed, old ones on the compost heap.
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Nothing as I am still waiting for a delivery of wood for sons new table & chairs that he & hubby are starting at the weekend. Hubby rang this morning & told me it was going to be 2nd local drop of the afternoon :mad: >:( I'm not happy as I've felt I couldn't get started on anything as then it would turn up.
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First bonfire of the year,.. luvvverly.
Attacked some of the plot boundary and distributed a two year old compost heap. Excellent consistency and very satisfying. Collected some grass from the Council first cut of the year.
Carrots and parsnips sown direct under enviromesh, and then soaked up the sun.
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Big bonfire and pruned (murdered) my bramley :nowink:
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Had an amble down to the lotty this afternoon with a spare plane of greenhouse glass under my arm, weather just too nice to be bothered to do anything, so ambled back home and enjoyed a cold beer on the patio :D
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Finished making my fence then borrowed lottie neighbours rotovator as my howard 350 is stuck in reverse gear(needs a new small brass washer replacing in gearbox),my freinds roto v was hard work, :ohmy: i was practicaly pushing it through he soil, the belt slips so tines not cutting properly, :mad:nearly killed myself,one of the other lottie owners so me struggling so he brought his howard 350 over and offered to do it for me,oh yes please john would you(i bought my howard 350 from him 3 years ago).So thats the plot all dug and ready for planting now :D.
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Played with seedlings in new popbottle greenhouse extension, went to plot, sat in sun. dug. sat in sun some more. Checked on toad/frog-yes still in compost heap.
killed 2 huge shed spiders ;), 20 slugs bit the dust :D. -Taking no prisioners slug-wise this year since i read that they have 40 eggs each, so have cardboard slug traps, have got shot of over 200 this year so far.
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Unloaded lots of fence posts for daughter's plot and a few for replacement fence on one side of ours. Also some scaffolding planks for the first of daughter's raised beds and to go on top of dwarf wall to attach polytunnel to. Then unloaded manure from nearby kennels/ stables and dug that in to several beds. Weeded the overwintering onions. Harvested some leeks. Whacked out now.
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Put wire supports up for blackberry bushes .Did some weeding ,made an archway for the climbing beans.
Picked up some more pallets for the outbuilding, and some water tanks .
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Replanted the strawberry plants that I lifted on Sunday so now have 6 rows with 12 plants to a row.
Every year for the last three years I promised myself I'd keep the new bed well weeded after harvesting so they could stay where they were for three years but....the weeds beat me to it again last year. :(
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More digging of horsetail & other weeds, did some hoeing of weeds that had got flowers on that I won't get out before they seed,tidied up a few bits.
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Untangled the worlds thorniest brambles from the worlds most untidy damson trees, cut them up and put a match to the lot of them :) so therapeutic almost made the scratches and snagged clothes worth it.
Weeded around the blueberry bushes and sprinkled the last of the sulphur round them. Weeded the asparagus bed - again, Im sure the weeds are creeping back onto it after I turn my back. Cleared out the top greenhouse so it's ready for a wash. Started emptying the shed as it's got a tarp for a roof and is leaning over drunkenly I'll have to fix it this year. :nowink:
Spent a good hour generally cleaning up, it's amazing how much stuff gets left and strewn about; pots, seed trays, labels, wire and tools all over the place :ohmy: Im such an untidy person.
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Planted my 9 'sticks' that arrived for me yesterday (boyfriends' take on bare root fruit trees) against the post and wire system I built for them at the weekend. Weeded and did some general tidying before going to work.
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Weeded and tidied the little polytunnel on our daughter's plot. OH dug a new raised bed out. The soil on her plot is much better than ours was when we started. No sign of clay near the surface, and best of all, no horsetail!
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Popped down to see the plot secretary to tell him I have a spare greenhouse needing a new home (from a neighbour), will see how long it takes for someone to contact me from the site, brownie points for me I hope, as I usually have arguments with committee members ( I like to be a rebel at times - even at my age)
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Weeded the onions ,dug over half of bed 1 :)
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Dug and rotovated two of the raised beds. My mantis has a mind of its own - last year despite sending to three different repair shops it would rarely start and when it did it kept cutting out, This year I left it in the shed all winter with fuel in it fully sure that I would have to replace it anyway, I took it out earlier and just for the hell of it tried to see would it start, low and behold it started on the first pull and ran like new :wacko:
When I got over this little surprise and had the two beds rotovated I weeded in the polytunnel and between the garlic and onions.
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I too mantissed part of my plot,put two more rows of spuds in ,one row of peas in and i put the cast iron and mahogany bench back together it looks like new ,also brought another table with brolley and chairs put them outside me shed it looks very clean and lived in now :lol: ill put up some pics tomorrow ;)
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day off today, so I got the garden fence finished.
Grendel
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Been very busy on my new "full" plot. Hence the lack of a presence here for a couple of weeks - oh and took on Society's Secretary job as well. So moved greenhouse and shed on to the new plot and started the tidying up process so I could put the apples and pears in ( trees for the avoidance of doubt). Covered the raised beds I'd inherited, started some early lettuce in the greenhouse. But it feels more like construction work than gardening!!
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Planted out beet root seedlings under cloches and sowed some more all in raised bed. Planted my Sturon onion sets
Must be 90 I reckon. Also sowed some extra peas to offset those attacked by mice or slugs. Sprinkled generous amount of slug pellets to try to reduce onslaught .
Cheers HH
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Bit of digging, bit of weeding, bit of rotavating, bit of slab laying.
Oh sorry that was hubby.
I did nothing :lol: its the royal WE obviously...... The children and I went to a sing and sign class. Todays topic vegetables. Haha the lady asked what veg they would like to sign and florence asked for garlic :lol: the lady didnt know that one.
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Bit more digging and planted out stuttgarten onions. A cup of tea and a chat to new neighbour. Plotfather did some strimming of paths. :D
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Bit of tilling then sowed 2 rows of parsnip and 2 rows of beetroot,watered gh'es and pt went home as it got really windy :ohmy:
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doing the watering can shuffle- already!! :wacko: for the seedlings under fleece, and spring sown BBeans. Realised the dunk tank fillers are turned off until April :ohmy:
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Finished weeding my new plot and building raised beds in readiness for the topsoil arriving tomorrow.
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Final fork over of my root bed ready for sowing beetroot and parsnip tomorrow
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Got the keys to gate from the council went to my new plot had a good long look ,measured up and tidy up a little ,put the shed up the right way.
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Just got back from barrowing 3 tonnes of topsoil, ready for a bath.
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asparagus planted in the nice bed i had waiting for them,
shallots,garlic and onions planted
ordered some more seeds as realised i dont have any parsnips or beets
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Planted out my spuds as they all had really good chits on them and were beginning to turn to leaves... Put them in nice deep trenches covered over so should any frost appear they will be fine and I can still mound them up as necessary. Back aches a lot now though - I misjudged how many trenches I would have to dig! I still have 10 small spuds left over which I kept in the shed for now but we'll see. Not sure I can justify the expense of soil for bags just for a few tiny spuds that might not even amount to anything....
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Sowed some parsnips, land cress, lettuce and coriander. Tackled a particularly nettly bit of the hedge bank - ouch - and put the soil on the potato quarter. Glared frequently at the rabbit which was sat on next door plot, filled in two rabbit burrows and considered my options...
Coughed loudly when I heard a family of plot holders going down the track the other side of my hedge, having a conversation that started "well they haven't cut it down, but..." and then went and had a chat with some new plot holders who asked me to lay theirs!
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Tidied the shed out at home.Trundled down with my trusty wheel barrow & the prunings from the garden to add to the recently sorted compost bins. Then son turned up with all the shavings from his wood for his new table & chairs hubby & he are making. Popped that in its bags onto the compost heap, but on the way home told CD to help himself to it for his chickens. Thanked him for the cardboard he left for me.
Some before & after pictures.
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/85E8F830-B861-4EC4-9568-940DB162F685.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/85E8F830-B861-4EC4-9568-940DB162F685.jpg.html)
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/6B94F987-CAAB-4951-8BD4-1E2E12ECD863.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/6B94F987-CAAB-4951-8BD4-1E2E12ECD863.jpg.html)
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/6BEEBE0E-0043-4BB9-997E-005F4867B0FF.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/6BEEBE0E-0043-4BB9-997E-005F4867B0FF.jpg.html)
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/84A50727-8E02-4CB8-A6FB-3A679290A0EB.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/84A50727-8E02-4CB8-A6FB-3A679290A0EB.jpg.html)
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Erected a 8 x 6 foot greenhouse so now I can get my seeds off to a good start.
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Did some more tilling then planted a row of pink fir apples,2 rows of beetroot ,and some parsnip in loo rolls,filled 7 daleks with manure off the big pile i got ,looks a bit tidier now,spuds in gh are doing great and ones in pt are coming through :D
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More fence post holes today, and will start laying and setting the slabs for the little patio area in front of the gh. Sowing seeds and potting on some seedlings in the gh as well, The sun is up, blue sky at the moment so will probably amble down shortly, best time of the day for mooching about on your lotty.
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Chaired a meeting of the Allotment Association to discuss self management. All bar one at the meeting voted for. Then planted out my onion sets and OH did some soil sifting for raised bed on daughter's plot.
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Dug beds for and planted 300 onion sets. Same to do again but they will have to wait until post-Mother's Day.
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Perfect day on the plot spread 5 sq yards of well rotted muck sowed all my onions and shallots sprayed off last few beds ready to turn over in a fortnight all in all a very productive day well pleased finally feel like I'm ready for this season
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Potatoes now all planted, also planted two rows of broad beans and pricked out the Kilaton cabbage.
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Dug beds for and planted 300 onion sets. Same to do again but they will have to wait until post-Mother's Day.
One is slightly sunburnt.
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Got the potato bed ready. Then planted all the seed potatoes in it!!!
Put out under netting, broad beans, peas, onions. These are hardening off ready to plant out asap!
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Finally managed to plant my dwarf Medlar, Qunice, Gage, Cherry and Pear trees into their final positions and then spent a lovely, warm and happy afternoon mulching my fruit bushes, tending to the kiwi vines who are bursting into life, chatting with my plot neighbours and watching the bees do their business with my Blueberry plants :D
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Put up a greenhouse. :D need a few extra bits of glass now but all in all a good days work or three days work.
Hubby says . Owww, groan, creek, oh my back, cor blimey love....... Think I may need a paracetamol.
He asked for a rub with deep heat..... To which I replied stop milking it :lol:
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Dug over the rest of the backgarden and sowed lots of seeds. :)
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Went to lottie# 2, dug half of it over ready to put 2 big trays of kestrel 2nd's in, will do that tomorrow ;)
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On Sunday I should have been digging and rotovating but it was good to relax for once instead.
Off to buy gear oil tomorrow and then to the plot to see if 'Howard' is still willing to do a spot of work for me again this year.
I do love that old machine. ;)
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Harvested the last couple of cabbages and dug over the bed. Put together a new blow-away greenhouse on the balcony and tidied up the pots on the balcony ready to do some sowing this week
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Dug over all the fallow patches, now need a proper double dig and to box off the raised bed properly.
Its a start.
Cheers
Aled
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Unexpected afternoon off from collecting 2 grandsons from school, so potatoes in! :D
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On annual leave for 3 days , so planted the potatoes and shallots , sown some more Beetroot and radish.
Gutterings now ready for my peas cleaned ect,
Tomorrow I'm sowing my parsnips and broad beans.
Tempted to plant out my cabbages , greenhouse is getting to warm for them it was 25c in there this afternoon.
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Not at the plot but in the garden. Finished clearing the greenhouse of the last few tomato & cucumber pots.( plants went last year). Then jet washed it, scrubbed it & re jet washed it & the slabs around it. Since by now I was some what wet & grubby I made a start on washing some of the 100s & 100s of mucky plant pots.
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Lottie #2 again today did some more digging ,oooohh me back that couch grass :wacko: didnt plant spuds as i did too much digging :ohmy:
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Prepared potato bed ready for them to go in on Wednesday ....... But cold nights predicted??
Carrots, beetroot and broad bean plants in with a few more broad beans left to go in.
Finished new raspberry bed (at last) and dug up plants that had drifted out of the main rows. These will be used to fill new bed.
Watched the guys building a new floor for the tea hut seating area and they were doing a grand job. I just drunk coffee :D
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Put out a mouse trap amongst my peas in case it is a whiskered person attacking them.
Then became inspired by another plot holder burning rubbish he lent me a lighter and some kindling and I had a general tidy up of assorted cuttings etc. all very dry so burnt rapidly.
Then collected a couple of bags of seed compost ready for the serious seedling growing starting soon.
Tried to rest PM but mrs Hog suggested we tidy up the pots on the patio
Cheers HH
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Popped down after work yesterday and today, planted and trenches all my earlies, just got 1 row left of mains to go in. Have some spare straw on my plot if things get cold. Feeling quiet on top of things for once.
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Planted my earlies today. First thing of the year. :D
Cudders
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Put a line along the beds and tidied them up nice and straight now ,dug up some 6 rhubarb clumps from a disused plot and planted them on mine :D and filled up fuel tanks on gh heater
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Early potatoes in, raspberry canes in, brassica beds ready, rhubarb coming up a treat, all is well in the lottie. :D
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Yahay finally planted something on the plot. Busy digging this morning & went back this afternoon & transplanted loads of the garlic. Still got 2 trays to go. Covered part of the last years leek bed with cardboard & manure so it all gets nicely wet when it rains tomorrow. The pumpkins will go there planted through membrane.
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Went and affixed a new tap to my IBC, very noice. Just need to dig a hole under the base to allow a watering can to sit under said new tap.
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Spent an hour on the plot checking seedlings and raked over the root bed, made some cabbage collars out of small paper plates, Hubby's finished my new compost bin, we removed the other one has the plot owner next to me said it was to big, to be fair it was to big so he has made me a smaller one and this time he got permission from the council . ;)
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Had a borrow of a friend's Mantis tiller. Blimey! In my ignorance I thought that the machine was supposed to do the work! ::) It was like trying to control a bucking bronco! My arms and legs and neck are aching now. :( I don't think I will bother getting one of my own, after all. The old-fashioned way might be tedious, but doesn't cause as much physical fall-out!
Still we did get three beds looking lovely. :D
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Planted onion sets, and continued the base for the green house. Also recycled some big wooden crates to make two large cold frames.
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Lorry load of woodship turned up. 30 baorrow loads later nice shiny new paths the same hight as the beds.
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popped in to tie down, check on everything and harvest some chard and some psb which is still doing great- I only had 4 plants of Rudolph but they've been enough and well worth the coddling through the butterfly period.
Despatched 4 large black slugs and about 10 small ones under a bit of cardboard I'd put down :D
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Just popped down for about half an hour lunchtime and tilled the area for this years potato crop, as rain is expected. It is now absolutely chucking it down as I am writing this, so hopefully will start planting my spuds towards the end of next week
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Cancelled afternoon visit due to wind and worse still lashing rain! :(
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Not on the plot today, but taking care of my son who is ill at home. However, The benefit was that I was at home when my onion sets (Rosanna) arrived by mail from T&M. Something to plant! :)
All the best,
Maarten
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finished tilling the last area for planting this season, all ready for the big push, after we get a bit more rain.
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Checked on broad beans put in at beginning of the week as the wind had battered them a bit. Took a load of Pumpkin and squash peelings for the compost bin as they had started to rot in the garage. :(
Covered carrots and beetroot with fleece as a few cold nights predicted.
Picked chard for dinner tonight and sat for a bit and took in the sound of the birds. :D
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Dug nearly enough potato trench and almost filled with manure-y compost. Saved a bit for the 8yo to do tomorrow, and to put the potatoes actually in. Then turned contents of an existing compost bin into the newly empty one, with a bit of horse manure for luck.
Met the bloke everyone has been asking me if I've met yet - he was rotovating a couple of other people's plots for them because "they 'ant got good health" but he admired my compost I was putting in for the spuds!
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Plotfather dug a bit more of the top bed on the main plot while I sieved 1/2 of the contents of one compost bin. Bigger job than I thought. Still, a good drop of compost to rake into aforementioned bed.
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Got beds for first early tatties (Dunluce) ready. Will pop them in over the weekend. Soil a bit lumpy in places, but I've had a decentish crop before now from worse beds. So I'm hoping for the best.
Also raked over beds for broad bean plantlets to go in. Starting to feel as if things are beginning to get going.
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Planted out my first sowing of kohl rabi. Fleeced them for the frosts this next few days. Saw my very first of the season asparagus spears. Watered the recent sowings of salsify carrot, beetroot. Weeded around especially the autumn planted onion sets which are coming along nicely
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rained during the night, but dry and sunny at 7am, down the plot by 7.30 and rotovated planted potatoes and some onions, home by 9.30am, looking grey out now.
Grendel
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Down the plot by 8am and had a major tidy up today - pulled up and dug over the psb that had become majorly attacked by birds (still got a a couple of productive plants left), dug over a couple of beds, repaired the fruit cage and weeded it. I also had a good inspection of the bed where I sowed broad beans a couple of weeks ago - absolutely nothing to be seen and I can't even see any beans so I might get some more this week and resow as I love broad beans! Onion sets starting to sprout though!
As I was leaving I noticed the central bit of felt on the shed had completely gone leaving the wood exposed and a hole into the inside (where we had badly fitted it originally). Had nothing down there with me to make any type of repair so will have to try and do something temporary tomorrow.
When I got home I sowed first batch of lettuce, cabbages, sprouts, leeks and also some lavender. Cucumbers and cucamelons also got sown - my first year for these two crops
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First real day on the plot of the year (slacker I know), repotted 55 of Aelfs milk bottle hanging strawberry plants. Ended up with more plants than I started with after splitting some of the crowns. Not sure what i'm now going to do with the 42 plants I bought in Aldi yesterday :-)
o/h fixed the fence that the winter winds had decided to wreak havoc with.
Now I need to do some general tidying, but that will have to wait for another day as my back is killing me!
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Potted on my selection of sweet peppers and chilli's.
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popped down at 9am to pick up some builders membrane in the shed- boy it was nippy! Aqua d Broad beans looking good, hope the flowers survive the cold a'comin. The Red epicure just showing now.
Found a slug haven under the damp fleece, and despatched quite a few large ones under the cardboard traps. Deployed some organic pellets under the fleece and anchored it back down so extra wildlife-safe.
Slugs despatched so far this year- about 300! as they can all lay 40 eggs every little helps.... 8)
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Covered broad beans plants I put in this week (or maybe last week) with with fleece tunnels to keep them snug.
Covered kohlrabi/turnip bed with black plastic so it warms up a bit for planting out / sowing next week if weather looks ok.
Had a quick coffee and then home to prick out Brussel sprouts and cabbages.
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We planted our potatoes - 40 Lady Christl.
Some time was then spent making an elaborate construction with holly leaves, sticks, stones and wee in the hedge bank which is supposed to discourage the rabbits :unsure:
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Potted on the summer cabbage, dug some leeks for lunch had a peep at my winter caulis they are about the size of a tennis ball and as white as freshly fallen snow.
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Not enough but tomorrow is a new day and the plot wont go far :wacko:
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Started off some Calibra petit pois using method recommended, I think, by mumofstig: two per module, plant out at 10 cm apart. Then heavy rain stopped play.
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Did some more tilling then it started raining :mad:
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Picasso and old dependable Desiree went in.
Also planted out Stuttgarter onion sets.
Rain stopped play. :mad:
Cudders
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Got some manure from the stables and mixed it with my birthday mega bag of compost, dug it all in! Cut round tree holes to get out the grass and sprinkled in wood ash from fire. Planted garlic, carrots Nantes and chanteney, moved my blueberry bush to make room for another one, weeded the raspberries, moved the unknown brassicas into their new bed, oh and sowed the sugar snaps. Busy day!
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Planted out sorrel and sowed, basil, late brussels (Bedford), kohl rabi, and calabrese.
Wathced about five pairs of frogs making spawn in the pond.
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paid my subs for this year :ohmy:
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Dug over the beds to be used for onion shallots and beetroot.
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Hubby put slabs around the greenhouse, laid the three slab path inside. Put some tiny piddly lettuce in the community tunnel. Put in the spuds, that should have gone in yesterday.
He came home with some more guttering for my vertical gardening. :lol:
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Repaired the shed roof with new felt (managed to get 1/3 off in homebase so not too bad). Raked over a bed and out in some supports ready for first sowing of peas next wkend. Collected another buckets worth of stones :nowink:
Also made the first plot crumble of the year :D - rhubarb picked today and freezer blackberries from last year
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Removed cover from spud bed turned it over with a fork then sprinkled grow more and raked it ready to plant up once we are through this cold snap. Covered onion bed with fleece then retreated before the sleet arrived!!
Cheers HH
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Repaired the shed roof with new felt (managed to get 1/3 off in homebase so not too bad). Raked over a bed and out in some supports ready for first sowing of peas next wkend. Collected another buckets worth of stones :nowink:
Also made the first plot crumble of the year :D - rhubarb picked today and freezer blackberries from last year
rhubarb and blackberry ? that's a new one on me :ohmy:
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Popped down the allotment just before dark to cover my seedlings in the greenhouse with fleece, frost forecast for tonight.
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Had my mum round for dinner, so took her to my allotment. Had a look around and then the heavens opened. Luckily we had gone with the car, so stayed dry! :mellow:
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Popped down the allotment just before dark to cover my seedlings in the greenhouse with fleece, frost forecast for tonight.
Sadly had no choice but to plant few strawberries today. Hope they survive the next nights..
6 plants of Red gauntlet/ honyoye/ cambridge fav/ symphony...
Hope the raised bed makes their nightlife abit easier..
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Filled 220 pots with compost ready to pot on toms and peppers tomorrow,sowed a row of beetroot,mum and her oh came to look around and sowed 250 sweetcorn seeds had a good day :)
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Filled 220 pots with compost ready to pot on toms and peppers tomorrow,sowed a row of beetroot,mum and her oh came to look around and sowed 250 sweetcorn seeds had a good day :)
How do you manage to look after all these plants? Do you need to water them all? I'm amazed at what you manage to achieve, and mostly for a good cause as well.
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After taking over my plot in the end of October I gave managed to get nine 8'x4' and two 8'x2'. I have nearly finished filling the last bed with riddled compost today and I was able to get beetroots and Swiss chard seeds planted.
It was cold and there was a few minutes where I has hailstones, didn't matter much as my little plot is coming along nicely
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Repaired the shed roof with new felt (managed to get 1/3 off in homebase so not too bad). Raked over a bed and out in some supports ready for first sowing of peas next wkend. Collected another buckets worth of stones :nowink:
Also made the first plot crumble of the year :D - rhubarb picked today and freezer blackberries from last year
rhubarb and blackberry ? that's a new one on me :ohmy:
Really? I grew up on it! It's gorgeous!
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Repaired the shed roof with new felt (managed to get 1/3 off in homebase so not too bad). Raked over a bed and out in some supports ready for first sowing of peas next wkend. Collected another buckets worth of stones :nowink:
Also made the first plot crumble of the year :D - rhubarb picked today and freezer blackberries from last year
rhubarb and blackberry ? that's a new one on me :ohmy:
Really? I grew up on it! It's gorgeous!
Hmm has freezer blackberries and rhubarb to pick so may try that :D
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Put a floor in my "new" shed ( well new to me) and the rain made outside work hit and miss. Soil is cold so don't want to risk anything yet. Keeping the beds covered!
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Repaired the shed roof with new felt (managed to get 1/3 off in homebase so not too bad). Raked over a bed and out in some supports ready for first sowing of peas next wkend. Collected another buckets worth of stones :nowink:
Also made the first plot crumble of the year :D - rhubarb picked today and freezer blackberries from last year
rhubarb and blackberry ? that's a new one on me :ohmy:
Really? I grew up on it! It's gorgeous!
Hmm has freezer blackberries and rhubarb to pick so may try that :D
About 2/3 rhubarb to 1/3 blackberries. Just stick them both in the dish raw (sugar to taste) , add the crumble topping and then bake!
I will stop hijacking this thread now :)
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Put weed suppressant fabric around the strawberries and then netted the bed. At least that's one job out of the way. :)
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Filled 220 pots with compost ready to pot on toms and peppers tomorrow,sowed a row of beetroot,mum and her oh came to look around and sowed 250 sweetcorn seeds had a good day :)
How do you manage to look after all these plants? Do you need to water them all? I'm amazed at what you manage to achieve, and mostly for a good cause as well.
A bit off topic but ....
I always grow far too many plants of everything and wondered what Snoop meant when he referred to 'a good cause' 3 allotments? I would like to donate my excess to a worthy cause other than fellow plot holders.
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500g onions planted, there were more in the bag than I expected as they were small. They filled one bed and edged around another one.
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Dug the last of the bamboo up in the backyard (I think it would have been easier to sell the house & buy another) and dug a border in the front lawn. Also gave some feed to all the pots as It's been about 9 months… Whoops…
Now I need to wait for the girlfriend to come back so I can shove the 15 bags of turf in the boot.
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Cleared the remainder of last years rubbish and then took a trip to the tip with this rubbish and the rubbish hubby had "made" at home getting rid of a bush in the front garden that we both hate!
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Went to lottie #2 did some more tilling for the beetroot and parsnip bed,then sowed them 2 rows of peas,2 beetroot,3 parsnip and repotted some toms up :D
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Oh look, rain :(
Spent an hour in the greenhouse, sowing seeds, potting on. Too wet to be outside again 8)
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Sowed some 5 varieties of sweet peas and 5 varieties lettuce/leaf seed. Just a pinch! :)
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It's raining again - might make a song out of that!
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I opened and closed my cold frames and daydreamed of planting out my broad beans and onions. It's raining again...
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Raining here all day, so didn't make it to the plot despite loads to do :(
re-organised one of our 3 freezers instead!
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Watered under the cloches, put chicken netting over the peas that the cat has decided to dig up.
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Did some watering,potted on more toms,sowed primo golden acre, romanesco cauli, leeks mammoth, aubergine black beauty, butternut squash, sweetcorn earlibird f1, headstartf1, incredible f1, dolce. Sun bathing while doing spot of weeding,then made a notice to go on the site gate KEEP GATE CLOSED ON ENTRY AND EXIT AT ALL TIMES, with permission from the site runner, as it is doing my head in people leaving it open all the time as my lottie is first through the gate and people coming through thinking it is a short cut or dog walkers dogs messing next to my lottie :mad:
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Managed to get up for an hour yesterday evening and put in the rest of my broad beans, also got in 3 rows of peas, Onward, Sugar Snap and Mange Tout. Tidied round the garlic and carrots then it got dark so I came home happy :)
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Radish spring onion and little gem all planted in the ground in the poly tunnel. I have not grown them inside before has anyone any thoughts on this?
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Cleared the last of the beetroot and leeks from the bed the potatoes are due to go in.
Repotted 15 lettuce plugs in trusty poundland cat litter trays and sowed a tray of leeks.
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Radish spring onion and little gem all planted in the ground in the poly tunnel. I have not grown them inside before has anyone any thoughts on this?
I have grown little gem in the greenhouse over winter. Radishes also growing nicely next to them and spring onions now showing through. :D
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Ditto yesterday: opened and closed cold frames due to heavy rain. Now starting to get a bit bored of wet weather. If only we could swap a few wet days like this in spring for the odd rainy day in the summer...
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Realised I had more chatted spuds than space in bed so "reclaimed" another bed to handle the excess.
Digging the two hours must have done me good!
Now waiting for it to warm up so I can plant them
HH
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Sowed more peppers (trinidad scorpion, bhut jolokia, jalapeno, californian wonder and padron) as only 1 padron has germinated :mad: a couple of cucamelons, some legend, ferline and Ace 55 VF I had left over and some Arnold rootstock now the sungold has germinated.
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Went up the plot with intentions of doing some more tilling but then the hailstone started,over in 5 mins didnt settle then came the rain for a while so ended up in the greenhouse repotting toms,peppers and sowing some runner beans :)
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Been confined to barracks for what seems like ages as have the dreaded flu. Managed to get potatoes in before the snotty nose and hot sweats started but desperate to get outside and have a walk round the plots.
Peas sown in guttering have germinated well and need hardening off before going into the ground and have cauliflower and cabbage waiting in the cold frame. Feeling like a caged animal. >:(
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Hope you are well enough to get out in the sunshine this weekend Yana.
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sowed some sweetcorn and leeks in my shed as it was raining to do anything outside :(
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Hope you are well enough to get out in the sunshine this weekend Yana.
Thanks Jackypam. Had a quick walk round yesterday and made it back to the car before the heavens opened. Resting up today as want to get the peas, cabbage and cauliflower in on Saturday and that is because .... Hoping I have a surprise visit to the Edible Garden show as a Mother's Day present on Sunday. If not, I'll be sowing parsnips and turnips . :(
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You must be feeling better! Just been down to check the plum blossom ( though I don't really know what I'm looking for- but it looked ok to me despite the frost this week) and to water under the cloches.
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After many years I bit the bullet and dug out the cold house to a spit deep . I then double dug it and refilled half the spit with compost ,forked over again then topped up with compost after 25 years it was desperate for some love :D
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nothing i had the day off cleaned the house as oh has been away all week at her sisters she will be back tomorrow :D missed her but not the snoring :lol: hop eweather is better tomorrow get some proper work done ;)
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Ended up at the hospital yesterday after cutting my finger on some glass*big sigh*, had to go back twice today, *even bigger sigh*. But with a huge amount of help from a friend we (well mainly her) dismantled a 12 by 8 greenhouse and transported to my lottie !
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I planted out my International Kidney and sowed parsnip beetroot and scorzonera. My tomatoes for outdoors have been finally repotted and are now in the unheated greenhouse. Need to be very careful with frosts for the next few weeks.
Planted out my early brussell sprouts
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You must be feeling better! Just been down to check the plum blossom ( though I don't really know what I'm looking for- but it looked ok to me despite the frost this week) and to water under the cloches.
Been awake since 4am with bunged up nose and throat that feels like it has been sanded!
No lottie for me today but will potter in the garden instead as have lettuce seedlings that need potting on, put wooden obelisks together that OH made (for sweet peas) and draw up plans for OH to make brassica cover.
And enjoy the predicted sunshine. :D
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With a warmer spell predicted and the showers just about holding off yesterday I got my zigzag row of Rocket spuds planted.
Repotted both mint pots, because most reports suggest that Rocket aren't that great in the taste department! :unsure: ;)
Whilst digging the spud trench I found a lightly buried clump of last years Golden Gourmet shallots that I'd somehow managed to cover over rather than harvest - half a dozen bulbs in great condition, already rooted and of the perfect size for adding to a row which was incomplete because some of the 'properly stored' ones rotted off over winter. ::)
(Don't think I'll be risking burying shallots as an alternative way of storing them long term though!)
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Cleared out and cleaned the shed (long overdue!!), weeded the bed where I put the spuds - creeping buttercup is a nightmare! Also weeded round the garlic (and found rust) so chopped the infected leaves off. Need to keep an eye on that :mad:
When I got home I transplanted my hispi cabbage seeds, thinned the lettuce and sowed tomatoes, petunias and marigolds. Going to transplant my kalibos cabbage and Brussel sprout seedlings tomorrow as I want to harden them off as soon as possible, I don't like brassicas being inside!
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I repotted 33 strawberries (only about another 80 to go) whilst hubby dug over the bed the potatoes will be going in tomorrow.
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80? Fantastic..
Planning to increase my strawberries to 12.
Blueberries doing well.. 2 raspberries have got new growth spurs from the ground and 1 of the blackberry.
The remaining are not showing anything for the moment.
Finally found some ants under the weed suppresant fabric so monitoring these...
Do you water plants when it is so hot?
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Onions in and my "experimental" plot of things I've not grown before - pak choi , together with spring onions and Americam land cress outside.
In the greenhouse some spare sunflowers, celeriac and purple sprouting broccoli.
Planted some of my lavender ouside the greehouse and along the site path to help the bees!
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You must be feeling better! Just been down to check the plum blossom ( though I don't really know what I'm looking for- but it looked ok to me despite the frost this week) and to water under the cloches.
Been awake since 4am with bunged up nose and throat that feels like it has been sanded!
No lottie for me today but will potter in the garden instead as have lettuce seedlings that need potting on, put wooden obelisks together that OH made (for sweet peas) and draw up plans for OH to make brassica cover.
And enjoy the predicted sunshine. :D
Well never did any of that. Instead spent the day in the garage putting up a motorised opener. OH fancied it.
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Didn't go to the plot today, but I did pot on my tomatoes, choosing strongest 4 seedlings of 6 varieties. Also potted on gherkins, and sowed another variety of tomato, some cucumbers and some more chillies.
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Repotted lots of peppers and cabbage,watered gh's and pt, moved leeks and cabbages into coldframe :)
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planted Khol Rahbi out, moved marigolds, cabbbages into the coldframe, planted pea guttering seedlings outside under fleece, watered beetroots and carrots which are just showing. repotted toms. Fixed new waterbutt on plot.
Ladybirds spotted=2 bees=5
slugs despatched=20 8)
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80? Fantastic..
Planning to increase my strawberries to 12.
Blueberries doing well.. 2 raspberries have got new growth spurs from the ground and 1 of the blackberry.
The remaining are not showing anything for the moment.
Finally found some ants under the weed suppresant fabric so monitoring these...
Do you water plants when it is so hot?
Yep - another 80! To add to the 80 or so i've already got potted :-) Have to water when it's hot, that's the downside of so many plants!
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Good day on the plot. Planted up all of my spuds.
Chopin and lady christal earlies plus lady Balfour and Romano .
Filled up both the planned and recently created back up bed all told 60 seed potatoes.
Hopefully they will enjoy the warm weather
Cheers HH
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Potato bags out of the cold greenhouse. Plenty of haulm on these. I'll have to be wary of the frost over the next few weeks. I've fleece and bubble wrap ready. Planted out a row of spinach and sowed another. Cleared one of last years beds of Kale and chard. Ive been hanging these up in the chicken run for the girls to peck at. A nice addition to their diet. Dug the bed over and ready to sow today.
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I got a huge bag of pearlite for a quid at a car boot sale then realised that I don't use the stuff ::) . So I made 3 hypertufta bowls and troughs. Drying out nicely now and if they work, I'll put into the compost heap for a while to "age" them and hopefully will make nice additions for our patio.
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Sowed some new parsnip seeds, I just realised that the previous sowing's seed was about 2 years old.
Fitted a new cover to the water butt, an old anorak with the downpipe from the shed roof cunningly slotted in the sleeve.
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Tatties are in :tongue2: 2 rows of carrots are in :D . . . and the weeds are sprouting >:(
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[/quote]
Yep - another 80! To add to the 80 or so i've already got potted :-) Have to water when it's hot, that's the downside of so many plants!
[/quote]
How often do you water them?
Are you planning to freeze some of the strawberries?
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Attacked the jungle area again - another 10m squared done. Only about 20-30 to go I reckon so nearly there from the 250m squared I started with! Unfortunately the brambles didn't go without a fight and I am covered in scratches >:(
At home I transplanted the sprouts and kalibos cabbage into individual pots where they can get nice and big before going on the plot. They will be outside during the day and in the blowaway at night for now so hopefully that will be enough protection at night. I think that's what I did last year but I can't remember!
I might have to sow some more leeks as there is still no sign if any in the cat litter tray and they were sowed over a week ago. They have another 3-4 days....
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Worked all weekend, so just had time to tend to the greenhouse seedlings. Takes a lot of doing this time of year.
Picked continuing luscious PSB. Oh, and hand pollinated some early greenhouse strawberries, a first year experiment.
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Holes bored filled and parsnip seeds in.
Also got 2 rows of beetroot sown.
Planted out the onions in modules and looking at the rest I have sown from seed I need 3 times the space I have :wacko:
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Sowed some more aubergine, also radicho,marigold,oregano,sweet pepper,cornflower,2 rows of second early kestrel in, direct sown row of musselburgh leek and purple spring onion then tilled a bit more ready for carrots, and radish,quite a productive day in all :D and harvested some onion sets for spring onions ;)
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Finally found some strawberry stacking towers in the 99p shop. So repotted 43 plants (started as about 20 before I split the crowns). Still leaves me with about 65 to go... it seems every time I look at a Strawberry plant at the moment it multiplies!
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Spent a couple of hours on the plot after work ,weeded the onion and garlic bed, and then tided the shed and green house , a good way to unwind ,after cooking breakfast and lunch for 48 people , at least I don't have to cook tonight :D
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Sowed sorrel, radish, rocket and fennel (in a cloche) started to turn my compost into the other bin. A lot of work this- a couple of shifts over the next couple of days.
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Today I sowed PSB and Kale, despite the smirks from the full-of-advice bloke. It says "sow outdoors in a finely raked seed bed" OK? So that's what I've done.
I also planted my mother's day presents of a globe artichoke and a jostaberry, despite being slightly worried by the declaration on the label that the latter would need protection from frost. :unsure:
And moved about 40 broad/field bean plants which were annoying me, and carted three or four barrow loads of topsoil onto the place they had been. So now I have two solid patches of broad/field beans instead of three gappy ones, one of which was where the sweetcorn needs to go.
Built some little twiggy wigwams from holly and hawthorn to try and protect what is left of my little lavender plants from the rabbits. :mad:
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not on the plot, but I got the blueberries planted out, and a goosberry redcurrent and blackcurrent, tidied the garden a little too.
Grendel
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Planted out 17 sugar snap plants (more to follow), uncovered 2 beds of peas which are growing very nicely, planted out a few dozen lettuce plants (we love lettuce :D ) and sowed some more mustard leaves and beetroots. At home potted on a dozen or so tom and chilli plants
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Nothing I spent Friday up there with OH. I got the beds ready in the PT for the Toms etc. and tidied up a bit. OH double dug two beds that had developed a hard pan underneath the topsoil. All ready now for spuds to go in when he is on his next week off in three weeks time (he works away from home for three weeks and is then home for a week at this time of year). I have started planting seeds in GH for planting out so by end April early May it should look good (I look after the veg but the spuds are his domain :D).
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Early start. Dibbed and planted out second variety of peat potted parsnips. Very satisfying to know this method produces great parsnips. Planted out first Summer cabbages of the season, golden acre primo sort. Undressed and rationalised all the double insulated toms and peppers in the greenhouse.
Three of us dug over nearly half a plot of a friend who is under post op doctor's orders not to dig.
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Just planted out 4 rows of onions red and white :D
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I'm leaving the roof and one side off of? the greenhouse this year so I've planted Swede, parsnip, radish leafbeet, beetroot and soooo many carrots. Fingers crossed. ;) Cheers, Ton :)y
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Took all of the strawberry plants out of the base level of the fruit cage to give the bed some TLC, as it's not had any TLC since 2010. Will be replanted after the addition of much needed compost, manure and sharp sand.
o/h dug this and half another bed over for me, whilst I planted up the next batch of 12 stackers with another 36 Strawberry plants.
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Early start. Dibbed and planted out second variety of peat potted parsnips. Very satisfying to know this method produces great parsnips. Planted out first Summer cabbages of the season, golden acre primo sort. Undressed and rationalised all the double insulated toms and peppers in the greenhouse.
Three of us dug over nearly half a plot of a friend who is under post op doctor's orders not to dig.
What's the method? I'm guessing sow in peat pots and transplant the whole pot?
I wonder if it would work with coir pellets
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What's the method? I'm guessing sow in peat pots and transplant the whole pot?
I wonder if it would work with coir pellets
Exactly that Steve. No reason why it wouldn't work with coir pellets although they are hugely more expensive. Poundland do 30 decent sized pots to the pound. One has to plant out asap after the first signs of germination... usually a couple of days tops. I take the bottoms of the pots off, but I know many don't, as, if the peat bottoms are kept wet, the roots easily penetrate the soft pot.
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Sowed some tomatoes and chilli seeds which have gone straight into the newly acquired propagator!
Planted a couple of raspberry canes and sowed some mixed leaves in a couple of plastic troughs.
Thereafter spent 2 hours preparing an area for earlies to be planted at the end of the week if the soil is warm enough.
Very productive day but so much still to do. Spring has finally sprung up here!
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Planted out a dozen or so Shiraz mangetout plants and made a frame for them, plus made a frame for 2 pea beds. Repotted a few more toms and chillis, and sowed a few Marketmore cuc seeds indoors
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Planted the spuds
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Planted out a dozen or so Shiraz mangetout plants and made a frame for them, plus made a frame for 2 pea beds. Repotted a few more toms and chillis, and sowed a few Marketmore cuc seeds indoors
What does a pea frame look like Andy?
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Never went up the plot today helped my friend lay a concrete base for his dog kennels so i'll go up tomorrow ;)
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Went up for a walk around the plots about 5pm yesterday. Still got a cough and bit breathless but had to do something, so cut down daffs that were past their best, put comfrey into a bucket and covered with water and plastic water bottle over the top (the large ones used in offices) to make feed for later on. Felt exhausted and then walked back home. Got in just after 6.30pm and still light!
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Cleared a patch of wild rocket. I can't believe anyone actually buys seeds for the stuff - it's the worst weed by far round these parts.
Gave instructions to oh on where to put ash, muck and ground hoof and then hot-footed it back to my desk, leaving him to dig up the few dock in veg patch two and then rotavate.
I'm taking a few days off work from tomorrow afternoon onwards, so with any luck I'll have a bit more to report then. Hope so - there's plenty to do. Still haven't started my tom and pepper seeds. :ohmy:
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Planted the spuds, shallots and the first of the beetroot and half a tray of radish. O/h diligently dug over 2 more beds for me.
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started ridging up the tatties
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Dug up a tree .... phew. Planted out a lot of brassicas, beetroot, turnip. Final greenhouse position for furthest on tomatoes and experimental peas.
Planting out takes time. In some ways I prefer the digging and prep. I don't like the netting process. I tend to do half a job and then come back and do a better job later. Not best practice but it's how it is.
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Dug a trench for my taties, but when it slowly filled with water, I decided to leave it until another day :(
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Today I sowed two rows of peas... but not on my plot! I have started volunteering at a church community garden project. I did bring a hawthorn seedling home and planted it in my hedge up the allotment.
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Pulled the remainder of the leeks, and added compost and sand to the strawberry bed.
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Checked plot again after 3 days. Strawberries are growing ok without any sign of slugs. Few have got flowers already..
Blueberries doing ok for the moment.
Only worrying is that the ants dont seem to want to leave from under the black woven fabric next to a blackberry and a strawberry. Tried to dig it out again but cant find where their hole is.
There is too much grass nearby...
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Popped in on the way home from work, to water my seedlings in the greenhouse , noticed cats have been using my raised bed as a loo, so glad I've not sown anything in it yet. >:(
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Didn't get to the plot yesterday (will this flu ever go) so spent the day repairing/ making new brassica nets. It's a job that needed doing so did achieve something, even though there is loads to do at the lottie.
Hoping to have a mega day tomorrow.
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Potted on my psb seedlings and my leeks in the greenhouse, tied the blackberries, loganberries, tayberries to the supporting wires. Grand kid's sunflowers need potting on as well in the greenhouse, so a job for them this weekend.
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I have a weeks holiday this week first half spent in France the rest on clearing and digging.
site skip turned up today so was able to clear the rubbish. a 1/3rd 0f the 5 rod plot already dug soil is compacted but in good condition should be planting by the weekend if the weather holds.
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Sowed some Beetroot (Boltardy), Leek (Musselburgh), Sweet Basil, Broccoli (Calabrese) and Peas (KW) all within unheated propagators within unheated greenhouse.
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I am still frantically trying to dig over my new plot that is attached to my 1st one, I'm 3/4 of the way done and thankfully all that is going into the remaining 1/4 are new compost bins, a greenhouse and a wildlife haven which can wait whilst other things are done first.
Today I fed the blueberries, noticed that my kiwis look like they may have survived the frost, smiled at all the flowers on my Jostaberry, Honeyberry and Blackcurrant plants, planted a Plum tree and several new Rhubarb crowns onto the new plot (Thompson's Terrifically Tasty - what a wonderful name!) and tried to prep the newly dug asparagus beds ready for the crowns which are being delivered tomorrow, all whilst dodging the rain showers.
I still have my other half plot which needs digging over as I have a large number of chitting potatoes (the kittens new favourite toys!) that need to go in. I am very thankful to have a couple of days off work.
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Sowed some courgette,tiger marrow,snake gourd,dills atlantic pumpkin,chives,fennel,more lovage,put some potash round rasps and garlic ;)
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The other day... planted my 7 rows of potatoes and had a very interesting "conversation" with the new site warden about the dangers of corrugated iron sheeting.
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What did he say paul
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What did he say paul
I think it might be best in another thread as boy did he go on about it! ::)
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Managed to get in my first (aaron pilot) and 2nd early (maris peer) potatoes in after digging out the couch grass AGAIN!!! Sowed some red and golden beetroot seeds and some spring onion seeds. Hopefully I will get down tomorrow to plant out my brassicas and onion sets and maybe find time to tidy up a bit. Shattered now!!!
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Took my spade and fork away for the last time.
New plot tomorrow!
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Attached some chicken mesh to the side of my shed and created a bed at the bottom of it ready for my cucumbers or cucamelons to climb up. I also started to attack the bindweed AGAIN :mad:
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I am sooooooo excited because I actually made it to the lottie today to do some work instead of just sadly walking round and looking on. The chest infection is still there but I couldn't go another day without doing something on the plots.
Sowed parsnips, turnip and swede. Transplanted 48 kohl rabi and covered with home made enviromesh tunnels. Look good if I say so myself.
Sowed leftover white onion sets given to me by fellow plot holder who says that they can be pulled before the yellow and red ones are ready and they are great for roasting whole.
Prepared beds for transplanting peas tomorrow and for sowing chard, beetroot and mooli radish.
Three cups of coffee, which is most unusual for me, but needed to stop more often cos of this cold.
All in all a good day and feel much better for it, albeit absolutely worn out. :D
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First visit for over a week, have been ill in bed. Planted out all the potatoes. OH continued to dig out broken glass, metal etc next to the wall where the polytunnel will be going (soon hopefully!).
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Got some more tilling done today,spread a bit of muck did some weeding,as i was working on plot i heard a smash went to see what it was,school kids throwing stones at neighbours greenhouse :mad: 1 broken pane and a rock through corrugated plastic,of shed roof :mad: so i ran down to the gate with my mobile as they came out of the ginnel snap i got them :lol: so ill give pics to lottie holder and a trip up to their school on monday morning to show headmaster who it was, name and shame them in the assembly hall (my good deed for the day) :D lottie holder has only just mended gh and shed as the same happened last week probably the same kids shame you cant give them a slap anymore isnt it. :ohmy:
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Kohl rabi have grown on nicely so today I removed the mesh tunnel I had made. Planted out golden beetroot. Watered all the rows of root seeds I had sowed. Planted out primo cabbage and placed in a bottle cloche. spotted more asparagus growing nicely. Had a good natter
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Other than give myself a hernia, I dug out the asparagus beds waiting for the delivery of 30 asparagus crowns (and a cherry tree that fell into the shopping cart) that was due to arrive today. Popped back home to see if parcel had arrived, nope, so back down the lottie for round two of digging.
After digging some more, I had a change in routine and did some weeding much to the surprise of my plot neighbour who shouted over that he couldn't see any weeds that required finishing off. My New Years plot resolution is to keep on top of the weeds this year and hoeing even when there is only tiddly weeds seems a sensible idea!
Looking at the newly planted fruit trees there seemed a lot of space between them as they are still tiddly, after my excitement of buying myself an allotment box and filling it with lots of goodies (seeds) from the box at home I decided to crack it open and see what I could plant between the trees.
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The answer was peas, lots of peas. I went for the chuck them in the ground method last year and it seemed to work better than trying to sow in loo rolls so followed suit this year, it will probably come back to bite me in the rear!
Once again popped back home and still no delivery 2 hours after the courier company had said it should be delivered, I was slightly worried that it may have been dropped off outside the front door and someone had 'borrowed' it so rang the company. Van and driver had been involved in a RTC (driver is ok) so all parcels had been returned to depot. Rather than wait in for a redelivery tomorrow I popped over to the depot to pick up the parcel.I now know what my job for tomorrow morning will be. :)
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Put in the last two rows of my main crop spuds (Desiree).
Also put up one side of my shed salvaged from an old one.
Cudders
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Dug another bucket of mares tail out & planted the rest of the garlic out. Just everything else to get on with. Oh & paid my allotment rent. Up £14 cos now we have a portaloo April to September. Apparently the more land you have the more you will be there so guess what the more you pay. :mad:
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Planted the spuds, Wilja and Desiree.
Weeded, it seems to be Hairy Bittercress's time to shine at the mo.
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I was so pleased I'd been careful and exacting putting in my seed potatoes. Digging them back up again with a trowel was much easier and quicker than I expected. Lost 2 out of 60.
Lifted a dozen strawberry plants - they look good considering they'd not been in their new bed all that long.
Pruned and lifted a smallish multi-flora rose that had been given to me by some of the children when I retired. Not a good time of year to do this but it's healed in and soaked so it has two chances.
Hopefully the lot will find new homes in the back garden tomorrow.
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Are you moving plots then Paul? Oh, so I'm not too off topic I watered and weeded and cut the first 4 asparagus spears and another pile of PSB.
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Have been hardening off some Kilaton for the last three weeks, trenched a load of chicken manure yesterday and out they went today.
Then a more senior lotty member came past and said "have you seen the weather for next week? Its forecast to be really cold."
Well they are in now and have got two choices, grow or die :)
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Planted early and second early potatoes. Prepared new strawberry bed but rain stopped play so didn't manage to transplant any plants.
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Planted out my cabbages and onion sets and sowed Lettuce, Spring Onion and Pak Choi. Tied up my raspberry canes, weeded and tidied up a bit.
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Then a more senior lotty member came past and said "have you seen the weather for next week? Its forecast to be really cold."
Well they are in now and have got two choices, grow or die :)
Noooooooooooooooooooooooo. But to be expected. Oh well.
Dug out some of the border between mine and next door's weed covered neglected plot; we don't need 3 ft of path do we ::) lumped a load of couch and made a windbreak with the clods, planted a couple of rows of spuds.
Slugs despatched= 20- 5 were those massive black ones (am amazed at how effective just leaving a few bits of cardboard around the plot can be for slug removal)
Grafted a couple of aubergines onto tom rootstocks for an experiment. I felt like a murderer taking a scapel to the stems :(
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Did my first planting at the plot this spring (besides a few radish seeds); my Kestrel potatoes are in! The Apache potatoes should soon follow. Also set up a support for this years mangetout peas and went back home as the rain started.
Maarten
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Planted out 60 pink fir apple potatoes into the plot. Then the last of my Red Duke of York first earlies into bags. Thats all my various spuds in and running. Ive just acquired a new half plot so also spent an hour clearing dandelions before they set seed. Ive got a mountain of chard in the greenhouse and that'll be job number one tomorrow I reckon
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Planted out 60 pink fir apple potatoes into the plot.
Wow that's a lot.
I planted (for the 2nd time) 60 earlies and then 20 pink fir apple. I still have another lot of main crop potatoes to go in but there's presently no space left on my little home plot.
Up the with lawn!! :) After all you can't eat grass.
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Weeded strawberry patch and round rasps, tilled another bit dug up 12 leeks cultivated between rows of garlic and onions, noticed spud tips poking up here and there :D beetroot is also through :D and took some pics of lottie.
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Basically all we did today was shovel s*** as we had a large load of well rotted manure delivered!
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finally got to my other half plot, didnt take the rotovator as I didnt fancy pushing it the length of the plot from the car park (as I am in the furthest corner from the gate and the tracks are closed to cars over winter and when really wet). when I got there they were open and I could drive to the parking bay near my plot, ah well. planted 3 rows of potatoes and 3 of onions, managed all that before the drizzle started. then came home
Grendel
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Sowed 2 varieties of tall peas, some Sutton's purple podded I saved from last year and some Lord Leicester. Sowed a few turnips. Emptied out the soil from 2 big containers that need to be moved for polytunnel construction. Used it to top up a raised bed. Helped daughter dig out a small bed on her plot.
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I was hoping it would rain today so I could go off to the allotment shed and start removing the screws (unobserved) and maybe dig up one of my two red roses - lovely scent and great for cutting so they are coming home with me.
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I've not been able to go to the allotment for a few days, due to the pain in my left knee hopefully ill be able to go on Tuesday
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Potted on the marigolds and dug another trench then it started tipping down >:(
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Filled the gaps in the shallot bed with some new ones from our trading hut.
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Put some more spuds in - and then it started raining!!
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I got an hour to myself so I popped up to the plot and erected my pea supports as they are just stsrting to pop through and weeded the strawberry bed. 3 visits in 3 days is a rarity for me but I feel like I am getting there now!!!
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Holy mackerel. What a day on the plot, list below in no particular order, parents are staying with me so we got a lot done!;
20? rows Garlic/Onions hoed.
Swiss Chard row weeded thoroughly and cleaned up after winter.
Asparagus beds weeded, first spears just popping up.
20-25sqm dug over. Still another 100-150msq to dig?
Shed cleared and tidied (you can actually get into it now!)
5x4m section covered in weed fabric and planted with 10 fruit bushes;
Gooseberry x 4
Red Currant x 2
Blackcurrant x 2
White Currant x 2
(4 of said fruit bushes moved from elsewhere, heck that was hardwork, 6 new)
We all came home about 4pm having been on the plot since 9.30am, exhausted!
In more exciting news I also ordered a Mantis tiller, my time is far too pressured with work to dig a whole allotment by hand these days as much as I would like to! As an example from Saturday to Saturday in the week prior to Mother's Day I worked 109 hours! Not much (any) time for plot related activity.
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Been raining all day so we sowed more seeds. Think I may have over done the seed sowing. Florence went up with daddy and cleared the last of the swedes. Pathetic. :mad: cleared a bed of cabbage and cleared some more leeks, struggling to eat them all we still have about 100 left :lol:
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Looks like an hour or two in the greenhouse today, raining again
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Nothing this blinking rain!
Cheers
Aled
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sadly nothing - too much rain... so went to the garden centre for some seeds instead!
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My asparagus crowns came this morning, so regardless of the weather, they went in.
Also, a friend donated some pond plants for my babybath, so they went in too.
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After the brief but substantial belt of rain passed through this afternoon I ventured up the garden to see how things were doing (not really expecting that much to look at to be honest.)
1) Last year's Albion strawberry runners, transplanted into a new bed a month ago and still very small, are already flowering and trying to set fruit (think I need to have a quiet word with them!)
2) Weeds of every type are romping way - forecast to have a few dry-ish days, hopefully starting tomorrow, so a full frontal attack on them seems on the cards.
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Didn't make it yesterday or today ...... Dodgy Chinese take-away Saturday night. Managed to put up pea supports on Saturday and get in 2x3m rows that had started off in guttering.
Weather looks better tomorrow, so rest of peas going in, along with perpetual spinach, pakchoi, beetroot, palla rosa and spring onions.
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Put some tomato seeds into propagator.
Checked how plants were down the allotment too wet to do anything though
Cheers HH
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Weeded the paths in the rain
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Today spent sorting through a spare-room full of my parents unused belongings so the plumber could find the radiator.... so much for the trip to the plot. :( I so wanted to get down there when no one else was around.... it rained nearly all day.
Plans:
No carer Tuesday so no plot visit possible but on Wednesday I'm taking my Christmas a present to the plot (an electric screw driver) to remove the 1001 screws holding my shed firmly together. ;)
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Watered spuds in gh,sowed some borlotti beans,runner beans and some spare broad beans to fill in the gaps :)
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Painted some log edging and put it in place, in front of the wild flower area, earthed up half my spuds - will do the other half tomorrow as my back gave out haha!
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Planted a dwarf cherry tree.
Noticed that my Kiwi hit by the frost has survived :D
(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj86/TheNutcracker1985/image-13.jpg) (http://s270.photobucket.com/user/TheNutcracker1985/media/image-13.jpg.html)
(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj86/TheNutcracker1985/image-15.jpg) (http://s270.photobucket.com/user/TheNutcracker1985/media/image-15.jpg.html)
Weeded and then decided to repair and paint my parents old bird table that they dropped off at my plot. I think I ended up with more paint on me than on the table!
(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj86/TheNutcracker1985/image-14.jpg) (http://s270.photobucket.com/user/TheNutcracker1985/media/image-14.jpg.html)
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What a rewarding day! Got everything done that I had planned and even time for a coffee (or two).
Would have happily stayed on just to be outside but tummy still a bit gurgly.
Potted on cucumbers and courgettes at home.
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Popped up to the lotty this morning to open the greenhouse windows, spent over 30min chatting to the new H&S officer who got his promotion last night at the AGM (unlucky!) Doing his first round, wondered why I didn't attend the AGM? Told him I'm a trouble maker at AGM's, thought best not to attend and get threatened with eviction (again) :lol:
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Did some weeding and then built a hugelkultur mound at the church garden! Well didn't quite finish it because of doing the weeding first. So the topsoil is still sitting in a heap on the plastic which I use in the back of my
mobile shed car, so I must go and finish the hugelkultur off next week and get it back.
Back home, tried and convicted two slugs of eating the seedlings in the cold frame and sentenced them to a long flight into the school field. Told the baby newt which was also living in there she will have to do better and grow a bit!
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Yesterday I dug over the area for the runner beans and then put the frame in place. Sowed 3 rows of choiggia beetroot and a row of purple top milan turnips. Put the frame and cover over the salad bed and sowed a row of lettuce, mizuna, radish and spring onions.
Today dug over, weeded and mulched the blackcurrant and gooseberry bed, then dug and weeded the summer raspsberries and put up the supports and wires. Finished the path that's infront of the autumn raspberries. Phew! need a lie down in a dark room now :)
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Transplanted cabbage and cauliflower from their polystyrene trays into raised beds on plot 2 that are covered with black fabric weed suppressant membrane (not the plastic sort). Gave a good watering (don't get me started on why the water hasn't been turned on at the lottie yet) and covered with newly made enviromesh covers. Was a bit expensive to buy the enviromesh but it looks a treat and this year I am determined the nasties are not going to feast on my lovely stuff.
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The enviromesh is invaluable Yana and will do you a few years - you're supposed to be able to wash it too :unsure: I should try with some of my grubby stuff! :D
Our water was on which was great as I planted out the onion sets today. :)
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Today post work I netted fruit cages around each of the four blueberry raised beds and then putting up fleece against the prevailing wind as it was knocking the flowers off the plants.
Potted on courgettes , butternut squashes and sunflowers and then did a mini victory dance as the peach, apricot and nectarine trees have fruit on them even though they all are suffering the dreaded peach leaf curl. I'm just hoping that some of the fruitlets survive :D
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Discovered my gorgeous pear tree has pear blister mite. Yuk. Also garlic still rusty though putting on a HUGE growth spurt. Lots of slugs about - I think this year will be nematodes for the spuds for sure.
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Opened the greenhouse door, 26c in their, sown coriander, fennel and cucamelon in pots, started chitting sweetcorn and re potted cabbage seedlings noticed something had been nibbling on them so covered with a fine neting , this evening went back to the plot and used nematodes GROW YOUR OWN everywhere to help kill off some of the nasties, it worked well last year on the gooseberry sawflies .
Just wish it worked on flee beetles. :D
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I lifted two big roses and two blackberry bushes then put them in the cycle-trailer to bring home.
The shed's guttering is down and stored.
Then I put the soil-miller across all of the plot that remains unplanted to dissuade the tiny weed seedlings.
One small step in the right direction.
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I planted another Strawberry tower (12 high) so another 36 plants, Mike added manure to the Strawberry bed, and then dug over and added manure to one of the squash beds.
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Today (on the home plot):
* watered the roses transplanted from the plot
* plonked a dozen or more strawberry plants in place (ready for late planting)
* took trays of beetroot, leeks, shallots and broadbeans over the road to the new home plot
Lugged a ton of large ceramic planters down onto the lawn ready for the new patio slabs to go in place on Monday. This inbetween making my mother's breakfast and lunch and a loaf of bread for tomorrow morning and completing one washing-machine load.
Late lunch calls......
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Painted the new fence and gate with wood preservative. Harvested some more PSB.
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Productive day today! Trimmed all the grass on the paths (I need to find a quicker way to do this than shears I think), Finished earthing up the potatoes, sowed peas, spring onions and some wild flowers. Transplanted the first of the lettuce onto the plot under a cheap polytunnel thing. They have been hardened off on the balcony so hopefully the early ones will work - will sow next batch this weekend. Finally I dug over one of the larger beds where weeds seems to be sprouting like mad!
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Finished the rejuvenation of the strawberry cage, watered in the greenhouse and o/h dug over (and weeded) another bed. He's very happy that he's only 2/3 of a bed away from finishing the weeding :-)
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Weeded beds at allotment, watered beet root in cloche. Inspected broad beans under cloche something starting to nibble them! :ohmy:
checked French beans in conservatory a couple have started to germinate.
Cheers HH
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lovely day up the plot today, 9 rows of spuds in :D 3 rows of parsnips and 1 row of beetroot, rotovated the compost heap then filled 2 bins up ready for the carrots later on.
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Lovely day here too. Decided to make life easier for myself, so put weed suppressent down around the blackcurrants and gooseberries. Will put bark chippings down eventually. Weeded the rhubarb bed and dug out the volunteer potatoes that keep appearing in too of my raised beds.
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Havent been able to get there past 3 days been working till 8, got up there earlier found all my cabbage seedlings dead in coldframe,(no water) :(
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Strimmed the edges of the path, repaired/rebuilt the fence next to the path and fixed the greenhouse door (using a home-made roller) - not a lot of gardening but did water the plants/seeds in the greenhouse and admired the Pak-Choi seeds that have sprouted along with the shallot and onion sets.
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Weeded and then did an excited girly dance around the plot looking at all of my fruit trees and bushes that are in flower once I had fixed another bolt onto the shed door after it was forced off a couple of months ago.
Blackcurrant
(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj86/TheNutcracker1985/image-43.jpg) (http://s270.photobucket.com/user/TheNutcracker1985/media/image-43.jpg.html)
Jostaberry
(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj86/TheNutcracker1985/image-22.jpg) (http://s270.photobucket.com/user/TheNutcracker1985/media/image-22.jpg.html)
Gooseberry
(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj86/TheNutcracker1985/image-23.jpg) (http://s270.photobucket.com/user/TheNutcracker1985/media/image-23.jpg.html)
Dwarf Medlar
(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj86/TheNutcracker1985/image-34.jpg) (http://s270.photobucket.com/user/TheNutcracker1985/media/image-34.jpg.html)
Apple redlove
(http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj86/TheNutcracker1985/image-35.jpg) (http://s270.photobucket.com/user/TheNutcracker1985/media/image-35.jpg.html)
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Mowed the plot yesterday to keep it under control. I really need to get stuck into the back half of the plot and dig out all the couch and make it usable instead of just growing grass!!!!
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Nothing at all for the last 5 days as i have been landscaping my friends garden :D
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A short but profitable visit:
With a few whispered rude words I disconnected the shed guttering and stored it in the shed.
I hoed between the shallots and along side the carrots. (Got to keep the place looking loved).
I piled 3 wide and 4 long'n narrow heavy gauge wire-mesh cloches (if that's what they are called) on to the cycle-trailer.
Sped back home.
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i potted on PSB and kale ready to go out in the plot when the autumn planted onions come out. watered all the root seed beds. Dug a bit more of my new half patch. Need to finish it this weekend. i reckoned it was 12 hours worth of weeding and digging and edging. I'll be all in on Sunday
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Put in the pea supports for the 'short' peas and sowed them. Sowed some salsify (new experiment), some leaf beet and one row of beetroot. Dug over new raised bed. OH still digging out old metal at the top of the plot ready for installing our second hand polytunnel. Surprisingly cold today after a lovely day yesterday. Came home when we needed to warm up.
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Painted my pallet decking a rather fetching pale green, weeded and raked over 3 beds, weeded the onions, shallots and garlic and sowed a row of beetroot. A rather productive morning!
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Put in the hoops for the strawberry bed and the currant bushes. I will fight with the netting nearer the time.
I'm worrying...I've got peas, runners, french beans, squashes and cucumbers that I want to plant, and I only have two beds left empty. And I wanted flowers too, I just haven't got room! I need a bigger plot! I thought with not doing sweetcorn or brassicas I would have loads of space...!
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absolutely nothing, tomorrow however, lots and lots
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Earthed up eight beds of spuds, weeded leeks, garlic and empty bed ready for planting. Watered sweetcorn, cleared tunnel. Pulled up stray strawberry runners, emptied compost bin, had a drink, chatted a lot
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Spent a couple of hours first thing pottering round weeding, sowed some green manures and moved bits of comfrey. Came home and emptied a dalek, much of it needed sieving, took ten bags up the allotment - my poor car!
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Started putting the new weed proof membrane down round the raised beds, weeded everything, gave the garlic a feed as it's looking unhealthy :(
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Another good day weeding around garlic, onions, shallots and also in the asparagus bed, dug out another section of grass path put down weed membrane and covered with stones picked from the plot.
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Finally got to use my brand new Mantis :) Once I got the hang of it, was very easy if quite tiring! I tilled an area roughly 4m x 6m which took a couple of hours with stopping every couple of rows to clear the tines of rubbish.
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its only been 3 weeks, but the weeds are starting to grow, rotovated one of my half plots, took time (3 hours) and went down to full tine depth.
Grendel
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its only been 3 weeks, but the weeds are starting to grow, rotovated one of my half plots, took time (3 hours) and went down to full tine depth.
Grendel
I rotovated mine quite a while ago and, since then, I periodically push / pull a Wolf Miller across the top. It's so easy and speedy.. hoes the surface and spikes'n turns the top layer cleanly. It will run between and close to newly sown rows as well as cover empty patches leaving the lot weed free.
Thanks to my father-in-law for giving it to me when he gave up his plot in the Smoke.
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Weeded Autumn onions. Note to oneself: never, ever again, plant onions over a previous potato bed.
Continued to try and manage the broad bean chocolate spot due to a manky old Winter.
Brassicas are now hardening off. Sweet peppers potted on.
Planted a few advanced troop tomatoes from pot to greenhouse bed, all fleeced up.
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Popped up first thing just to put some "compost activator" on one of the heaps (the collection of this being trickier for female plot holders with no sheds) and met my next plot neighbour who I haven't seen since last autumn so HAD to have a quick chat which made me late for Morris practice, but never mind... then after practice visited a lovely NGS garden in Repton and bought a gooseberry, woodruff and lysimachia Firecracker all for £6. So have just been back up to put the gooseberry on the plot and half the woodruff in the hedgebank (other half in back garden) and some more compost activator in the heap!
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Mantis'd again. Same sort of size area, but also got 250 onions planted, 3 x 5m rows parsnips & 1 x 5m row beetroot. A vurry nice day all round, rather sleepy now.
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Finished putting the membrane down and raked the stones out of the area by the chickens, spent most of the day weeding the bindweed out of the raspberry bed - I hate bindweed :mad:
Moved some concrete gravel boards back to make a 1' deep bed at the foot of a wall, more to protect the footings than to plant in ::) I swear they get heavier every year :wacko:
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My turn on the allotment trading hut, so stood around and talked a lot!
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Dug over the bed for my French beans. Added some manure and a bit of grow more for luck.
Put up some hoops and covered with netting.
More excitement at home my tomatoes and courgettes have germinated
Cheers HH
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Planted 120 round head cabbage,90 pointed,90 cauliflower,120 block onions,60 lettuce,covered over with wire frames,spot of watering went home :D
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weeded and watered by autumn planted onions. watered everything else. Finished clearing digging and levelling my new plot. Planting and sowing next weekend.
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Dug over and manured, and have decided what and where i'm going to plant, leekes need to be pulled and eaten.
3 rows of potatoes
2 rows of onions,
2 of beetroot
2 of carrots
and 1 wigwam of runner beans.
I'll leave enough space on the end of one row of leekes.
Will rotovate and plant next week.
Cheers
Aled
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Managed to get my Runner Bean frame up yesterday. First time making one for me so I hope it stays up when the plants grow!! I planted out some dwarf French beans under a cloche, mowed the plot, weeded, thinned out carrots and parsnip, re-planted my mint and did some general tidying as well as watering and chatting to plot members. All in all a very productive day :)
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Dug over, raked and de-stoned 3 beds. I am sick of stones! :nowink: I also weeded round the strawberries and noticed them starting to flower so I had best net them this week. Later this afternoon I will sow some beans, kale and whatever else I find in my seed tin that needs to be done this week.
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Just got word today that my new hut is to be delivered tomorrow! Yey! So I will have to go to the plot this afternoon to clear the space where it is to go, pronto, and dismember the existing shed. That will be interesting!
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Just got word today that my new hut is to be delivered tomorrow! Yey! So I will have to go to the plot this afternoon to clear the space where it is to go, pronto, and dismember the existing shed. That will be interesting!
Ooh that's exciting. You're going to busy :D
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FINALLY planted my spuds!!!! :D
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Gave everything a good water as have been away for a few days and the ground seemed very dusty/dry.
Weeded the onions and shallots and all coming along lovely.
Peas doing fine and first lot of broad beans have loads of flowers. Hope that's a good sign of the pods to follow. Kohl rabi has produced good growth and fingers crossed it will keep going. Had a disaster with it last year.
Turnips, pakchoi, palla rossa, swede and carrots seedlings popping their heads out of the ground. Beetroot very patchy though.
Planted out 12 lettuce left over from the garden raised beds and 30 cauliflower. Netted cauliflower and felt well chuffed with the days work.
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Planted out some guttering of peas, not sure which as all my labels have washed off already despite permanent marker! I think they are the purple flowered ones, carouby something, and some poached egg plants which might look good together. Found loads of slugs under the weed suppressant I'd put down to warm the bed up so did away with them.
Planted out some more brassicas, really fed up with the first batch being munched despite pop bottles, pellets and netting. Had a re-think and changed to white net curtain over- last year I found the shade debris netting was a slug magnet.... and I have a new roll in the garage :wacko:
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180 onions planted and the summer cauli is in.
After a wander I decided to net the brassicas because I saw a huge cabbage white butterfly.
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Just bought a pack of living salad (lettuce) from Lidl for 89p and transplanted 60 lettuce into gravel trays of compost to have handy at the house for cut-and-come-again. Could easily have done the again from the pack.
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Watered, I am going to get the d*mn parnsips to grow this year! :mad:
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Gave the garlic a really good soak
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Popped by the allotment after work and watered the fruit plot as it seemed dusty/dry. Gave the Blueberries a thorough soaking.
I noticed the mice had been at the germinating pea seeds! grrrrr
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Moved all plants and trays around pt to make more room,watered garlic and borlotti,broad, runner beans and spuds in gh,spuds have flowers on now ;) ill be pulling the swift spuds end of this month :D
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Went last night for a couple of hours. Did some general tidying, weeding and pulled up few Leeks.
Where do all the weeds come from?
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Quick trip this morning to pull rhubarb for tonight and to check everything ok after last nights frost.
Phew...... All seem good so back home and on with mega transplanting/potting on session in the greenhouse today.
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Went straight to the plot after work, just got home. Digging, digging and more digging.
Need a glass of red now. ;)
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Put together a 6x8 shed for my plot neighbour,then he ran me to the garden centre to pick up some seeds,fennel,kohl rabi,mixed chard,beetroot, Planted out block beetroot, block onions,brussel sprouts ;)
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Lots of seed sowing - in the kitchen :D
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No gardening. Took delivery of my new shed and spent the rest of the day demolishing the old one. Hands and feet sore and got sunburnt!
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Feeling quite chuffed. Bed is properly dug over and fertilized, rotivating this weekend!
Cheers
Aled
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Strimmed the paths, then planted some shallots and netted them, then put wood stakes in place for securing raspberries. Then put weedsuppressant down in front of them and mulched with bark chippings. Hopefully will cut down on the weeding this year.
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Did watering, put phosphate fertiliser on flowering broad beans (?), painted shed, checked compost bins for space for incoming manure. Topped up woodchip paths.
Collected truck load of manure and filled up compost bins and gave what I didn't want to fellow plot holders.
Didn't net strawberries. Job for tomorrow.
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Did watering, put phosphate fertiliser on flowering broad beans (?), painted shed, checked compost bins for space for incoming manure. Topped up woodchip paths.
Collected truck load of manure and filled up compost bins and gave what I didn't want to fellow plot holders.
Didn't net strawberries. Job for tomorrow.
Oh and made two batches of nettle tea. :D
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A quick visit this morning to open the greenhouse door and do a little watering, and then a visit tonight to close the door again.
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Tidied the scrap wood from my old shed into a big heap on an empty bed (I might have to find somewhere else to put my peas unless I can get it moved soon)
Got the flagstones levelled for the base of the new shed.
Got a coat of wood treatment on the under side of the shed floor.
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Busy couple of days. Yesterday showed new people round the allotments. 4 took 5 of the plots on offer. Great result except the first who took the best plot, changed her mind today. Quite a pain to sort out.
Started to fill up first raised bed on daughter's plot with sifted soil and compost from the communal heap.
No water supply as pipe leak. Council not fixed yet. Plotholders getting restive about lack of H2O.
Picked loads of PSB.
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Sowed cucamelon seeds. Not many in a packet are there. Just shut pt door after covering up me delicates. Also covered the spuds. Down to 2 deg forecast tonight.
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I managed a quick couple of hours after work.
Weeded Strawberry and Blueberry beds.
Potted on Courgettes and rescued sunflowers that I had forgotten to water in the cold frame that we're looking very sorry for themselves.
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Last few days;
Watered! The plot is like a dust bowl currently.
At home;
Sowed 240 Runner Beans destined for the plot.
Sowed 48 peas (NOTE TO SELF these are the trays without labels).
Potted on 50 tomato plants.
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Took rotavator from lottie site 1 to site 2 went over it 4 times,very nicely done ready for spuds to go in tomorrow,also weeded site 2 and watered garlic in gh.Went back to site 1 and watered pt and 3 gh's got some more beetroot planted and some leeks,then earthed up spuds in case of frost, sadly the chap (Derek) who ran the lottie passed away last tuesday so theres a funeral :( to attend tomorrow,the whole site has been invited by his son who also runs it with (dereks brother) it was a family run committee he will be sadly missed he had run it for over 25 years.
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Picked loads of PSB and the OH made chiche out of it bean sticks up and now trenching manure for the pumpkins/squash.
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Popped in after work and covered the seedlings in my greenhouse.
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stripped the floor of the old shed and levelled and extended the flagstone base for the new shed floor. :)
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Watered, finished covering strawberries and then a quick coffee before off to Chichester to visit Uncle in care home.
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Started planting my potatoes,lady christyl, salad blue,blue bell & ambo in.
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Dug over and raked the final bed, netted the strawberries and planted some summer bulbs in the pots on the balcony
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I should really have planted out the new strawberry plants but...
...I snoozed in the garden instead :blush:
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Hummed quietly to self in office 'I have next week o-off!' :D
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Sowed sweetcorn in pots, some in propagator and some on windowsill (only really have one of each). Was going to put this up plot under pop bottles but chickened out. Pricked out some celeriac and then spent rest of afternoon making bee house which turned out too heavy, and needing full sun, to put up the plot in the end!
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Nothing ,i had good intentions of planting spuds after the funeral but did neither as my friend phoned last night wanting me to build him some big dog kennels 10mtr x 3mtr i couldon't turn him down as he pays very well got them finished they look great ;)
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My son planted the oca while I trenched manure, put the sweetcorn to chit and the berloti beans.
Lots of hoeing too, I love my Jalo hoe.
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The Big Day Arrived- I sowed my summer squash. Crooknecks, Round courgette, patty pans and grisette courgette. Planted three gooseberry bushes and transplanted 21 strawberry plants to obtain runners from for next year. Planted out dwarf borlotti beans under a cloche. Risky but they were getting leggy. 4 Days gardening ahead. I'll be glad to get back to work for a rest.
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Too windy to make any attempt at assembling the new shed, so faffed about levelling and filling gaps in the base.
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down the plot and gave it a good deep fluffing up with the rotovator. still pretty cold, the first potato leaves are just about poking through.
Grendel
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A brilliant shed building day, no wind, lots of sunshine. So I persuaded a nice young man on a neighbouring plot to build it for me, and he did, beautifully!
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Potted on my daughters sunflowers, planted a row of turnip and a row of swede, pulled up some weeds and watered.
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Planted 4 long rows of kestrel,1 long row of leek,1 long row of block onion,1 long row of block beetroot,did a bit of hoeing, lots of watering all 5 gh's and 1 pt :D phew very productive day for me,back killing me now :ohmy: but no pain no gain ;)
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Weeded through the asparagus bed and strawberry bed, planted the last three rows of spuds merlin,piccasso and harmony, watered all the new seed.
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I pottered around the plots today, finishing a 12 hour night shift at 9am this morning left me without the energy for digging.
I weeded the onion bed and around the fruit bushes. Planted some Gladioli and Iris bulbs I found in the shed.
Potted on rhubarb seedlings (grew some from seed as an experiment, they all germinated ::)!)
Made some bamboo wigwams and planted out my sweet peas and put some fleece around them to protect from birds and a possible overnight frost.
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New shed nearly finished!
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Hubby visited a couple of times to deposit the waste from my mammoth cooking expedition on the compost heap, then a visit late afternoon to water.
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Sowed spring onion, radish planted out lettuce two varieties and chinese cabbage. Weeded and earthed up potatoes. Cleared the unheated greenhouse of chard (3 good harvests this year) refreshed the compost and planted out gardeners delight for an early tomato treat. Crimson clover green manure into two beds that I am planning to plant with strawberries and raspberries in the autumn.
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weeded around the broad beans and dotted some poppy seedlings I've grown in a seed tray around and about (100 yrs since the Great War- there is a push to have poppies all over the place to commemorate it this year) I don't usually do flowers. At all! Popped in some late sowing broad beans alongside those up and flowering.
Sowed beets and 2 types of radish.
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spent the afternoon making me some netting frames to stop those pesky greedy pigeons trying to eat my cabbages. I think I may have 'em beat this year, at long last
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Weeded onions and shallots, dug out remains of last years chard, gave the bed a feed and planted out herbs.
Took tops off blue barrels that I collected on Friday, washed them well and put in place as water butts. Look brilliant!
Finished laying slab path from shed to main path, infilled gaps with sand and spread wood chip over rest of plot number 3 so that is now finished. Just got fence to do. :(
Picked rhubarb from plot number 2 and looking forward to it roasted with brown sugar tea and cold custard :D
Tired but well pleased as tomorrow it's going to rain all day.
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Watered, weeded a bit, fiddled with the blow away, which has all my seedling in it now. Topped up the compost in the blueberry pots. Tied in the summer raspberries.
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Shed finished apart froma few bits and bobs, like a coat of wood treatment and a gutter.
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Sounds as if everyone had a very busy productive day. All I managed was planting a few sweet-peas along side the potato bed. Not a great achievement but better than nothing. :)
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Sowed 5 rows of dwarf french beans,2 rows of borlotti beans,strimmed paths on 2 of my lotties and fitted a double glazed window into friends shed :)
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Yesterday, planted two red currants and two white currents. Planted 4 tomatoes outside these were getting a bit on the big side so I buried them deep and placed a bell cloche over the top so I may be lucky I may not but no harm done whatever. Planted chillies into green house, sowed runners and sweetcorn
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Just planted out my kelsae, bedfordshire champ and Ailsa Craig onions. They look lovely in their neat rows with not a weed in sight. I just have to keep it that way ! Looking a bit feeble next to the autumn sets though but then they will be in the ground a long time after they are harvested. I'll post a pic if I can find a way to reduce the size of it for posting.
Edit: also planted out a row of Figaro shallots. Got loads left over so need to make some space somewhere.
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Just taken a quick walk over to show Mike's daughter and her o/h the plot. Pleasantly surprised to see some of the sweetcorn have started to germinate given the greenhouse is unheated, it's been close to freezing in their most nights and the only protection they have is some bubble wrap.
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Quick trip to the other half plot, started rotovating and the heavens opened and I ended up soaked, - finished rotovating and came home.
Grendel
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Evicted most of the the brassicas from the green house, starting to run out of room again. Sown cucs, squashes, melons, sweetcorn, french beans, potted up some of the toms and potted on yet more seedlings. Lots more sowing still required though. Built a wind proof area for the brassicas to acclimatize before planting in their final positions and also limed the brassica beds, just before the rain started. Went home to cook the Sunday roast. Now enjoying a nice chilled glass of white. Happy Easter fellow allomenteers :D
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Only had an hour before visitors arrived for lunch so I planted out my apple tree :nowink:
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Pricked out lettuce and celery seedlings to grow on!
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Potted on cucumbers and sweetcorn, sowed more sweetcorn planted a few cucumbers watered everywhere and swept carpet in shed ;)
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Planted out first batch of Brassicas. Cabbages, Caulis, Kale and Calabrese.
Sowed next batches of above, spring onions, 2nd batch of various lettuces. Also more annual flowers.
Cudders
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I don't think I needed to have watered my onions in !
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Planted out first batch of Brassicas. Cabbages, Caulis, Kale and Calabrese.
Sowed next batches of above, spring onions, 2nd batch of various lettuces. Also more annual flowers.
Cudders
If you've got rain like we have it will do your brassicas good, nothing like rain to do them good.
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went to the plot early today lots of digging got trench ready for runner beans .
seeds coming on nice in greenhouse cant wait till weather gets warmer
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(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s184/judey_wooo/plot/d364de96072a772f5284f87f1626727e.jpg)
Hubby finished the third plot, hes worked so hard.
He scooped out the first of the compost bins are rotavated all the lovely compost in. The seedlings out the back are romping away so thursday is the next big plant out.
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Cleared some more of the jungle area (a 1m strip about 5m across) which was 2 barrows of weeds and roots. Much easier when the soil is moist. Then I built one of the brassica 'cages' from mdpe pipe ready for the taller brassicas such as psb and sprouts. At home I started chitting sweetcorn and sowed my courgettes and squash. Found it very difficult to restrict myself to only a few varieties of squash but I managed to do 3 varieties, 2 of each which along with my courgette plants (2 are the much less prolific yellow ones) means I am going to struggle to fit them all in I think! I also did lots of shuffling on the balcony and in the blowaway to make room for everything. I have put the Toms out there now - bit scared but they need to start toughening up as they will be outdoor ones - I will just keep an eye on temps and cover in bubble wrap if necessary
Good Job I went this morning - it was glorious sunshine and really warm. It is now pouring buckets from the sky with big thunder storms :ohmy:
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Tootled down to the lotty this morning about 8.00am, tootled back home about 2pm. Just about to tootle back to the lotty again, I may be there a while (again).
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Got some spuds in and started to knock a plot into shape for the carrots.
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Over the long weekend only had a few hours to spare to be up at the plot. Sprayed paths so I can put weed suppressant and bark down. Planted out PSB (forgot to lime....) some optimistic dwarf french beans and cleared a couple of beds. Picked first of the asparagus (yum).
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It rained so rushed down to water the poor dry blueberries with the rain water collected in my 2 buckets and the barrow. Really must sort out a better way of collecting rainwater.
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Sorted out the best tomatoes for myself and boxed up the spares to give away. Made a nice bit of space to spread them out. What a wide difference in sizes they were, which justifies growing too many initially to allow a bit of selection to take place. The biggest culprit was pink brandywine. I remember them being fickle as seedlings but now they range from 18" down to 6" in height. Are they always that temperamental?
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Last day of the holidays so I wanted to make the most of it.... But it rained nearly all day so couldn't go :(
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After yesterday's mammoth session just spent about 30 minutes this morning starting to put up new (and taller) wire mesh fence. Lets see if this year's baby bunnies can jump this
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Put more fuel in the heater,spot of watering in gh and pt,then went to do a gardening job for someone ;)
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Had an argument with some couch grass roots which were in the asparagus bed, then oops! :mad: Dug up some asparagus plants as I thought they were mares tails. Unable to re plant them as I broke them.
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Feel like i'm geting there now: Raised bed is in place, plot has been rotivated and the soil is lovely and fine, went through my seeds, need to buy, some potatoes, onion sets, and runner beans. The plot is being planted on Saturday!
Cheers
Aled
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Took sons dog with me now that we can have them on a lead etc. planted 10 pink fir apple spuds & 6 Lady Balfour spuds. Need to clear the end of that bed to plant the rest. Then I planted 10 each of Red Sun, Piquant & Golden Gourmet Shallots at the end of the garlic bed, just need to get the onion sets in now.
Here's Maggie under the Pear & cherry tree.
(http://i1056.photobucket.com/albums/t371/snowdrops3/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/30555F70-80FA-48F9-979F-C800A03130DE.jpg) (http://s1056.photobucket.com/user/snowdrops3/media/Mobile%20Uploads/2014-03/30555F70-80FA-48F9-979F-C800A03130DE.jpg.html)
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I'm still digging the Bramble patch plot 80B. After today's session I'm now 80% done. Just another 4x4m bed to doig over and it'll be fully functional again :D
I sowed two rows of parsnips, a row a carrots and planted 12 Calabrese and Cauliflower plants.
Now off to a couple of garden centres with boyfriend to look at tropical fish plants ;)
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Good to be a new member here. Up in Furness the weather was fine this morning and I managed to water seedlings in the polytunnel, thin and transplant turnip, globe artichoke and swedes, and harvest rhubarb and yet more p/s broccoli. Sadly though, I lost my parsnip and cauli seedlings which dried out too much in the three days since I last visited. :(
Tomorrow I'll clear the daffodil patch and prepare it for sweet peas, thin out other flower seedlings into larger pots and prepare soil for tomato, pepper and courgette plants inside.
It's a wonderful life
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I was going to put a new latch on the shed, but forgot the screwdriver >:( . Oh well, I thought, I'll take some nails out of the planks from the old shed, but had forgotten the claw hammer :mad: . Thought I'd peel the plastic off the new shed window glass, but the middle peeled off leaving tattered bits of green plastic stuck round the edges >:( .
Right, that's it, I'm off home. Very frustrating.
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Mike dug over the final bed, I attacked the weeds on the paths with a spray of glyphosate (with the teeniest spray bottle known to man, held as close to the darn things as possible to avoid wind spray)!
Came home and decided today was the day to sow Squash, Pumpkins, Cucumbers, Courgettes and although rather late, sowed some chilli's as I had space left in the seed trays.
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Sprayed Blackcurrant bushes on plot 2 to try to get rid of whatever is causing the leaves to curl. Diluted comfrey tea and watered all fruit on plot 2. Made new batch of comfrey tea that needs to stew for a bit before use.
Uncovered last bed on plot 1 (removed winter black plastic cover). Top dressed with chicken manure pellets, raked well, trod down as this will have brassicas in and covered with fabric weed suppressant membrane. The rain forecast over the next few days will give it a good water and then I can plant out kohl rabi and cabbage.
Put up last years B&Q gazebo (I kid you not) in bed on plot 1 that had been uncovered a couple of weeks ago. Covered with netting and then worked inside gazebo planting calabrese and Brussels. Gave a good water even though rain forecast. Chucked a few slug pellets down for good measure. Had a few plants left over so gave them to fellow plot holders.
Weeded onions, shallots, peas and broad beans. First planting of broad beans are flowering nicely but can't seed any pods yet.
Cobbled together bits of chicken wire to fence off third side of plot 2 as the darn foxes are in evidence.
Weeded raspberries on plot 3, dug out a couple of suckers as they seemed a long way from the parent plant and were growing almost in the path.
Had a few cups of coffee, a couple of biscuits and came home tired, dirty but VERY happy with the days work.
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Dug over my largest bed, lovely day to get the weeds out :wacko:, despatched a huge number of slugs, cut path edges, strawed me strawbs 8)
Feeling happy now my pumpkins corg and cues are up in the greenhouse and looking good.
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Took out the kale and dug that over ready for peas. Set out my few French beans and crossed fingers that the slugs won't find them. Plot v sodden, and more rain forecast, so I'd better try and find my store of patience.
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Weeded, weeded some more, removed slugs and transplanted various seedlings into their right places.
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Poped down to plant my peas that I'd started in guttering. It was not easy putting them in their planting position I found, they just fell apart as I gently pushed them out . Next time they go straight in the ground .
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Put up the cage around the blueberry bushes, covered what's left of my decimated tatsoi and scattered a few blue pellets. Pulled a flower stem from my last rhubarb crown - it can't be bothered with leaves anymore it's just moved straight to flowering :mad:
Pulled yet more bindweed from the raspberry bed my annual gift from next doors garden and then cursed loudly at the stinging nettle hiding in a clump of forget-me-nots I grabbed :nowink: Cleaned out the chicken coop and turned the wastes onto the squash bed, I'll fork it in after some rain. I only have 3 beds left and don't see to have planted anything :wacko:
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Weeded, sowed tree kale, salsify, scorzonera, peas, and planted our sarpo mira potatoes and asparagus crowns.
Moved five globe artichoke plants to their final bed, hope we've not done too much harm.
Picked the final swedes and celeriac and two globe artichokes.
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Potted on butternut squash, courgette, marrow, melon, aubergines, chillies, sweetpeas,spot of weeding watering and planted some more leeks :D
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Nipped up quick this morning to do a bit of weeding and checked on the parsnips. Yes, there is life and the seedlings are coming through. Weeded carefully round them and then came home as the rain started.
Lots of sowing to do again indoors so rain not a problem for me.
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Nothing is going to be done on the plot today - I have just painted my nails!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Went to the stables down the road, filled the boot with manure ( not literally - I put it in buckets and bags), then dug over and weeded the raised bed for the beans and dug in the manure. It is definitely working, all the beds now resemble growing medium rather than pot making medium :D
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Nothing is going to be done on the plot today - I have just painted my nails!!!!!!!!!!!!!
does hammering them in not affect the paint finish? :-)
Grendel
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Nothing is going to be done on the plot today - I have just painted my nails!!!!!!!!!!!!!
does hammering them in not affect the paint finish? :-)
Grendel
:lol: :lol:
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Attached some guttering to my new shed and rigged up the water butts. The shed is pretty near all done now, just clearing up now, but it is raining now so it will wait.
My sweet peas in the cold frame have been decimated by something, snails it looks like, so I might not have any this year.
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That's a shame. At least you know whether the guttering works
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We went up the plot and watered the whole place with Nemaslug. This means 16 watering cans full, the tap is only two plots away luckily. Even I got bored and I'm not eight. My young paduan was sent off to rogue out volunteer potatoes. Then it was him suggested we should put some seaweed extract on as well, so that was two more cans!
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Fed the blueberries, dug over several paths that were covered with weed suppressant fabric but had bindweed growing underneath, topped up the asparagus beds and then got rained on and decided to call it a day.
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Leeks are in, 6 more cabbage and cauliflowers planted. Dug over and planted the drawf beans and put fleece round them to stop them being wind burnt. Also tidied up the flower bed and planted 6 foxglove seedlings. I watered them all and now it's raining heavily :nowink:
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Chucked some chicken manure pellets round the gh's and pt, watered them then mad a good pushbike from the 4 i have in my shed as it was raining got a great bike now , with a bag on front and a rack on the back :)
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Planted the rest of the single shallots from seed and did some hoeing but it was a bit too wet.
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Finally re-glazed, cleared and cleaned the greenhouse in the back garden.
And trimmed all last years dead mint in my big pots to allow the new growth to get going.
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OH and myself have spent most of this week up at the plot, it looks great, the shed is painted, the water tank is fixed with a ball cock and new fittings to stop it leaking all over the plot. The strawberry bed is weeded and sorted out, the PT is weeded and the early spuds in it are all banked up. All the beds are rotovated, the paths are all strimmed. The main crop spuds are in and the wire frame is up for my sweet peas.
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Started weeding around the strawberry plants before i top up the straw and removed the massive weeds that were growing around the water supply pipe!
Planted some edamame (soya) bean and three varieties of squash at home
Talked to my tomato seedlings.....i bought some Spanish Montserrat seeds on holiday last year and they have been pigs to get going. Now four have geminated so I am giving them the gold star service!!
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What I should have been doing on the plot:
Hiding from the rain in the shed removing the 101 screws I put in to hold the thing firmly together.
Bringing home some metal pipe and the white plastic covered metal poles for the bean frame.
Pushing the wolf miller across the plot to keep it weed-free... I can't bear to leave it to look uncared for.
Emptying a few more bits from the shed.
But... I've been in and out of banks, on the telephone as well as the usual domestic routine. :mellow:
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Transplanted another nine strawberry plants onto my plot from a friends. Planted out 30 borlottis under cloche. Planted out more leeks to grow on before they go to their final positions and planted out a dozen celeriac again under bottle cloche. Weeded around. Mulched the gooseberries.
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Sowed my pumpkin, squash and courgette seeds - no doubt too many as usual ::) 8)
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Put out my Brussel sprouts (under the tall brassica frame I finished building today) and then red cabbage and Hispi cabbage under the short brassica frame I did today. I weeded round the potatoes which are going great guns now and also started to sieve the area for the parsnips. Despite my stony soil I am going to give it another go this year but my plan is to dig down a spade depth, sieve this soil and then put a thin layer of MPC on top for the seeds to germinate in.
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Just been over to put some blue pellets of death down and water in the greenhouse. That's all for today as o/h has been playing tree surgeon at my parents, and trying to sort out a huge fallen branch on a very large weeping willow.
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Didn't go to the plot today but spent the day building wooden fruit cages for the anti-bird netting to go over the strawberries, gooseberries and blackcurrants. Had the wood in the garage so used this instead of rigging up metal pole type fruit cages. Painted the wood to help preserve it and put out on the plots next week.
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yesterday the drizzel started just as I stepped outside to visit the plot, then I spent the rest of the day either frozen or hot running a temperature, today I have that behind the eyes headachey feel, so no plot for me today either.
Grendel
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bit cold and wet today to work on the plot ,but theres always work to do in the greenhouse.my runner beans can be planted out next weekend ,corn coming on nice first time this year not like last year third attempt,tip for corn dont over water .tomato plants every where , so plants doing fine.
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Bit cold out there today! Early (well for us) visit to get in before the rain set in again :-(
Moved more manure - that's the beds finished :-)
Chinwagged with plot neighbours about the waterlogging, and then resowed the sweetcorn.
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Managed to get the sweetcorn down and into the mini greenhouse.
Weeded the fruit plot, collected a kg of rhubarb to make some jam later and fed the blueberries. The heavens then opened and I decided to make a run for it and go home to cook a big roast dinner for the other half rather than the ham sandwiches he was expecting :)
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OH and I built our Munty frame yesterday and collected loads of free deck board from a noce lady on freecycle to make some raised beds and paths
Nothing today as it has been raining constantly, but I've had a lovely roast instead!!
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Ta-dah!,,
Built my first ever munty frame. Very pleased with OH.
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This week I poped down after work and sprinkled on some more slug pellets.
I've started to weed the strawberry bed that hasnt been weeded for a few years and is more weeds than strawberries, this is seriously hard work!
Got bitten by a red ant, searched for its nest with nippon in my other hand and couldnt find the nest. I always react badly to these *.
Sowed some carrot seeds and hopped that the rain doesnt wash them away.
Brought some wire and have started to make cloche hoops. Hard work for my little wrists but I'm not a fan of plastic strewn plots.
made a list of everything else that needs doing!
have started to harden off some courgettes, tomatos and oca in the mini GH.
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Too wet to go down to the plot today so I just potted on the lavender and stared despondently at my French beans (round 2) which still haven't germinated. I'm sure I just threw them in pots and let them get on with it last year so I don't know why they are being fussy this year!
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Watered the overflowing greenhouse, home to carrots, flowering early potatoes and tomatoes, and a huge variety of differing seedlings. Tried to mitigate the Saturday wind damage on the very tall broad beans. My beans really have been problematic this year and it all stems from getting the sowing date wrong back in the Autumn and the very mild November.
Came home and at last sowed my sweet corn. A red letter day that for me. I had better get on with the bed.
Only runners and French to go, and that will be all the touchpapers lit.
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I received a load of manure today, so if the wet weather ever stops I can finish the last few metres of digging that is to be done.
Maarten
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Yesterday hubby put up the bean frame but no plot today because of the christening luckily we had rain all day so we didnt miss out although it did mean BBQ in the rain. Oh well its very British to do that.
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Planted borlotti beans,french dwarf beans bit of weeding swept shed potted on swiss chard ;)
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Busy weekend:
-Fixed net over strawberries
-Received manure and spread it over the plot.
-Weekly tomato feed to soft fruits.
-Corn flour for the ants that are all over my best blueberry
And the indoor courgettes are really growing fast!
Did use 2 seeds on each pot but got 100% so far, so wondering if i shall thin them out.
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Finished my raised bed, and bought the last of my seeds, should of planted everything but did not get round to it...especially when i heard about Fridays cold snap!
Cheers
Aled
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I transplanted some "Summer Marvel" lettuce plantlets into their permanent quarters in between the tomato plants, and potted on some saved butternut seedlings. Watered some previously sown seeds and then called it a day as it's sooooooo hot!
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I sowed in and tidied the greenhouse whilst Mike started cutting the polycarb for the new cold frame.. and got wet in the process!
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Nowt,went to me friends and built another brick wall for him for his ever expanding dog kennels :lol:
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Nothing. Doesn't works get in the way of the important stuff... :nowink:
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Took lots of nails out of planks.
The asparagus and first potato leaves are showing through.
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Nothing today sadly, but determined the weather is going to be on my side so I can get up there and plant my strawberries tomorrow! :D
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Emptied my Lottie shed and removed the tools... hoed the plot top to bottom.
Noticed a huge number of tiny plums on my not-so-dwarf Victoria Plum tree.
Strawberries begining to flower well too.
Shallots looking good.
Carrots... I put the seed in but :wacko:
2 potato plants up....
(the only two seed-potatoes I left in the ground) the other 58 came home again with me. ;)
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Weeded the raspberries, which seem to attract a lot of grass!
Took apart a cloche that had broken.
Earthed up potatoes in readiness for the frost on friday!
Mused a lot about all the stuff I'm going to do and probably won't!!!! lol :D
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Planted out my strawberries - finally and sowed 2 rows of carrots - finally!
All in the rain! :D
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planted out the peas, they were desperate to get out of their gutters. I will have to fleece them if the frost appears.
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Two visits today, the first one aborted due to torrential rain. By the end of the 2nd visit Mike had finished the cold frame, repaired a bed, sorted "hanging" facilities for the doors of the Strawberry cage, and put holes in 12 of the trio strawberry planters. I meanwhile thought, directed and laid a piece of weed control!
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Got sunburned yesterday! Fixed daughter's polytunnel, intruder decided to pull the polythene away at the back. They didn't take anything and then left door open. Weeded. Sowed carrots, parsnips, radish and borage flowers. Carted some fire doors we were given for a shed but no longer need to the recycling plot on site. Boy, were they heavy. Also took some of the ugly old metal fencing we have replaced down there. OH fixed up the water barrel arrangements on daughter's plot as first attempts were leaking. Seems OK now. Much excitement as council contractors brought digger on site to excavate broken pipe and water leak and dug massive hole. Lots of plotholders spent far too much time staring into the hole.
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No plot today as waiting for delivery of grow bags.
Potting on to do at home as courgettes have germinated in three days. That's a record.
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Yesterday, earthed up the potatoes, planted out the lettuce seedlings and gave everything a good watering. Enjoyed a cup of tea with 4 other fellow plot holders, consequently not much work done :nowink:
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Mike made the climbing frames for the Butternuts, and a couple of extra that aren't quite as tall, 1 will probably go to butternuts as well, and the other for the outdoor cues.
I sowed some Asparagus seed, potted out a few Strawbs into containers where the others hadn't taken and enjoyed the sunshine.
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Dug over a patch of 'wilderness ', erected a fence and wire supports system and planted out 2 tayberries, a boysenberry, loganberry and two thornless blackberries.
Checked over fruit trees and noticed ants on one cherry tree, put down some ant powder and hopes it sorts the problem.
Checked the courgettes in the mini greenhouse, they looked rather sorry for themselves and were rather crispy round the edges. Gave them a good soaking and hope that sorts them out :( have sowed some more as back up.
I noticed the peas have germinated and are starting to poke their heads out of the ground. I'm just glad the mice didn't get them :)
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dug over and laid some black weed membrane ready for the squashes later because I wanted to use the off-cuts to cover the paths as the grass is getting out of hand. Did some heavy earth moving from the old compost heap and made a raised bed to use said dirt 8)
-despatched another 20 or so slugs to sluggy heaven via some cheap cider; taking no prisoners this year.
-spotted 4 white fluttery things having a sniff around my broad beans; first ones I've seen this year (so far), pleased my brassicas are netted safely....
Nice old guy gave me a perfect large pointy spring cabbage on the way out the gate because 'he wanted the space to to put his spuds in' :unsure: mine are showing...he told me to earth 'em up :wub:
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Discovered water barrel linking arrangement is still leaking. Hmmm. Intruders overnight have stolen 3 peoples' seeds. I keep mine at home. Brought some home made compost from garden dalek and put in new raised bed on daughter's plot. OH re-buried our hosepipe link to the tap, it had been uprooted by thieves intent on siphoning diesel from school building site next door. Potatoes poking through, so earthed them up. Sowed some more peas to fill in a couple of gaps. Dug over a bed on daughter's plot. Unearthed some volunteer Pink Fir Apple spuds along with lots of couch grass. OH trimmed privet hedge. Burned 1 of 3 huge tree trunks unearthed in excavations for polytunnel. Harvested PSB. Potted up some chives growing in middle of daughter's plot. Put enviromesh over carrots and parsnips.
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put orange mesh for the peas,wedded and poisoned paths at lotte i dont use much,mended friends strimmer :)
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Sowed sugar snap and put in supports. Earthed up pots just in case of frost although it's unlikely here. Came home for BBQ tea.
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Got loads of bind-weed out of my onion bed, and put the canes up for my climbing beans and planted out 9 "Amazing" cauliflower plants. Now too hot for me to do any more :(
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Removed part of the tarp covering the 'to be dug' bit last night and discovered Slug City. Need to get some cheap beer and start proper dispatching.
Set up the first bed frame on the sunny side of the plot - the soil still needs to dry out quite a bit before I can dig it properly, and it has so far been raining all day here. ::)
At least it's ready for when I can.
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Mike made the climbing frames for the Butternuts, and a couple of extra that aren't quite as tall, 1 will probably go to butternuts as well, and the other for the outdoor cues.
picture please. OH just made munty frame and I might as well catch him in the building mood!
I sowed some Asparagus seed, potted out a few Strawbs into containers where the others hadn't taken and enjoyed the sunshine.
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Mike made the climbing frames for the Butternuts, and a couple of extra that aren't quite as tall, 1 will probably go to butternuts as well, and the other for the outdoor cues.
picture please. OH just made munty frame and I might as well catch him in the building mood!
I sowed some Asparagus seed, potted out a few Strawbs into containers where the others hadn't taken and enjoyed the sunshine.
Hi Jacky - there are some pics in my diary. http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=113513.15 (http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=113513.15) Last post on page 2
Yet to go down the munty frame route as we tend to move the beans every year.
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Mike made the climbing frames for the Butternuts, and a couple of extra that aren't quite as tall, 1 will probably go to butternuts as well, and the other for the outdoor cues.
picture please. OH just made munty frame and I might as well catch him in the building mood!
I sowed some Asparagus seed, potted out a few Strawbs into containers where the others hadn't taken and enjoyed the sunshine.
Hi Jacky - there are some pics in my diary. http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=113513.15 (http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=113513.15) Last post on page 2
Yet to go down the munty frame route as we tend to move the beans every year.
Depending on how windy your site is - I built my munty frame with bamboo canes and few more solid poles, but I've taken it down and I'll put it back up elsewhere as I rotate my beans every year too ;)
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Got there to plant the last potatoes out & remembered it was bonfire day, so that's what I did, when I could leave it I managed to get the doz broad bean plants I bought in March that were strong & sturdy, they're not so strong & sturdy now but they've got a chance. Heavens opened about 2 so I cleared up & came home.
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Plodged! Even the pond is under water. :(
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-qxvdNE9s4rexJwLHOr4iRpEO8OmUoNmKzxQ66NnQgXy=w345-h259-p-no)
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Finished putting the membrane down around the raised beds then off to been and queued for yet more bark chippings :mad: I wish I'd have just used gravel, I thought bark would be cheaper / easier - I was wrong and what's more it will need doing again in 2 seasons >:(
Emptied out a bag of comfrey from last year in the top greenhouse border - had to leave quickly after it was so rank. Never mind a sulphur candle anything left in there which hasn't been gassed deserves to live ! ::)
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Put up the small growhouse ready for the tomatoes. Weeded the carrots, beetroot and onions too.
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nuffin for me on the plot this morning as I have a client here for a manicure & pedicure and I need my hands to be clean and smooth :D Nothing either for tomorrow morning as I have another client for a reflexolgy treatment session. It's all go here:)
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I just popped up for 5 mins to check on things after being away from work for 2 weeks and I have grown soooooooooo many weeds!!! I have lots of work to do to catch up!!!
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I have earthed up my potatoes - frost tonight!
And scavenged a cut section of log from near the allotment gate, with a dead Christmas tree trunk embedded in it, removed the trunk (and threw it back in the hedge, naughty) and the log section is going to be a nice level place to put my camping stove!
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More weeding today. Watered the plot then refilled my water barrel. Sowed 3 rows of carrots and a selection of salad crops. Dug over the area were the next lot of broad beans are going. Then cleared the rubbish by the main gate (some had been there since last autumn) and took it to the tip. Why don't people take responsibility for their own rubbish!!
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Covered the few spuds showing their heads, ahead of tonight's predicted frost.
Made a fleece cover for the strawberries on the ground, not much I can do for the towers or hanging milk bottles.
Potted on numerous squashes, pumpkins and 3 cucumbers - two of which have given up the ghost already!
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No time to earth up potatoes more than I did earlier in the week so fingers crossed they are all ok when I come back. Brought in all the cukes and squashes from the balcony for the evening, and hopefully OH will remember to stick them back out tomorrow or they will be very leggy by the time I get back from the weekend.
Repotted the malingering tomatoes and gave them a stern talking to, plus some comfrey feed. Cape goosgogs are looking good and I've sown some courgettes for the school whose seeds completely failed.
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Covered the Toms that have been thriving in blowaway for past 2 weeks in lots of bubble wrap - hopefully that will help. Potatoes have grown far too much as they are now a good 8 inches high and have been earthed up twice already to be earthed Up again so they will have to take their chances tonight... Plot is quite protected so fingers crossed!
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went down the plot early this morning, rotovated then planted 150 more onions and about 150 french beans, plus 2 rows of beetroot (bought in sainsburys just after they opened en route to the plot). As I was leaving I got chatting to one of the old boys who was wandering round saying there might be frost tonight, and saying a lot of people had been planting way too early, that some had had their french beans in now for a fortnight, and it was still too cold for them really (I admitted I had just planted up my french beans this morning, but had lots in reserve in case these were too early).
I will try and get to the other half plot tomorrow or Monday early and repeat my planting of today up there.
Grendel
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Got down the plot about 10.30, cleared the PSB / Sprout beds which looks an awful lot better, hoed all onions / garlic, started weeding strawberries.
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Just got back in after digging a very large area over. Planted 3 rows of spud's, weeded onions, garlic and strawberry's. Going back on Monday for some more.
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Weeded onions, shallots and broad beans and top dressed broad beans in bed 5 on plot 1 as they have got lots of flowers and the cutest little bean pods showing now. The onions are doing well as are the shallots so well pleased with them.
Peas survived the frost last night and looking ok so bit of wedding and tidying up was all that was needed.
Covered strawberries on plot 3 as frost predicted tonight and birds were eying them up too close for my liking.
Parsnips in bed 2 on plot 1 have germinated but bit patchy so sowed some more where there were gaps. Might be too late but nothing lost as seed won't keep another year.
Sowed half a row of beetroot in bed 7 on plot 3 as other half of the row sowed four weeks ago is showing first set of true leaves.
Put up second gazebo in bed 8 on plot 1 (bought from B and Q at least three years ago) and covered with netting ready for kohl rabi, Brussels and calabrese to go in tomorrow.
Came home and cut the grass in the back garden as had treated it with weed'n'feed and it had grown loads. OH always cuts the grass but he's away this weekend so I said I would do it. 2 hours, cut twice and four huge bags of grass later I was exhausted. I'll never say he has it easy again. Had to talk nicely to daughter number 2 to go to the recycling centre with the grass cuttings as couldn't use it at the lottie cos of the weed'n'feed. I can't go as I drive a truck and they don't let open back vehicles in and OH has taken his car with him.
Feel well pleased with the day. :)
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Rotovated area ready to plant spinach plants of various sorts, chard, cavalo nero, and psb. Just need to plant them now but deciding on row positions to best suit the cage. Might do it this evening if I dont go to the pub. OK I'll do it tomorrow!
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Nothing.....I've been itching to get down there today but we've had other bits to do and a grumpy 2 year old so hopefully it will be nice tomorrow so I can go down then
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Also did a bit more work in the back garden after food shopping, cut a new bed out of the turf to hold a nice bench I bought. Hard work as the turf seems to be sitting on top of grit/gravel/flint.
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Didn't have too much time down at the plot today as had to pick our dog up from the vet hospital, but managed to pot on a dozen coriander plants, plant out a dozen or so beetroots and spinach beet plants, and sow some more Hilds roter Neckarruhm radish, lamb's lettuce and mustard greens
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Trimmed all the grass paths, weeded the onion bed, sowed some more beetroot and first batch of rainbow chard. Also cleared some more jungle area. I will need to put the roof on the fruit cage tomorrow for the first time ever as gooseberry bushes are beginning to get some small fruits. Not looking forward to that....
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Runners, onions, horseradish and rocket seeds in.
Fleeced up the runners and courgettes in case of frost.
Earthed up the spuds.
Weeded strawberries and mulched with straw.
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Strung the bottom row of string and canes around the beans and peas.
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First proper weeding of the brassicas. Tried to readjust their hooped netting and gave up. I think I'm going to go down the route of a timber batten frame. Said I never would. I really don't want my plot to look like a prison camp.
Congratulated myself on the lovely foxgloves. Forget-me-nots are almost over already ! :(
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Planted out PSB, late brussels and globe artichoke. Weeded the shallots. sowed carrots, salsify and scorzonera. Had a beer
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Serviced mower, Mowed the grass and strimmed both the allotments planted out sprouts and more lettuce ,spot of weeding watering gh's and pt, picked some radish netted peas,will do beans tomorrow fleeced french and runner beans earthed up spuds took some more spring onions,busy day ;)
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Went to the lottie after work and found that the fleece covered potatoes had got frostbite! :mad: Just my luck! Will have to make a better job of it next time
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Planted some sweet and chilli peppers in the polytunnel. Took the sweetcorn to reside in the polytunnel until planting out time. Dug over new bed on daughter's plot and harvested some pink fir apple potatoes in the process (!). Planted out Yellow Rynsberger onions and Zebrune shallots. Picked PSB and some spring onions.
OH trimmed the hedge, fixed new catch on daughter's plot gate, took some unwanted construction materials mainly wood down to the shared recycling plot, and did a bit of preparatory construction work for the new big polytunnel.
So, quite busy really.
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Dug over a couple of the beds and tidied some of the soon to be "garden area"
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Cleaned the chickens out :D
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weeding, planting, sowing, won't look this tidy for much longer :tongue2:
(https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t31.0-8/1613994_249699181888115_197681925673696167_o.jpg)
tatties just starting to poke through and the frost nips em >:(
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Double dug an area about 5m x 3m, still at least 10m x 3m to go but working my way through it all. Then came home via the garden centre and bark-chipped the new bench area and got the bench put in, filled a small raised bed I have with topsoil, planted peas & rocket / lambs lettuce.
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Erected this bargain buy sweet pea frame, which when assembled looked as if it would blow over in the lightest wind, So I took it down again and put up an old fashioned wigwam. Much sturdier.
The bits of the frame will come in useful for something I'm sure.
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Perfect digging and weeding conditions, so I dug and weeded all those avoided areas that make the growing area bigger. Still didn't find a place for my surplus brassicas.
Last earth up of potatoes. Watched the bees and insects doing their thing.
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Earthed up the potatoes and made sure they was completely covered, so if there is another frost, they should be fine!!!!
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Put the roof on the fruit cage (actually easier than I was expecting). Split up and planted out one of those boxes of living salad as a start to my lettuce bed - ones from seed are still very small! Decided to cover the bed in netting to stop those pesky birds.
Made some nettle tea and then finally tidied and helped to guide the bramble onto it's wire supports.
Tomorrow's job will be to finish sieving the area for the parsnips and get them sown and clear out some more jungle area.
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Sobbed a little bit when I saw that the potatoes had been got at by the frost. Not a huge amount but I had covered them so carefully (or so I thought). Took cover off for the sun to get to them during today.
Sprayed Blackcurrant bushes as the leaves were still curled and could see nasty things lurking inside the curled leaves.
Went back this evening and covered the potatoes again but made a better job of it this time, I hope.
Hope to get the kohl rabi and calabrese in tomorrow, and put the fruit cages over the gooseberries and strawberries.
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Hoed everything I could, sowed the broad beans that I'd put in water to soak on Thursday but ran out of time to sow. Planted the last 12 Lady Balfour potatoes in 4 rows, then began preparing the parsnip bed & got 4 rows in. Swept up & came home to cut the grass.
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Spent ages trimming long grass on all edges of plot with rather blunt shears! Ended up edging it all with spade. Need to invest in new or a sharpener. Weeded around red onions which are looking good. Picked PSB and offered some to plot neighbours as loads there.
Weeded around rhubarb which is also looking great.
Offered lots of strawberry plants from another plot holder and brought them home and planted in two wooden beds which my dad built. Easier to have them growing at home.
Started to dig old compost pile but gave up when started digging carpet. Still have half a path to dig up which has awful carpet under it. People who had my plot before me did like their carpet! ::)
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Pulled up psb. Planted chard, spinach and parsley plants. Calendula plants around the same bed. Should look nice.Watered spuds in tubs.nearly planted leaks but changed my mind about where to put them. Nearly got round to sowing parsnips, carrots and beetroot but that will be tomorrow now as fell asleep for two hours after lunch !.
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Earthed up the potatoes and made sure they was completely covered, so if there is another frost, they should be fine!!!!
Mine are just peeping through... so I plonked a few handfuls of grass over them and concentrated upon putting up a new bean-frame.
"Late" is not the word this year!
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Hoping for a short day at work so I can get down there for a couple of hours this afternoon, weather looks awesome.
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I dug a chunk of the backgarden up to make way for the greenhouse yesterday; putting the greenhouse up today! Excited!!! :D :D :D
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early start again, rotovated, planted onions french beans and beetroot. on my other half plot, paths need cutting and already planted beds need weeding, so now to get the £4 boot fair petrol strimmer bought yesterday working.
Grendel
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Planted carrots, harvested spinach and hopefully learned how to resize my photos so that I can add one to a post.
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Irene, they are seriously nice raised beds :)
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They are lovely indeed - very jealous.
Had an early start this morning, did lots and lots of sieving (sieved a whole spades depth down) and sowed carrots and parsnips in it. I will get decent ones on my plot!
I cleared another jungle strip - 2 barrows of weeds and roots gone. watered the fruit bushes and apple tree and did a general tidy.
If I can be bothered this afternoon I will pot on some kale, sow some red kale and swede. At the moment I am too tired and can't be bothered haha
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They are beautiful raised beds and I have 'bed envy' (is there such a thing?).
Removed fleece over potatoes and can still see where the frost got them. I hope they pick up soon.
Didn't get fruit cages built as I was going to use OHs drill with screwdriver attachment but I'm not that good at it so will have to ask nicely next weekend to see if he will help me. Put old net curtains on strawberries on plot 3 to stop birds getting at them.
Planted out Brussels, PSB, red and green cabbage in gazebo on plot 1 and found a space for kohl rabi that I had forgotten I had. Gave a good water in even though rain is predicted tonight.
At home now psyching myself up to move everything back into the greenhouses after the cold snap when I moved tomatoes, aubergines, cucumbers, chillies and peppers all indoors. The tomatoes really need to go into their permanent place but nights might still be too cold as greenhouses not heated.
Courgettes are hardening off nicely and will stay out all night tonight. Hopefully to go in the plot in a few days time.
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Planted out borlotti beans and about a dozen outdoor toms I have an excellent fleecing arrangement so fingers crossed. I have plenty more if the go down but they needed to go out. Watered carrots and took all the fleece of potatoes. Forecast for the next 5 days is 9-10 at night so very very close to our last frost date now.
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My sons sunflowers have started to show so have my sweetcorn, no sign of the parsnips I've sown for oh but still time yet. We went down today and cleared a lot of overgrown bits and oddly placed trees that were practically overtaking the entrance.
Irene - wow those beds are lovely
Grendal - a £4 strimmer bargain
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Had bonfire. Did more hedge trimming. Watered peppers and sweetcorn in polytunnel. Sowed 3 types of beetroot, Chioggia, Sanguina and Touchstone Gold. Planted out some lettuce to fill gaps here and there. Earthed up the potatoes. Did a bit of weeding. Put in some supports to restrain the raspberries. Took more wood to the recycling plot.
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Planted out my poor sweet peas which have been seriously attacked by weather and snails and are looking a shadow of their former selves. They do still have a growing tip so I'm putting them out to do their best.
Re-sowed turnip seed as the first sowing has disappeared, if I hadn't had a label in I wouldn't have known where they had been. Grr!
Weeded, took some whopper dandelions out, they are really getting going.
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Had a busy weekend, and FINALLY got a quick half hour in this evening-manic path strim, uncovered the weedmembrane warming the courgette bed and despatched 25 slugs ready 8), got to grips with a load of nettles and that sticky weed stuff and uncovered a 'slug party place' and dealt with another 10 mahoosive black & orange ones under the nettles. Would have left nettles but adjacent to where courgettes are going and that wouldn't end well.....
Slugs despatched= >40 :)
Big spiders that make you go 'eek'=2 :ohmy:
ladybirds=1 :blush:
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Yes, those are raised beds. Shortly after we arrived back in the States I had a horrific accident where I shattered several bones in my foot and ankle.
My husband surprised me by installing these three raised beds that are tucked around a corner in my gardens. I also have a large row of raised beds that were here when we purchased the home. They are nice..but will be redone at the end of this year because there is NO access to the back of them. You have to go climbing to reach anything past for the first few rows.
There is a small cement platform in one corner where we were going to put in a small greenhouse but I've had such brilliant success with my container planting that we now call it the "pot farm" and it is used for that purpose.
I no longer have the vast room that I had in the U.K. but I've created a little back corner to our garden that we call the "Veggie Heaven". I've put in place many of the ideas I learned from forum members whilst in the U.K. and even the Master Gardeners here cannot believe what I'm producing out of this space. Fun as can be.
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Oh, and here's a photo of my "Pot Farm" which this forum is DEFINITELY responsible for.
Here I grow all my tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, cucumbers, snow peas, etc..
This site was wonderful about getting me started on productive container gardening. Now I'll try anything at least once in a container :)
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Looks good Irene!
Did another 2 hours digging after work. Reckon all in all I still have at least 20 hours digging to do.
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Transplanted lots of toms in pt and gh 4 more gh's to plant up with more toms and peppers and aubergines ;)
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Had a succesfull Bank Holiday weekend, planted the veg patch fully, 3 rows of potatoes, 1 row of onions, 1 row of radishes, 2 rows of carrots, 2 rows of beetroot, all the leekes are pulled and about to be blanched and frozen.
The plastic house next step, my tomatoes are on the windowsill! Went fishing Saturday night. caugt nothing sadly.
Monday i tidied the garage and sharpened the chainsaw so i'm ready to sort out the log pile next. Dry weather helped.
Cheers
Aled
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Planted out a purple-podded Climbing French bean in my GH, plus all my 12 hardened-off Broad Beans, then hoed grass and speedwell seedlings off. Got the vast majority of the couch grass from out of my potato and onion bed. Is that all I did? Felt like more!!
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Planted carrots, harvested spinach and hopefully learned how to resize my photos so that I can add one to a post.
Very jealous of your raised beds Irene! :)
And that spinach looks amazing too ;)
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Digging, digging and more digging. Strawberry bed and this year's bean bed now ready for action.
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Well our plans to get up the hill failed, grrrr between pre- schools and schools I give up...... Someone push me in the gas oven and shut the door. >:(
Hubby did run up to water the corn
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Thank you devonbarmygardener. The spinach was a HUGE surprise. I had no idea it would overwinter like that. Still learning new lessons each year :)
...and today I planted a few more Black Beauty courgettes in pots. Also more cabbage (Caraflex).
I'm blessed in that I can grow a lot of my brassicas from seed right out in their beds but decided to make use of my grow light shelf . I'm waiting for signs of life from my Fortex pots. Fortex is a touchy germinator at times but the only green bean I'll grow now.
The BIG news was seeing signs of green in all the new potato pots. That is exciting!!!
The bed below has Tom Thumb lettuce, French Breakfast radishes, Pak Choi, Spinach, German Giant Radishes and my peas at the end. Little signs of progress.
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Planted out a few rather large sunflower seedlings in appropriate sheltered..ish places.
Pulled up the last of the PSB. What a crop this year, right through the Winter. Poked about with coriander, chilies and sweet peppers in the greenhouse, planted some in the border. I have far too many as usual.
Took some rather healthy tomatoes destined for the big outdoors from the plot greenhouse to harden off in the garden at home.
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I strimmed all the paths on the plot just before the heavy rain set in.
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Nothing, its rainy and so cold.
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Planted 2 rows of red onions and 2 rows of carrots.
With new shears trimmed all the grass on edge of plot which took ages. ::)
Admired my new potatoes peeping out of the soil.
Tried to dig some more of the carpet up under the path. Half of path left but need OH help.
Started to try and dig old compost pile but when found more carpet, gave up for the day! :(
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:) just got back from plot filled in my runner bean trench put in canes should be room for 60 plants ,got to harden plants off ,looking at the weather waiting just in case theirs any chance of frost .new spuds poping through looking good .tomatoes doing well plants every where. cabbage ready lets hope the weekends nice lots to plant time for some sun please
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Nothing,was helping my friend do some jobs at his home so ill pop up lottie tomorrow :)
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Weeded and feed, the onion and garlic beds. Then it chucked it down with rain! So tidied the polytunnel up!
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Lovely set up Irene!!
Down on my Lottie I lifted a (bike) trailer load of strawberry plants and a double seed tray of shallots and brought them home noting how quickly the grass paths had grown.
My Lottie neighbour (friends with the Warden) said, "Your sheds gone Paul."
"Has it?" I said spinning round to look at the empty space marked by hefty paving slabs. "Hell's teeth. You're right. Just as well I brought some tools down with me!!"
"What's happened to the shed then?" he enquired.
"I guess too much hot air around here and a gust has wafted it away," I replied and turned back to lifting my strawberry plants.
I didn't mean to be rude but I imagine anything I say will be passed on to our efficient warden who will have to wait for me to hand my keys in when I'm ready. :mellow:
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Thank you Paul Plots.
Planted a row of Chinese Celery and Chinese Green Meat radishes.
Started in starter pots 3 Spacemaster Cucumbers.
Admired the little green showing in ALL my new potato pots and then covered them in their black plastic bags as we have a frost warning for tonight.
I like using these black garbage bags and I've never had a thing bitten by frost when they have been used on nights like this and its easy on, easy off though during frost warnings in June when all the pots are planted and growing it can make my pot farm look like its in mourning.
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Took some plastic chairs and a table down. That's it I wish it would stop raining!
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Lovely set up Irene!!
Down on my Lottie I lifted a (bike) trailer load of strawberry plants and a double seed tray of shallots and brought them home noting how quickly the grass paths had grown.
My Lottie neighbour (friends with the Warden) said, "Your sheds gone Paul."
"Has it?" I said spinning round to look at the empty space marked by hefty paving slabs. "Hell's teeth. You're right. Just as well I brought some tools down with me!!"
"What's happened to the shed then?" he enquired.
"I guess too much hot air around here and a gust has wafted it away," I replied and turned back to lifting my strawberry plants.
I didn't mean to be rude but I imagine anything I say will be passed on to our efficient warden who will have to wait for me to hand my keys in when I'm ready. :mellow:
Well done you. That did make me chuckle :lol:
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Mulched around the outside edge of my veggie patch with chipped olive wood and leaves, hoed the onion bed, cut down the broad beans ready to sit and shell them later, and started to spread home-made compost over the patch where the beans were - PHEW :nowink:
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sat in the office at the moment the suns out lets hope its out when i finish work .more digging needed
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Got another plot today so started digging it over ready for rotovating but then it started raining,i have got that much produce left after filling 3 allotments i needed another one,(might change site name to 4 allotments now :lol:)
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Got another plot today so started digging it over ready for rotovating but then it started raining,i have got that much produce left after filling 3 allotments i needed another one,(might change site name to 4 allotments now :lol:)
Are they all full size plots? I'm desperate for a second as ours are only really 1/2 plots.. not sure I could cope with 4!
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Once the rain had eased I peered over the hedge into the garden next-door to see how my transplanted strawberry plants were doing.
Lovely! The over-night rain has perked them up and they look as if they have been there for ages - green and healty with flowers standing high. :)
The foxes have left them alone and the squirrels not helped with the digging. So far so good. ;)
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Planted my second section of spring peas, admired my potatoes showing, and avoided the serious work that I have to do on one of the beds. That can't continue.
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It was very windy, so staked my broad beans. Picked some broad beans, trimmed the paths, admired the potatoes, hoping that all was equally well underground, and generally admired how the plot has changed since we got it last August. :D
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Got another plot today so started digging it over ready for rotovating but then it started raining,i have got that much produce left after filling 3 allotments i needed another one,(might change site name to 4 allotments now :lol:)
Are they all full size plots? I'm desperate for a second as ours are only really 1/2 plots.. not sure I could cope with 4!
I've got three half plots and they are nearly full already or at least the plan for them is full. I daren't get another one...... But then......
Anyways, today I tied the peas in/down as although they are growing fine they haven't got the hang of putting their tendrils round the netting and it is ultra windy. Did the same for the broad beans as they have put on a spurt. Weeded the raspberry bed and around the beetroot and spinach. Dispatched snails and slugs as usual and picked rhubarb for dinner tonight. Do I have a tin of custard to have cold with the rhubarb. :)
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well the weekends starts fingers crossed no rain
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:mad: Found all my 5 inch tall sweetcorn had been dug up and the seeds eaten. That is the second lot I planted, the first lot I drowned.
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bbc 2 gardens world mostly flowers time to have one for veggie lovers come on monty
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Moved 8 slabs down to little Ann's plot
Moved half a load of mushroom compost from over the road ( fellow plot holder)
Watered and came home with lettuce, rhubarb.
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Went to the plot with my two children for an hour or so. They played and I weeded. Removed quite some horsetail; and plenty of other weeds left to be done. Potatoes are coming up nicely, shallots and garlic are doing well and strawberries are in flower. Took some PSB and radishes back home. The scary bit is that the part where the beans are to grow still needs to be dug through.
Maarten
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Got attacked by a rambling rose :( Thankfully, I survived, which is more than I can say for the rose. Hubby managed to clear most of the hedge, which includes the rose, that blocks out sun from parts of the plot. He also prepared a patch for carrots. Then the heavens opened, so went home for a cup of tea. :)
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Was feeling very disheartened as the slugs have scythed through my celeriac seedlings and I'm starting to think everything I do will end in disaster and I'll get a non-cultivation notice just for being a rubbish gardener. I WILL find a way of growing stuff without a fortress of protection and products. Anyway, up on the plot with some trepidation, glad to find the wind and showers have put most people off and I had it to myself apart from the robin. Earthed up spuds, decided they look really silly with a huge gap between the rows so sowed some lettuces. Sowed fenugrek, coriander, land cress, mizuna, planted out sweetcorn with pop bottles over three quarters of them just to see what happens. Planted out some celeriac because there should be fewer slugs up the allotment than at home now, so perhaps tucked in at the edge of the broad beans the rest of the war band won't find them... Put some red campion, garlic mustard and honesty in the hedge bank, plus the last couple of bluebells to survive the slugs. Weeded out lots of volunteer potatoes - previous plot holder missed out on a couple of jacket spuds!
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Quickly popped down to allotment after visiting the RHS Malvern Spring Flower Show to drop off the contraband that I didn't want other half to see ;)
Bought three lovely old stackable wooden bulb trays, whilst buying I had romantic visions of me filling them with all the produce that I manage to grow this years and in future years proudly walking up the allotment to the car. What will probably happen is that they end up in the shed and being used to store the ever increasing pile of 'odds and ends' that I may at sometime need!
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took the bootfair strimmer to the plot, it fired straight up, then died just as I was about to start - classic fuel starvation, time to clean out the carb I think.
Grendel
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Dug the courgette bed over, weeded the brassicas, set up a comfry pipe and a nettle pipe, pinched the tops out of the Autumn sown broad beans, hid in the shed during a shower :unsure:
Turned a compost bin out at home and used some for a new layered lasange bed.
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A bit of hail this afternoon so covered my potato plots, covered the tender plants with small poly tunnels and will be puttering inside doing starts the rest of the day.
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Potted on courgettes,parsley watered gh's and pt planted parsley and swiss chard between the rain hail thunder and lightning ;) pulled some garlic :D
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3 allotments (now 4):
I'm so jealous of your garlic. I always forgot to put mine in. It would be so lovely. I'm not sure if you're determined or just crazy but I would draw the line at being out in the garden with lightening. Ack.
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Potted on all the courgettes and squash. They'll be going out next weekend probably if the forecast looks good. Had a final weed through and forked over my bean bed. They'll be going out next week too. I had planned for this weekend but its far too windy they'd not like it. Sowed a tray full of Kale. Had a generally busy time with the hoe.
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quick trip to the boot fair, then an hour weeding at the plot, not a great job, but I can see where the plants are now to hoe round them.
Grendel
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runner beans in tomato plants in there final buckets peppers cucumbers all done next job prep ground for corn plants got about 60 plants just cant beat home grown corn
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Put out the corn in milk bottle cloches - thanks to GG for this! I didn't have enough for all of them but I will make sure I have for next year as it is so much simpler!
Planted up the old wheelbarrow with marigolds and petunias as the marigolds were desperate to go out and showing small buds already.
Saw that a couple of people have put their courgette/squash plants out this wkend and some of them have flowers already :ohmy: mine sulked when they went hit for a few hours the other day and it got a bit too chilly for them so they will be here for a couple of weeks yet. I can't say they looked too happy about being outside.....
Looked at my spuds - they really are huge now and some of them have buds forming already which seems a lot earlier than I remember last year but then I am doing different varieties.
Garlic doesn't look that healthy - rust really has got to it despite my best efforts to remove it but I have nothing to lose by leaving them until the main harvest time I suppose. Pea crop will also be a disappointment this year because of the pea weevil - only about 1/3 of my plants have made it and annoyingly they are in 'clumps' over the planned growing area so there will be lots of wasted space.
Finally I weeded some more and got rid of yet more bindweed seedlings!
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Dug up my leeks from the greenhouse border nursery and dibbed them out( no cat litter trays here :D , my cat wouldn't be seen dead using one of those). They're looking good and healthy.
Cleared said greenhouse of half the delicious early potatoes, and at last transplanted tomatoes and cayenne/fresno chilies into the border. Spread a bit of BFB around awaiting the arrival of the sweet corn.
Tuesday/Wednesday looks ideal planting weather for the courgettes and butternuts, the sweet corn isn't quite ready.
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Considered Planting out runner beans then felt how cold the wind was. Left them tucked up for a while longer.
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Picked some PSB. I think it will be the last. Netted cabbages. Weeded and watered in the polytunnel. Put bean wigwams up. Surveyed weevil damage and gave the peas and broad beans a spray of a bug insecticide which the bottle said was OK for organic use. Usually that means it won't work very well, but I thought I would give it a go. Started digging over where the squash and courgettes will be going on daughter's plot. Good soil, but with bindweed, but no other weeds. Odd, the last bed I dug over had couch grass, but no bindweed.
OH did a bit of tidying and bagged up some good looking compost from our bin. We need to empty it as it needs moving. Our plot has been 'realigned' following our neighbour giving up their plot. The fence between us had an odd dog leg in it that pinched around 8 foot from our plot, we presume so as to claim the apple tree which was in fact planted in our plot originally. The boundary has been redrawn properly and we have proper rectangular plots once again. Now means we have a re-build to add to the list of tasks!
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just an hour in the greenhouse this morning, sowing and potting on, too windy and cold for outdoor work this morning (me being a big wimp today)
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Got a water butt fitted to the shed today (finally water!) Also out up two chicken wire fences for the peas to climb. Planted out some strawberry plants and some asparagus too. Lots of weeding was done too. Looks like i will have an ongoing battle with mares tail on this plot.
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I had 2 hours today and just about managed to get the weeds under control from 2 weeks away with work. Planted out a green and a yellow courgette too. Runner beans in this week hopefully!!!
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Bit of weeding, cabbages went out( batch three) sweetcorn out, parsnips, beetroot, runners all sown direct.
Potatoes are up and away, no more earthing up. Good luck corn.
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Planted sweetcorn in polytunnel inbetween garlic and a few lettuce,repotted some more aubergines spread chick pellets around pt and watered, dug some more spuds from gh and pulled more spring onions ;)
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Loads of wind today so not much done. Did start digging the bed that our brassicas will go in, compost/manure mix sitting by waiting to be used.
Planted one pot of Bush Champion cucumbers (seed) and followed the advice found on the forums and put some soil on my potato plants.
3 Allotments photo of his new potato harvest has me enthused and optimistic.
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suns out on the way to work tells hope its still shining when it get home must get up the plot always things to do
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suns out on the way to work tells hope its still shining when it get home must get up the plot always things to do
The best time on the plot...... after work time... relax and unwind time.
I hope the weather is good to you.
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Today I have sown cauliflower, rhubarb and sunflower seed. Not done a lot of what I had planned because the kiddies are off school poorly. :(
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Met our local PCSO following recent spate of thefts and vandalism.
Moved 6 large bags of nicely rotted compost into new raised bed on daughter's plot. OH finished reconstructing the compost bin in its new spot.
Dug some more of the bed for squash and courgettes on daughter's plot. The second half of it could be described as a bed of nails!
Weeded a bit. Watered in the polytunnel. Picked some rhubarb.
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A bit of tidying, sorting of seeds and pots for a big plant tomorrow...and then covering all crops coming in as we have a frost warning and may be down to -3 tonight. Can't wait for this to be over as better weather is due.
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good night last night had to string up runner beans and a little work in the green house .looks like fine weather after today so should be able to do plenty of work
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Everything came through last night's -3 in fine shape and today was warm and gorgeous.
Picked and removed the overwinter spinach in one of the beds. Dug up the plot where my rutabagas and cabbage will go...finally.
Planted Fairy Tale Eggplant into a large pot, a pot of Spacemaster cucumbers, Bonanza Broccoli, Hollow Crown Parsnips and Mino Early Daikon radish.
Will prep dinner and then back out I go to put in another small row of carrots. This is just lovely.
Below is a photo of my Fairytale Eggplant in the pot from last year. I love this variety. Small and perfect for slicing in half and placing on the grill.
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Sowed 2nd batch of runners (for succession) and 3rd batch of Sweetcorn (only 20 of previous 2 batches have germinated). Sorted watering in the greenhouse for Thurs - Tuesday when we are away in Cornwall.
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Showed a new tenant round the site.
Topped up new raised bed with sifted soil and compost. Planted out 4 early purple sprouting broccoli, 6 Piacenza savoy cabbage and 5 Goldenacre cabbage, watered them in and netted.
Planted a pepper and 4 tomatoes in the polytunnel. Watered.
OH did more re-ordering of the plot, digging out 2 concrete posts in the process.
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Dug out the last of my psb and weeded area. Looks a lot better.
Planted 16 cauliflower and netted them. Dug up winter cauliflower and weeded.
Weeded onions and garlic. Looking lovely and cant wait as never grown garlic before.
Indoors my cucumber x 4 are really coming on and tomatoes and sweetcorn looking great,
Pumpkins and sweetcorn def ready to go in. Coriander, lettuce and basil peeping out :)
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Planted some Calabrese, Cauliflower and Summer purple sprouting plants and then decided to take a risk and plant out the sweetcorn and courgette plants as they were getting too big for my mini greenhouse. Cross fingers that they do well :)
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Everything came through last night's -3 in fine shape and today was warm and gorgeous.
Picked and removed the overwinter spinach in one of the beds. Dug up the plot where my rutabagas and cabbage will go...finally.
Planted Fairy Tale Eggplant into a large pot, a pot of Spacemaster cucumbers, Bonanza Broccoli, Hollow Crown Parsnips and Mino Early Daikon radish.
Will prep dinner and then back out I go to put in another small row of carrots. This is just lovely.
Below is a photo of my Fairytale Eggplant in the pot from last year. I love this variety. Small and perfect for slicing in half and placing on the grill.
They look great! :)
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I replanted my shallots (thanks for the help squirrels but they looked fine where they were to me!)
Watered the raspberry canes.... I'm hoping some will survive the move.
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Finally cleared the last batch of leeks out. Not sure what to do with such a mass load but leek for lunch, tea, breakfast for the next month should work
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Have cleared another few square metres and also popped out and purchased some multi purpose compost and chap propagators.
Only had the thing a week or two at it looks like a football field so playing catch up at the moment
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Diluted the comfrey tea I had stewing and used it on the fruit on plot 2. Took far longer than I thought with the draining, diluting and the watering it about. And I spilt some (again like last time I did this) so I didn't smell too good when having a cup of coffee with fellow plot holders.
Removed the plastic woven covers from the squash and pumpkin beds, top dressed all three beds ready for plants to go in next week. Fingers crossed no frost after I plant them out.
Weeded raspberries, rhubarb and wondering why the rhubarb looks so sad? It's all limp......
Picked spinach, rosemary, cabbage and small onions for tea tonight.
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3 tomato plants put in, 3 courgettes, 3 cabbages, bean sticks put up and runners planted. sown another row of beetroot and some basil. everything looking great at the moment.
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Gave things a good soaking, the beds were beginning to look a bit dry. Weeded a bit. Continued digging over new bed on daughter's plot. OH continued to dig up more bits of rusty metal and concrete on our plot. Apparently the council did the inspection this morning. We are growing loads of stuff on 80% of the plot, where it is all nicely ordered, but at one side where we have just replaced the fence and at the top where we have started digging out where the polytunnel will be going it all looks a bit messy at the moment. I just hope it is viewed as work in progress, which it is.
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Spot of weeding and watering bit of a tidy round :)
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Dug a few square metres of lawn to extend the veg plot - hard going as the lawn is incredibly thick... the soil is lovely though.
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Not much so far. Watered the second earlies and maincrops. A bit surprised to see a few of the Charlottes are already forming flowers. They went in during the first week of April. Seems very early to be flowering.
Other than that, a bit of walking round and daydreaming of what it'll all look like in a few weeks time. Mind you, the reality is always different, as I never include pests or weeds in my daydreams.
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Just weeding, watering and strimming today.
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Three hours of weeding, sowing, putting a bit of compost around. Edged up along the grass path. Accidentally dug up a wasp's nest - luckily only had one rather confused worker though lots of large heaving grubs. I mashed it all up just before the queen came home to see what was going on. She came back a couple of times but I think could see that it was no good.
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Shimmed two of my plots today 3rd tomorrow, watered gh's and pt ;)
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Went down after work for a couple of hours.
Removed the French beans, dwarf and climbing and runner beans from the potting shed and moved them into a partially open mini greenhouse to harden off for a couple of days before planting out.
Netted the 5 rows of peas against the pigeons and attacked the flea beetles that seems to have covered my brassicas.
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Shimmed two of my plots today 3rd tomorrow, watered gh's and pt ;)
What did you do to them?
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Shimmed-as the old boys say here in yorkshire hoed weeds off levelled shimmimg as in thin piece of metal ;)
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First thing this morning emptied the cold frame and put the pots in situ for strawberries, cauliflower, cabbage and courgettes. I am currently in the changing rooms at the swimming baths whilst my daughter has a swimming lesson, than it's gonna be back home to plant everything out and a whole lotta mowing (wasn't that an AC/DC song ?)
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strimmed the first plot, rotovated the unplanted parts - forgot to paqck the hoe so didnt do that. I had originally planned to do both plots, but after 1 hour of strimming my hand was tingling, so discretion and all that I called it a day.
Grendel
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summers here yes things growing nice all have a nice weekend
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Set up my hosepipes and discovered they are five foot short of my water butt's new location. :mad: Didn't think that one through!
Left my big net at home so couldnt set it up over the goosegogs, but I got the canes joined together and in place ready for when I do remember the netting. :nowink:
Also levelled the paving around the new shed and filled the gaps with gravel.
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Big planting out day, yesterday. Runner Beans, climbing beans and borlotti beans. Toamatos and a few courgettes. Watered everything. A couple of hours weeding to do today
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Been to do the lottie watering already thinking that it will get busy soon and that it will evaporate off if I don't do it early.
Massive greenhouse tidy up /sort out, planting cukes and tomatoes in final position and potting aubergines and chillies/peppers into final pots.
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One of the things I did was to plant a bed of strawberries. So that's 2 down and one to go, as you can see the third needs just a touch of weeding!!!
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down to the bootfair - picked up an unusual hoe - canterbury hoe with added fork, then up the other plot with another hours worth of strimming to clear the paths, and some rotovating, starting to look good now.
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Hi Grendal - you have been busy. Love the new tool - looks a heavy-weight bit of kit....almost like a Howard rotavator attachment.
I see you have a sheet or two of corrugated iron on the edge of the plot!! Oh dear! On our local allotment association site it is banned as being dangerous.... Mind you in 50+ years the sheets around my Dad's compost heap caused no problem just the new warden. :wacko:
This morning, on my little home plot, I checked to see the squirrels had left the shallots alone and the foxes hadn't eaten the newly placed plastic covered cloches. All looks good. Watered and escaped home across the road for a (hopefully) peaceful Sunday.
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the corrugated iron was there when I took over the plot, its just the fence between plots, no paths nearby, and I am in the very furthest corner from the entrance.
Grendel
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Took a risk and started planted out some tenders: Sweetcorn, minipop, squash and French beans.
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Built the old Munty bean frame today and sowed 'Carminat' French beans at the base of it ;)
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the corrugated iron was there when I took over the plot, its just the fence between plots, no paths nearby, and I am in the very furthest corner from the entrance.
Grendel
Pleased to hear it... keep safe.
Personally I think there's more risk from agricultural glass than there is from the rare surviving sheet of corrugated iron. What would life be like with out the odd little bit of risk here and there. ::)
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Outdoor toms went out today as did French beans and runners. Sowed second lot of French beans direct. Built the wigwam for the runners. Did lots of weeding of the strawberry bed. Somehow that took 3 hours.... :wacko:
At home I potted up the psb and sowed some red kale.
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After initial digging over of an area, finally got to the best bit, planting veg. Built 2 wigwam frames and then put in the following. Broad beans, mange tout, sweet pea's, sweet corn and then some dwarf french beans. All done in about 5hrs work. Now I am knackered, about to have a bottle of cider then off to bed as I start my new job in the morning. :)
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Just managed an hour but mowed, weeded, planted dwarf green bean seeds and runner beans, watered and had a go at making my first lot of comfrey tea. Picked a couple of lettuce for tomorrows sandwiches too.
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the corrugated iron was there when I took over the plot, its just the fence between plots, no paths nearby, and I am in the very furthest corner from the entrance.
Grendel
Pleased to hear it... keep safe.
Personally I think there's more risk from agricultural glass than there is from the rare surviving sheet of corrugated iron. What would life be like with out the odd little bit of risk here and there. ::)
I agree.
Particularly hen the glass in the greenhouse on the plot next to mine (built RIGHT on he edge of the path - leaving my fork little room to manoeuvre :mad:) keep falling out and smashing on my beds! :mad:
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Weeded plot 3,then dug and rotavated new plot 4 :ohmy:
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Sploshed a little water on here and there and simply stood and looked... a very lazy day on the new plots.
(At home... altogether different)
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Weeded and put in some squashes (have more at home if these fail). Gave everything a good watering. Had to go home, it was so hot and I was starting to feel sick.
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Planted out some nastutiums, zinnias and asters. Also the celeriac seedlings went into the soggy end of the plot, they love it there, but of course so do the slugs. Watering quite a lot as it is getting really dry now, there's a price to pay for this lovely weather.
Set up my X frame for the runner beans.
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Lifted another strip of turf (tougher than axeminster carpet) and revealed a little more lovely soil ready the rotovator and then planting.
Bought a pack of living lettuce from Sainsburys, divided it into individual plants and bingo.... a row of mixed lettuce for 99p and loads more plants for later if they aren't trimmed and eaten in a sandwich first.
(My seed sown lettuce will be ready for planting out in another week or twos time.)
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Was up at the greenhouse at 6am before my working day to try and rescue some moduled plants that I knew would suffer water shortage with my working away for a couple of days. Should have temporarily planted them in the greenhouse border for a few days, but didn't have time. Lost a bit of coriander and a few celery, but hey ho, not too bad. The sweet corn is OK so that's the main thing.
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Planted out my sweetcorn plants and netted them from the pigeons. Weeded and watered 4 beds and did some tidying up.
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Planted dills giant pumkins,delicata squash,tiger marrow,green courgette,yellow courgette,pumpkin,butternut squash,kohl rabi purple ones and green ones,rainbow chard,fennel,savoy cabbage hispi cabbage,and mowed the paths watered gh and pt as it was really hot again 8) finished off with trimming the hedgerow,phew :lol: ;)
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Bit the bullet and put in green courgettes and yellow stripe courgettes. Also put marigolds alongside as one of the guys said this will deter nasty bugs. Is that true?
Today, finishing off putting cukes in their final place in the greenhouse and stringing them up.
Had a good old sort out of the cold frame and now know I have over done the squash and pumpkin plants again! Where to put them is the next problem.
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Went up this evening for a couple of hours, few spots of rain but now I'm back it is hammering down! There was a big patch on my plot which I hadn't really touched apart from heaving out a few really nasty weeds, so I set to and put some sensible paths in so that I can walk across it now and weed. Me "putting paths in" consists of digging out the top few inches of soil about as wide as a size 6 wellie is long (will upgrade to size 9 if the 15 year old ever shows an interest) and throwing this on the bed, the aim being that I can reach all parts without walking on the growing areas, and paths will be filled with woodchip when I get some and am sure paths are in the right place. I then moved some rooted blackcurrant cuttings into their permanent bed thus created, and broadcast white clover to cover the soil in between.
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Went and done friends gardening it was like a jungle :ohmy: finished at 4.30 went up lottie's Planted more cuc's spot of weeding watering got a whole large tray of block beetroot and a large tray of block spring onions to plant tomorrow night after finishing this job for friend ;)
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Planted out a very long bed of cabbage lol
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Moved cucs into cold greenhouse, fleece at the ready, re-potted Courgettes, potted on PSB and Brussels and look in dismay at what should have been Cauliflowers. Strawberries nearly ready as are the first of the spuds, everything else is as far back as usual.
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Tied a few of the raspberry cane tops to a new wire, moved the cat pooh from bark paths :mad: Forked over the bean bed and had tried to find enough canes to use - although like most things around here they're fast approaching the end of their useful life.
The chard and tatsoi I planted have both run to seed so out they came, which leaves me with 2 of my 8x4's and the area in front of the chicken run empty with nothing ready to put in.... Hows that for bad planning. ::)
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cabbages doing nice new problem on the plot we can only have water on a saturday morning councils gone mad again
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Put up some shelves in my new shed and installed 3 tomato plants. :)
So proud! :nowink:
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/XpsvN9gJd-nXjJXGn9lGQ_hUTnt49hvkXezQftDNnZzD=w679-h509-no)
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planted out 2 rows of swede, 6 rows of leeks, 1 row of swiss chard, canes ready for beans, canes in greenhouse for toms, bit of weeding, water butts starting to look a bit empty now though, need some rain to fill em
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Despaired at hubby who a few weeks ago let Florence lose with a big bag of runner bean seeds. Now we have six beans on one pole, three over here, four over there. LOL
Laid black plastic ready for the next pathway.
More slabs have come in from freecycle LOVE IT, freecycle that it.
Had a party at finally seeing some beetroot, about time too.
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french beans, borlotti beans, sweetcorn and a few toms planted up at allotment today, picked the 1st strawbs of the year.
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That looks like a great shed Annen!
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went to my friends and did another days work for him staining fence and shed,digging all the beds over pruning trees then went home and got round to planting all the block beetroot and spring onions,snapped some scapes off the garlic they are so yummy :D
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3 Allotments, How do you do it?? I can't do half that stuff for myself let alone someone else and then my own on top!! Deep respect
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pumpkins showing lets hope this year matches last they were big ps better do some more posts ready for comps
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:( just seen weather for wales no work on plot to night fingers crossed for weekend
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I managed to get to the plot for a couple of hours last night and planted out my PSB and Cauli seedlings, netted them, sowed some beetroot and gave everything else a feed and water. I have run out of room in the beds that I have dug so next job is to start the heavy digging again!!!
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Planted out Pak Choi and Bright Lights Swiss Chard, tonight may tackle the last strawberry bed.
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Finished digging a bed last night and planted out 3 courgettes for the forum seed circle, plus one striped courgette and a tonda padana. No beetroot left, the slugs have had it all. Spuds are looking amazing, as are the broadies and the strawberries - a few are turning red. :)
Checked this morning and the squashes have not been slugged *touches wood*. Scavenged 24 bricks from the cafe skip so I can make the achocha bed this weekend.
Have run out of room at the plot, and plants are backing up on the balcony, so the digging needs to start again - very glad we've had rain so the ground is soft.
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Two of my potato rows have pushed through, and it looks like one of last years have had a second wind! Row number 3 looks unlikely to grow!
Runner beans, radishes, beetroot, carrots, onions, tomatoes, and lettuces all look good.
Cheers
Aled
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Stormed around with a watering can and gave everything a good dousing to avoid writing an e-mail that I would be bound to regret as soon as I hit the send button. There are certain kinds of work I hate doing. Today, my blood was set boiling after four hours of struggling with someone else's poor work and trying to put it right, only for the client to then say "sorry, sent you the wrong stuff"... :mad:
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My turn to check the greenhouses, regardless of the fact it is pouring outside ::) .
So got wet for the second time today :(
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Hi Grendal - you have been busy. Love the new tool - looks a heavy-weight bit of kit....almost like a Howard rotavator attachment.
I see you have a sheet or two of corrugated iron on the edge of the plot!! Oh dear! On our local allotment association site it is banned as being dangerous.... Mind you in 50+ years the sheets around my Dad's compost heap caused no problem just the new warden. :wacko:
I might be a bit dumb - but whats so dangerous about Corrugated Iron?
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Hi Grendal - you have been busy. Love the new tool - looks a heavy-weight bit of kit....almost like a Howard rotavator attachment.
I see you have a sheet or two of corrugated iron on the edge of the plot!! Oh dear! On our local allotment association site it is banned as being dangerous.... Mind you in 50+ years the sheets around my Dad's compost heap caused no problem just the new warden. :wacko:
I might be a bit dumb - but whats so dangerous about Corrugated Iron?
To some allotment committees it seems to have the same status as razor wire - health and safety nightmare, rather than noting its presence and issuing a common sense warning about its presence they would rather legislate it out of existence.
I had similar in the past at work when a blanket ban on Stanley knives was issued, I put forward the proposal for a specialist machine to cut 4mm foam board (only £4000 for a job we did at best 5 or 6 times a year) and was issued Kevlar gloves and a special dispensation to use the knife. This was nearly spoiled by one of the engineers who insisted on testing the gloves by trying to stab his hand whilst wearing the gloves (it was then pointed out that the gloves were for a glancing blow if the knife slipped)
Grendel
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planted a frame of runners and a few Squash just to see how they get on, have loads of back up plants in shelter at home if it all goes badly wrong, picked more broad beans as they were so popular with the kids, lobbed in more beets and carrots, either poor germination or slugs- 3 beetroots from 4 rows and only one parsnip from a whole packet, carrots no where to be seen :nowink:,
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Checked out the plot after all that hail and rain! Still there!!! :D
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Tied up toms in gh and pt did a bit of stopping too ;)
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Went down with black skies looming. Starting hoeing and the heavens opened with a spectacular thunderstorm. Gave up as the storm was overhead and didn't fancy standing in the middle of an open field waving a hoe around whilst lightening was striking over head so took my soggy self off to my aunts house where my dad and nephew were paying a visit and was fed large quantities of tea and cake :)
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101 things to do today not related to allotment, but asparagus crowns arrived last night so had to go and plant them... then passed a hedgerow where the electricity board had lopped a load of trees and chipped and blown under the hedge bottom. Piles and piles of the stuff. What do you do? Went back with bags and filled the car boot (with landowner's permission!). Lovely bone dry and woody as owt. Two more paths will be sorted when I get time to put it down!
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OH had day off so plan was dig up final bit of carpet under path and dig up bramble covered tree, all from previous owners of plot. Heavens opened so only managed carpet.
Need to persuade him to visit another day!
Does look better already though with carpet gone as was covered with weeds and grass. ::)
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Planted 24 mixed peppers in pt and 12 aubergines,also 10 radichio,then put 40 canes in for runner beans planted them in new plot 4 and 2 rows of leeks ;)
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I managed to pop down for an hour after work, removed my bolted and pigeon pecked pak choi, added some compost to the soil and sowed beetroot goldena in their place. Hopefully borrowing a rotovator tomorrow to set to work on the covered part of my plot and give me more space to sow things :D
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A bit of hoeing - why don't flowers and veg seem to germinate as easily as weed seeds? Then got soaked by the rain whilst planting out my leeks.....
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>:(to much rain today in wales if this keeps up might have to grow rice
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Went up to the plot and got completely soaked in the deluge. Had to water the polytunnel though.
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weeding weeding and more weeding water buts full IBC 3 of them so hopefully have plenty of water for summer,not much planting area left to do until beans, garlic, onion,and shallots are up.Rain on again lovely :lol:
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yes ANNEB always makes OH laugh when i go to lotty in the rain to water and come back soaked
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Got absolutely drenched, but did manage to get some weed control down on beds that need it, and put the first of the runners in. (Please no frost....)
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Inbetween the showers i managed to get butternut squash,pumkin,courgette,delicata squash,marrow,some leftover broad bean plants,borlotti beans,dwarf feench beans planted ;)
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Weeded, weeded and weeded. Also planted out some sweetcorn and celeriac.
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I'm back on my plot after an 18 month break due to illness and was unfortunately let down by my plot partner who I thought was regularly going down there to at least keep it tidy. We're basically starting from scratch again and I have help from a very enthusiastic new friend. Both adjoining plots have been abandoned so at least there aren't any complaints from neighbours of my weeds.
This week I have moved the wild bees nest from my shed with the help of two male allotmenteers. What is it with men and the inability to refrain from poking bees nests with a garden cane? I've strimmed most of the plot and fortunately half of it was covered with black tarp this whole time. That's now been dug over and the soil is lovely underneath. I also had some fantastic compost from my daleks with the help of some ants. So it's not as bad as it was when I first took the plot on.
Downsides? The collapsed polytunnel has been a * to dig out. A few bits and pieces have been 'relocated' to other plots though I did manage to get my fire bin back. Oh and half the felt blew off the shed roof so it's rather leaky.
However I have tons of seedlings on the go at home and can't wait to get stuff growing again. I did receive the dreaded letter giving me 4 weeks to make a start on my plot or lose it, but hopefully they can now see that I am keen to keep it on. There is no waiting list on our site for some reason so I'm not stopping someone else from having their own plot.
Oh and on my first day back I stood on a nail and put a hole in my foot. Serves me right for not being very tidy last time.
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4 hours of weeding! 1 week off and they shot up!
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Nothing for me today as I seemed to have partaken in one too many sherberts last night. Reliving ones youth was never going to end well :wacko:
Instead as punishment for my bad behaviour I shall be down every day for the rest of week, rain or no rain!
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Dug a new 1m x 4m bed for my tomatoes, mixed in compost and bonemeal, made a support for them and planted out 5 gardners delight and 5 malmarde plants. Also put in the last of my onions that were in modules and did some weeding. I now hear a cold pint calling :D
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Nothing for me today as I seemed to have partaken in one too many sherberts last night. Reliving ones youth was never going to end well :wacko:
I've just decided to revise my long held belief that there's nothing worse than alcohol at lunch time, to it's a no no at breakfast :wacko: :wacko: 3 glasses of champagne is not a good move on a Sunday after a week on holiday when you've got garden,plot,washing to get done
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Nothing for me today as I seemed to have partaken in one too many sherberts last night. Reliving ones youth was never going to end well :wacko:
I've just decided to revise my long held belief that there's nothing worse than alcohol at lunch time, to it's a no no at breakfast :wacko: :wacko: 3 glasses of champagne is not a good move on a Sunday after a week on holiday when you've got garden,plot,washing to get done
:lol:
Lightweights!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Just joshing ;)
I'm on my fourth martini (Monaco GP ;)) and I'm off to the greenhouse and transplanting shortly :D
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Dodged the hefty showers, and got those grass paths strimmed at last. Weeded and re-jigged my brassica netting, netted the strawberries and cleared the greenhouse of some desperate plantees. I can almost move in there now.
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Planted out a dozen dwarf kale plants, a couple more Long White and Marketmore cucumbers and sowed more radish and oriental mustrd seeds. Hubby got to play with his new strimmer and strimmed all the paths so the plot looks all neat and tidy now :) :)
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Started building the frame for the runners, everything is somewhat wobbly and for the life of me I can't fine a piece of wood more than 4ft long to brace it :( I swear someone comes in when Im not looking and hides anything which might be useful. Made some small supports for the aldi apple trees Im trying to espalier, 2 of them aren't playing ball and refuse to put shoots out anywhere useful.
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down the boot fair, picked up some bits and some trellis for the top of the garden fence, then up to the plot, 5 rows of pea plants transferred, canes wires and strings put up, then home for the mother in Law's birthday barbecue.
Grendel
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didnt do much on plot today had to cut hedges a round house in between rain ,got wet well it is our summer ?,never mind weather better tomorrow
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Moved slabs, this lot will finally finish all the paths
Someone pass the pain killer 2 by foot concrete slabs weigh a heavy load, especially when the person who offered them didnt tell us they were a very very long walk from the parking. Creak creak....... Ouch.
Thistles also really hurt on bare legs the slabs were buried in a hedge LOL sounds like a bad movie but hey they were free ::)
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Mowed paths round mine and neighbours lottie,planted some more leeks,calabrese,hispi cabbage,sprouts,cauli,kohl rabi,rainbow chard, parsley,fennel ;)
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was going to the plot, but plans changed when the wife won a lean to conservatory on freecycle, we have to dismantle and get home today...
Grendel
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was going to the plot, but plans changed when the wife won a lean to conservatory on freecycle, we have to dismantle and get home today...
Grendel
Busy day, you'll have plants in it by tomorrow no doubt :)
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Yet more weeding...
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So far, nada. Has been raining constantly since 5am.
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So far, nada. Has been raining constantly since 5am.
Snap! Cheered myself up by making les take me to the garden centre. I left him moping around while I browsed :)
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conservatory is now at home in the garden, its not going up now as the rain has set in.
plus i am cream crackered.
Grendel
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Absolutely nothing, rain stopped play, and i've been like a bear with a sore head cooped up indoors all day!
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I hate to say it, but it has been THE most gorgeous of days here in Devon. Wall to wall sunshine since 6am. Even a cabbage white put in an appearance. I haven't seen many this year yet, probably 3. Very strange.
Pontificated a bit, and then created a space and planted out my Enorma runner beans along with a few Moonlight hybrids, I've never yet been one to go for the whole bean trench thing. A bit more rationalising of the greenhouse. Pondered on a strategy to deal with the ants that have taken up residence there. Didn't come up with anything more than hope they aren't too destructive.
The new plot neighbours arrived next door for a viewing. Felt very sorry for them as the grass is now 2 to 3 feet tall. Popped into the Riverford Organics cafe for a coffee and lentil pasty, then headed for the beach. Super. Now chilled out in the garden watching the cat in her element.
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Done yet MORE weeding, plus planted out a few dozen spring onions. Planted a couple more tom plants in the greenhouse borders (San Marzano and Red Pear) and tidied up seed trays, pots etc in the greenhouse
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Took the runners bean plants to the plot, and into the cold frame.
Managed to find places to put the onions grown from seed at last, they have been desperate to leave their modules for the last month.
Finished construction of the bean frame, ready for the runners.
Weeded, took out some huge buttercups.
Put shredded paper around the strawberry plants, there is quite a bit of fruit on, but still green and small.
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Raining in the morning, raining in the afternoon, and still raining. However tomorrow looks good so will put in a good shift with rest of runner beans going in, net the strawberries and get beds ready for curly kale.
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Beautiful day today, which made up for the torrential rain endured for the rest of the bank holiday.
On our plot, hand weeded the carrots and parsnips and sowed a handful more to fill the gaps. Took forever. Also weeded a couple of other beds and sowed a few more peas, again to fill gaps.
OH continued to dig out the side of our plot that we reclaimed after previous tenant left the plot next door. They had nicked about 8 foot and an apple tree prior to our arrival.
Planted out some red cabbage and celery on daughter's plot. Sowed some nasturtiums and marigolds in a container outside her shed. Also sowed some dill.
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Laid weed suppressant. Cut crosses and planted marrows and courgettes. Found that a) I hadn't got any yellow courgettes, although I distinctly remember them germinating. And b) I thought that membrane was supposed to let the rain through? Looks tidy though.
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Good weekend the weather not so bad here. We have pheasants up the allotments and I think they've been pecking out all my root crops. Resowed salsify and beetroot and covered with fleece. Put up canes at the end of my 1 year asparagus rows to support the plants on string between. Harvested broad beans and onions. Weeded everything. Weeds really taken off
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Tidied up the herb corner, already growing curly parsley, thyme, rosemary, chives, mint, I have added coriander and dill, never grown either of them before, taragon is in the poly it is still quite small, not sure if it should stay inside or will be ok outside, does anyone know please.
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Went down early this morning, couldn't sleep a wink last night so not in a pleasant mood. Tackled the weedy strawberry beds and then decided to cheer myself up with a wander round the local garden centre. Came away with 6 reduced grafted tomatoe plants now off to try and get a couple of hours sleeps I'm on a 12hr shift tonight.
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Not a sausage...
I'm wondering whether to make one last trip to the plot to bring home an asparagus plant (great for foliage to go with sweet peas).
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Planted sprout plants and covered with debris netting.
Weeded between onions and planted some broad beans. Later than most people but wasnt going to bother!
More weeding and whole plot looking better.
Came away when looked like heavy shower due :)
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Rain forecast but not a drop. Planted some more runner beans and tied them in. Finished edging the path with reclaimed decking boards.Only taken 12months. Netted the Strawberries.dug up the weed around the Rhubarb. Sprayed the Black Fly on the Broad Beans with a jet of clear water. In previous years I would have used an insecticide however this year we have a hugh number of Ladybirds and would not want to see them harmed.
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Planted out the runner beans, weeded.
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Weeded and earthed up the potatoes.
Most things have pushed through now so we have a chance of some veg for the table!
Cheers
Aled
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Got very wet :lol: so went home
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Did a mass planting out session - cauliflowers (2 types), Calabrese, pak choi and kohl rabi. Still not brave enough to put out the courgettes and squash as they look a bit pathetic. Leeks might go out in a week or 2 as they are looking quite fat already....
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Once again rain stopped play here. I have dug out the motorbike waterproof over trousers for tomorrow and am adamant that I will be going down tomorrow come rain or shine!
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Due to working, just a quick visit to carry on the ant eviction process in my greenhouse, only to find they seem to have moved on already due to the couple of soakings I gave them recently. They may be hiding but it's looking promising.
Apart from that, nothing but digging up food to eat. The promised rain has not really materialised, just a dribble. That's a shame as the water butt and potatoes could have done with a real soaking.
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Managed to get down for a couple of hours this morning. Planted out my tomatoes and courgettes under cover to protect them from a battering from the forecasted heavy showers.
The waterproof over trousers were a god send this morning, I looked like I had been mud wrestling rather than weeding. I'm crossing fingers and toes that the next couple of days stay dry as the veg plots weeds are attempting to stage a coup and it was too wet for me to get on hands and knees to hand weed!
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Plot 33, sowed some more runner beans, put down more blue pellets of death and started erecting the frame for the makeshift little polytunnel that will shelter some of the squashes when they go out at the weekend.
Plot 29 (ours as of 12:15 today).. Mike strimmed the whole plot :-)
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Been stuck in an office all day.. but at least managed to draw up and plan my new plot ready to start it the weekend :-)
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Planted out the spaghetti squashes, but put a cloche over as its a bit nippy for them
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planted out my runners and first dwarf french this evening. forecast for friday and saturday ok, but
sunday looks a bit on the biblical side, so i,ll go up tomorrow evening and fleece them.
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Put the last two panes of glass in the greenhouse, dropped some seedlings and stood on my partner's sunflower. I am so angry!!! :mad:
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Just took the temperatures in the greenhouse, cold frame and plot itself. We've been busy glossing the outside of the house and putting lights up in the new Gazebo in the garden.
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Planted out 3 of the climbing french beans, some of the others got a bit damaged in their trip in the pram from home to the plot, so they are going in the shed until they have sprouted again.
Noticed that the zinnias and asters have been savaged by slugs and the celeriac have disappeared. Probably too late to start more so no celeriac this year.
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First time for a week it's been dry enough to actually do something in the garden - weeded, supported delphs and asparagus shoots (they've done very well this year but a few have 'got away'), split French Tarragon, which grew throughout the winter in the GH, into 2 plants and planted them in different places, one of which will hopefully find favour, re-potted one of my 2 sunken mint pots.
Many herbaceous plants need slug/snail protection when they first start growing, but my Pacific Giant Delphiniums have had some of their unopened flower spikes attacked 4' from the ground - one of the culprits was having a rest on one of them, no doubt contemplating its next meal (unlucky - it's now in earth orbit!)
Made mental note - the slugs and snails will take some stopping this year - it won't be easy to make sure 2014 isn't the year the gastropods won! :ohmy:
A famous Winston Churchill WW2 speech suddenly came into mind - I definitely can't afford to lose this fight!
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Crossed my fingers and planted out sweetcorn, climbing French beans, runner beans, red peas, 3 outdoor tomatoes, 2 courgettes and a sunflower at the plot. It is warm today and the forecast for the next week is good.
OH started to dig out new raised bed and did more work on erecting new polytunnel.
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Lots and lots of weeding yesterday. Firmed up ground ready for curly kale. Sprayed apple trees to avoid repeat of last year when codling moth ruined half of the crop. Tied in fruit canes . Planted last of the courgettes in a raised bed . Had a few potatoes left over so planted them in plastic containers. Hope they grow before any blight attacks. Then home to look at more plants growing in seed trays and to wonder where to plant them on the allotment. Will continue with successional sowing .
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Quick early mornning trip, planted peas (about 200 plants) and weeded around garlic and potatoes.
Grendel
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Couple of hours at plot. Lots of weeding.
Decided to plant out the hardened off courgettes and butternut squash. a ring of slug pellets around them to minimize slug/snail damage! Loads of them this year >:(
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Couple of hours this afternoon. Dug over a new bed for my outdoor Tomato's to go in, in the morning. Weeded the beans, peas, mange tout sweetcorn and spuds. Made a note self, get some slug pellets, the little sods have got 2 of the green beans. >:(
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Planted out squashes, courgettes and lettuces.
Planted a row of marigolds in front of the French beans (that have all sprouted).
Dug over half my mates brassica house - as the leeks are ready to go in there. ;)
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most of the afternoon has been spent clearing out the shed, I was looking for an old double glazed door that was in there, this had been destined to be the door of the greenhouse when the shed was dismantled, but since the acquisition of the free lean to conservatory, we had discussed extending it by another meter, this door is 900mm wide so close enough, just right for an extra 1m roof panel, the greenhouse is now put back behind the conservatory build, so my holiday at the end of the week will be spent on brickwork I guess.
Grendel
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On the plot weeded garlic & shallots, did some hoeing to save a bit of time of the rest of onions & some bare ground. At home in the garden, more tidying,washed all blue trays to go to Lottie ready for this years garlic & onions to dry/store in. Washed more empty pots & swept up a bit of the patio before I get told off :tongue2:
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Planted out some tomatoes in pots at home.
Up at the allotment planted up two cucumbers, one inside polytunnel and one out, plus 2 tomatillos. Discovered a large bright green caterpillar in the polytunnel and squished it. It is the prime suspect for eating the growing tips off two peppers and having a go at one of the cucumbers.
Planted the aubergines in the polytunnel. They look puny as does the okra. Apart from the two who lost their growing tips the peppers have improved no end.
Weeded in the polytunnel and the rest of the outdoor beds.
Sowed some rocket and coriander.
OH continued to dig out new raised bed.
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Spot of weeding,tilled a bed and sowed 2 varieties of carrot mowed around the paths ;)
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Moved the 6 (yes 6 over night) piles of cat pooh from the wood chip paths. :mad: Planted out the runners, 5 purple podded and 4 desiree (white flowered - which is my preferred variety) . Most of those purple podded seeds came up blind, bit of a shame.
Planted out the hunter BNS and sunshine squash, I've kept it to just 4 plants along the trellis this year. Dismantled the blueberry cage and weeded - very poor yield on them again not good as they were already on their last written warning. Tied up a few of the raspberry and blackberry canes looks to be a bumper year for both.
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Planted out the 20 Tomato's as mentioned yesterday. Weeded and watered all around the beans, peas, sweetcorn etc. Put down a few slug pellets so the little sods an eat them instead. :)
Wife strimmed all around the paths, starting to look quite good now. That's not that hard to do really as me and the wife are the only one's who go down to the allotments these days. Everybody else seems to have given up. Got a few things to go in this week.
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Yesterday I hand weeded the veggie plot. I'm clearly not very good with a hoe. Planted some more runners to replace the munched ones I planted last week and sowed some dwarf French beans straight in the ground.
Today was fruit plot day , quick weed, tidy up and then cleared some of the overgrown patch on the new plot as I had convinced OH it was a good idea to have a BBQ.
Now at home with a stinking headache, probably brought on by lack of sleep as post night shift and too much sun
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Planted out red cabbage and cauliflower in new raised bed. Weeded a bit. Watered a bit.
Daughter has a pond on her new plot which is very overgrown with bindweed, couch grass and brambles. Cleared away a lot of that.
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A really nice morning . In between chatting to fellow allotment neighbours actually did some work. Emptied one compost bin and mulched around soft fruits and asparagus bed. Thinned carrots in tubs and put fleece around to prevent carrot fly. Fed dwarf beans and weeded amongst Red Cabbage . Wife popped in so had a tour of the plot to show her I have'nt been skiving these past few weeks.
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Spent couple of hours this morning weeding area for 4 courgettes, 2 yellow 2 green and my pumpkins, 6 of them. Will put them in next week with sweetcorn so hoping for dry week!
Weeded between onions. Gave up on no show carrots so dug it over and sowed turnip and beetroot seeds.
Still have more to plant/sew but running out of space as only half plot. Have fruit tree to dig up as covered with brambles so will have more space then. x
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Planted out spaghetti squash and courgettes. Helped the climbing and runner beans to wind round the poles. They seem to have got away nicely. Sowed two sorts of kale- dwarf curly and tuscan black. Sowed runners and climbers for second planting later. Harvested a nice crop of broad beans and some lovely large onions. Weeded everything and had a beer. Fed the greenhouse plants- tomatoes cucumbers and chillies.
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Picked our first bowl full of Strawberries and had them for pudding tonight :D
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we have already started picking raspberries. yum.
Grendel
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Put a wire up in the shed to hang the tomato plants on, while it rained and rained.
Discovered where the leaks in the new shed were.
Organised a cane storage system, well, 2 loops of wire hanging from eyelets screwed into the back of the shed.
Too wet to do anything else, plodged through new-made streams on the way home.
Our strawberries are still green, way off being ready to eat.
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Potted on some asparagus, planted out the pumpkins. Staked the corners of the beds on plot 29, so we know where they will be, and then started the mammoth job of weedkilling.
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Planted cucumber bought in France against some trellis attached to the side of the Munty frame. Never grown one of those before. Hope I get a cucumber!
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Nothing on my plots today as i had a few other gardening jobs on elsewhere also have one tomorrow but we will have rain :ohmy:
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Earthing up, and more earthing up! My runner beans are very slow to appear.
Cheers
Aled
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So far, watering, removing scapes from the garlic, picking flowers off the potatoes and worrying about the crispy bits starting to appear on some of the leaves, and picking a lettuce that has gone to seed for the chickens and some cherries for us.
Later, transplanting some tomatoes and planting out some Sonesta French beans.
I'm taking a weeding holiday today.
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Weed Weed Weed!
I put some french beans in as well and I weeded the final strawberry bed (as you can see from the pic taken halfway through, it was hard going). I tried to take some panoramic shots with my phone but essentially the space just ends up looking like a banana. :lol:
Also we've had a new queen delivered for the hive woohoo!, (hive is just to the top of the 3rd pic), so hopefully there's a good honey crop this year
Strawberries i am doing: Cambridge Favourite, Elsanta and Flamenco, so I am hoping to get a constant crop. Anyone any other strawberry suggestions?, to be honest i dont know much about the different varieties.
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Hoed up my carrot and parsnip seedlings. Germination too sparse to make them worth bothering with. I will plant my leeks there instead.
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spotted a no-spot ladybird.
Picked beans, planted beans.
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Planted out the courgettes and the gherkins :) , scattered liberal quantities of slug pellets to defend them against the hordes scenting fresh meat. >:(
I notice there are still no pods on the broad beans even though they are covered in flowers.
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5.30 - 7pm tonight was spent hoeing and weeding. Some more veg going in tomorrow night. Starting to look good now. :)
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So far, got all the pea netting in place and watered assorted plants. Collected first egg laid by Bridey.
This evening, plant out more lettuce and maybe the Paris onions. Water the potatoes.
Tomorrow, start on weeding and digging the winter veg patch. Really not looking forward to it.
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Planted 4 Baby Bear Pumpkins this morning, then spent the rest of the time weeding. Everything is growing but slower than last year.
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Removed 2 giant slugs from polytunnel and disposed of them. One was having a go at an aubergine, and the other was munching a pepper. Threw slug pellets about.
Left an association membership form in a prospective member's greenhouse.
Got wet and went home. Very heavy rain. Nobody else about.
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Hubby just put up the tom frame in the GH looks great, he then came home as it was too weat to do anything else.
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watered gh and pt and neighbours gh (he's gone away)
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Cut another few square metres of turf from the lawn.... ready for the rotovator tomorrow.
Netted the transplanted strawberry plants - not a lot of flower but plenty of green fruit.
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Bagged up lots of rubble removed from plot and took it to the tip. This pm going to the tree surgeons to collect lots of bark chippings for paths.
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Started digging through old compost pile from previous plot holders. Lot of carpet and plastic bags amongst some well rotted compost! They did like their carpet! >:(
Bit more to go another day then will be putting my sweetcorn there. Hopefully will get better crop because of compost.
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It had finally dried up a bit by yesterday evening so I ent ant tidied up. I mowed as best I could, weeded and tied up my peas. I gave everything that needed it a good dose of chicken manure pellets too. Things almost look tidy now until the weeds go mad again!!!
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De-weeded the plot and planted out my butternut squash and courgette plants.
Sprayed the bindweed patch with glyphosate weed killer, hopefully it will eradicate it!
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Got a burnt back :D strimmed, watered, planted my 5th lot of beans out ??? and planted up my 2nd brassica patch.
Dug over the rich soil for the cucumber area :D
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More hoeing this afternoon. Then planted Leeks, peppers and more sweetcorn. :)
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Spent much of the day in the garden - weather too good to waste! :)
All sorts of general catch-up and maintenance jobs, but finally decided it was time my 'Incredible' sweet corn faced the big wide world planted outdoors despite what the weather forecasters are hinting might be in store tomorrow (they apparently grow to 7' which means they've still got about 6' to go - we shall see what happens... ;))
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I popped down to the plot to put in another 2 rows of carrots as my daughter has a newfound taste for munching on baby carrots. The ones I planted originally will not last long!!! :)
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After Day one of my holiday comprising of Dentist (root canal plus 2 extractions, and the rest of the day waiting for 2 new tyres and a puncture repair (the locking nuts broke off and had to be removed), this morning started back at the tyre shop to have the non repaired punctured tyre replaced. Next came the rearrangement of the garden and removal of the decking to get ready to build the base wall for the new conservatory extension, so no plot yet, if the weather is not good enough for trench digging it will be plot tomorrow, to plant the half price asparagus plants that the wife bought (as if a free conservatory to put up wasnt enough to do.)
Grendel
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Put out my swede and kale seedlings. That is everything now! Courgettes looking decidedly dodgy and squash mostly died >:(
Picked lots of strawbs tho
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Tipped half a bucket of comfrey tea over my feet. YUK.
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3hours sieving the bonfire/ rubbish pile, 2 hours weeding the onions & broad beans. Bit bushed now :)
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An early start to avoid the rain allowing me to plant out the PSB and last sowing of minipop sweetcorn. Staked the asparagus, fed a few things with chicken pellets (impending rain should wash this nicely into the soil) and did lots of weeding.
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too wet this morning, so decided to finally start building my new shed, supervised by the cat,
(https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t1.0-9/10336795_264604747064225_7950247617929692352_n.jpg)
Sun is now out, so off to water the plants inside the greenhouse, hopefully a spot of weeding, and I need to measure my shed base at the lottie, I may have made the frame a little too wide ???
edit: shed will fit the base no problem, oh and I lifted all my garlic, the bulbs have swelled nice and large, opened one for tonight's meal :tongue2:
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Bravely braved a dodgy knee to get to the plot. Took me thrice as long to walk there as usual - so 15 mins or thereabouts.
Planted the last 12 of my sweetcorn - took me over an hour and all I was doing was cutting though fabric, scooping out a hole and putting the plants in.
Ten minutes of hoe action...
Bit of a chat - someone naughty has been putting the old render from a house refurb down as a pathway between beds... tut tut.
Absolutely cream crackered by the time I'd staggered home. Glass of lager later and all is well...
Cheers,
Balders
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just a quick visit with all of us to have a look round and see what needed doing (weeding and planting) I need to spend a whole day at each 1/2 plot, just to get it back under control. I know where I will be spending my next few weekends.
Grendel
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A good two hours in sunshine. Temperature around 20degrees.soil felt warm. Last of the runner beans in, row of curly kale in with second row in tomorrow. 4 beef tomatoes in poly tunnel. Weeded and weeded. Apple trees tomorrow will get some help to battle codling moth.
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Re-homed three blackcurrant bushes to little Ann. Moved the last 9 Big slabs up the hill and 6 smaller slabs down to little Ann.
Re- homed 30-35 raspberry canes who were just growing where they felt like it....... Not anymore
Put in cucumbers in greenhouse, put out swiss chard. Potted on some bits at home.
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Got soaked to the bone pulling groudnsel up and bringing garlic indoors to dry :ohmy:
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Planted my Musselburgh leaks at last. Soil nicely moist so easy to dib, and the hole held together well in the clay soil.
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Three beautiful hours of weeding done, very happy, not one other person on site. Then they all turned up and it was another two hours drinking tea. I feel like a new woman :lol:
Got home and potted up 5 stray rooting gooseberries.
Hubby now gone up to help one of the old girls put in some posts for her soft fruits.
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Took the cloche off the spaghetti squashes and there are flowers with baby squashes behind them!
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Currently sitting in the greenhouse at home with a can of cider, magazine and feet up :blush: :tongue2:
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Took lower leaves off toms. Fed them with comfrey tea. Took out all side shoots and tied in any that needed it. Fed marrows and courgettes with a general purpose liquid fertiliser.
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Weeded around my onions and admired the stalks that were some of my sprouts!
Most have survived but cabbages and cauli nibbled too! x
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Netted strawbs pulled lots more garlic, a few lettuce planted sweetpeas built a fence at lottie #1 filled ibc tank took 1hr 15 mins ;)
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Weeding, weeding and more weeding.
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Hubby went with me to put up the raspberry supports & to build the Munty frame for the beans. Then I got the beans in-runners,yellow climbing,purple podded,borlottie & for the first time yard long. Then I planted my remaining 3 sunflowers for the competition on here. Then in went the beetroot modules, a dozen Swiss chard plants & a few dwarf French beans. All got well watered,paths swept, all old canes & sticks put ready for the next bonfire. A few cups of tea & a sit in the shade. Didn't expect hubby to stay so long & help that much.
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Well another weekend been and gone!
I feel as if the garden is getting somewhere as i was able to harvest some radishes, the runner benas have eventually poked through, and beetroot & carrots look good. potatoes are grwoing daily. I've also had 4 potato & 2 tomatoes grow out of nowhere in the garden. I think they have come from the compost i have put in. One of the potato plants grew from a peeling which was in my worm bucket ( i always have a bucket of earth worms at the ready for sea trout fishing in a flodd) so i planted it where there was a gap, and it seems to be growing! Will i get some foood from it??? Earthed up and did some weeding so its looking OK. Going to have an hours fishing tomorrow evening.
Cheers
Aled
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The hardest weekend gardening EVER!
We have been away for 3 months so Saturday was spent finding where exactly the garden was under a huge mass of weeds. OH spent entire day mowing; I think he might have been better with scythe!
I had prepared my raised beds before leaving so after a wee bit of raking and an application of growmore Sunday was spent planting seeds
Bed 1: curley parsley ,flat leaf parsley, coriander
Bed 2: oriental mustard leaves, Komatsuma, rocket and purslane
Bed 3: beetroot, turnip (oasis) and pak choi
Bed 4: parsnips
We started each day before 7am and only stopped when it was time for a glass of wine :D
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Last week I put my dill plants outside, I have never grown dill before and was not sure how they would thrive outside. Today they were definately looking sad so I put them back in the poly tunnel in a big pot..
I planted rhubarb chard seeds in a dozen little pots, I got them in a mag, I have never grown chard before, only eaten it once and found it a bit tough, will just have to see how it grows.
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Weeded the onion bed (couldn't see how well the onions were doing for the weeds!!)
Onion fertiliser is brilliant stuff but it really makes those weeds grow too! :lol:
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Tied the sweat peas up as they are growing like mad and pinched off the tendrils. I've never grown them as single shoots ...is the proper term cordon ? I keep looking at them because they do look rather professional even if I do say so myself :D
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Planted out spring onions, 1 row each of North Holland Blood Redmate and Kyoto Market. Sowed 2 rows of radish, 1 each of French Breakfast 3 and Crimson Giant. Planted out some red mizuna, komatsuna and pak choi (I've gone all oriental). Also planted out some turnips and 5 "Gilfeather's Turnip Swede thing" from Real Seeds.
Tied up the peas. Weeded the strawberries and carrots. Watered the polytunnel but not the half with the peppers.
OH arrived with lots of scaffolding planks for more raised beds, which other kind plotholders helped us unload.
One of my experimental Starley Red Peas isn't looking too healthy. The leaves have gone a bit blistery and reddish, but the rest are OK. Will take a pic next time I am up at the plot.
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sadly the plot has been neglected, despite having 4 days holiday, the first day was taken up with dentist and tyres, then a day dismantling the decking, a wet day, then 2 days trench digging and pouring footings, today has been bricklaying, then at least a weeks rest while the mortar and concrete fully cures before it will be time to pour the concrete base. Thus no time for plot until next weekend as its back to work for the rest of this week.
Grendel
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Planted out some red cabbage and caulis netted them and got soaked to the skin in a torrential dounpour, but on the good side it means I can push my annual bath a few weeks now ;) :tongue2:
WW 8)
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Watered everything thoroughly, finished fixing landscaping fabric to the bed frames for one of the new paths - just need woodchip on top now. OH built one of the bean arches, and grazed on strawberries for breakfast. Everything is starting to romp away - and no more fox damage to the spuds so far. :)
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Put in another row of peas and extended the netting to cover them. Sowed YET MORE carrots, in the hope that this time they will germinate. Took up my last piece of plastic sheeting, and rotavated the exposed ground. Picked some strawberries, and that was about it.
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Weeded the strawberry bed. Gave a seaweed feed to a few plants. Watered and weeded in polytunnel. Planted out more spring onions.
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Very productive day. Cleared old compost corner, weeded, dug over and pulled up bricks, old posts and rubbish! Ready now for my sweetcorn :)
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Lots, 8 hours of it. Had a big bonfire. Weeded under the fruit trees,a trimmed the last grass path & raked it all up & added it to the bonfire.
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I have eaten my first home grown produce today. Some lovely radishes for lunch.
Cheers
Aled
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picking strawberries, hundreds of em !!!
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Too much! It was turf cutting (and then moving) day on the new plot!
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plots needed tidying, This morning I was out of the door at 6.30, 7 hours up the plot. hedge trimmed, paths strimmed, unplanted area rotovated, then replanted the french beans, (allottment assoc are putting a herris fence around the allottment inside the hedge, unfortunately my french beans had a few weeds (even I couldnt find the beans)the bed had been trampled in installing the fence, so it was weeded, rotovated and replanted. more peas and beans planted and weeding done in the foot high grass patch, so now you can see the onions, garlic and potatoes to hoe between plants.
Grendel
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Nothing (unfortunately), much to do, but upon inspection this morning the plot was too wet after the 30mm of rain last night.
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Planted several varieties of main spuds after digging up 1st earlies planted 350 block beetroot, dug more garlic onions, beetroot, spuds, planted more lettuce planted turks head gourds picked strawberries, rhubarb cucumber and gherkins :D
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Attacked the asparagus beetle and grubs with a mixture of squishing and spray. :mad: :mad: :mad:
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Cut down the haulms from the Pentland Javelins and burned them due to blight. Sprayed the rest of the potatoes and harvested some Sharpe's Express.
Helped OH put up the metal framework for the large polytunnel.
Picked a lettuce and some more garlic scapes.
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I haven't been since Thursday and I am amazed at how everything has grown.
Seeds have sprouted that have been sitting doing nothing for days, and I've got pea pods and bean pods, and ripe strawberries! And the apples have doubled in size...and sweet peas! And I've got a frog in my new pond... :)
The downside is that the weeds have also germinated well and there is a green fuzz over the surface of the beds where I spread home made compost. I knew there would be a price to pay for all that free compost. :nowink:
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On Father's Day... rushed about putting up a new front fence for my mother with the help of my son and Mrs Plots.
Then... nipped to the veg plot next-door to find the flipping foxes (or nextdoor's dog?) had jumped all over my brassica patch as the debris netting frame was flopped, lots of muddy paw prints and some of the plants snapped. >:( Rather took the edge off a relaxed and productive Sunday.
Oh well... at least I have a veg patch to be trampled. ::)
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Just got back from a couple of hours down there. On a late shift this week (2pm-11pm), weather permitting should be down there every morning this week. Wife was weeding, strimming paths and edges while I was digging over a small plot ready for cabbages and broccoli.
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We went down yesterday pm and strimmed the paths but it got too warm to do anything else. So I got up early this morning and went back up while it was still cool. Tied in the Tom's, planted some of the Dahlias, planted some Lettuce and sowed some Beetroot to replace the sowings which never came to anything. Then I did some weeding and watering before I came home for lunch.
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I have eaten my first home grown produce today. Some lovely radishes for lunch.
Cheers
Aled
Way to go, Aled! :D Radishes were also the first home-grown produce of my own I ever ate. Still remember the satisfaction they gave me and still grow them in their honour!
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Weeded, watered, fed tomatoes in polytunnel. Peered at remaining potatoes. They looked OK. Neighbour has removed blighted potato foliage.
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Weeding feeding harvesting and watering :D
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painted shed, made a compost bin out of old fence panels,
then tried to stop my daughter eating all the strawberries.
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3 hours weeding with a brake to make a cup of tea. Looks a lot better . Watered and replaced trap for codling moth.counted 24 moths on the sticky sheet. First of the beet root harvested along with new potatoes and strawberries. Left the plot heading for the beach for some R & R.
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Pulled one of the potatoes, but they were all still small, so they have got some growing to do yet.
Picked more strawberries, fed the squashes, watered seedlings and beans.
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Watered - it's dust dry already. Planted out some icebergs and some beetroot then scattered more blue pellets of death.
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new shed coming along nicely, and picked more strawberries, for breakfast, for lunch, and for tea
(https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t1.0-9/10297880_270484663142900_4028409758185763002_n.jpg)
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Pulled some of the grass out from around the raspberries, picked a few strawberries and a couple of globe artichokes before they open too much ::)
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Extended a wall to give me another area to use for an odd shaped raised bed. Tried to weed but was beaten back by all the bees ::) Despatched Micky and 4 of his relatives, I expect he has a large extended family so I've ordered more traps. Bit of a clean up and then watered the beetroot and icebergs I put in yesterday.
Doesn't seem a lot to do very little clearing, planting or harvesting - feels odd, normally I'm running around like a headless chicken this time of year. :wacko:
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Just managed an hour after work, so watered and weeded :D
WW 8)
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Watered (I decided hose was needed for the first time this year...), squished some asparagus grubs and ate some strawberries.
(Special thanks go to the gentleman who popped home to get a hose attachment-the one on the tap had disappeared rendered the hose unconnectable).
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Planted more leeks caulis and savoy put netting over strawbs and tied b beans in watered gh's and pt stopped toms :)
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Spent an hour and a half last night tidying up a few weeds and sowing more carrots.
Netted the peas as the sparrows are attacking the foliage!
Watered the plot, plenty on the spuds!
Tied in the runner beans, the wife planted them 6" away from the canes ::)
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Cheers Snoop, lettuce eaten last night.
Flowers on tomato plants.
Getting there slowly!
Cheers
Aled
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Watered broad beans and things in pots. Need to take the hose up to the plot as I am now on 30+ watering cans for a thorough plot soaking.
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Thinned and transplanted Cos and Little Gem lettuces, dug up enough Rocket spuds to make enough space for my leeks, which are now dibbed and watered in (how is it that when you count them in the tray there are 'X' plants which you then make sufficient room for, but when you tip them out there are 'X x 1.5' ? ::) :lol:)
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Watered with the hose this morning after work.
After 4 hot days I thought I'd better! Everything shooting up and looking fab ;)
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Watered everything at around noon totally wrong time but tied up rest of day
Cheers HH
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Hubby is watering and weeding as normal. I think he needed an escape after walking in after a serious play date which meant my garden looked like a beach. LOL hey hoe the kids have never had so much fun. :lol:
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Sieved last weeks bonfire, & added it to the fire bin & set fire to the remains. 10 barrow loads of compost trundled to the squash bed, covered with membrane & 4 gherkins planted. 2ornamental gourds planted with the sweet corn.. 3 barrow loads of compost dug in to bed for tomatoes to be planted out tomorrow. Watered beans,sweet corn,beetroot & chard plantings.
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Planted out some dwarf french beans (purple queen), watered and fed the squashes and tomatoes. Tied in various wandering stems.
Picked strawberries, pulled winter onions, picked sweet peas.
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Nothing today just a quick check,all weeding was done yesterday now I'm of to Wales for week.
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Planted out calabrese and Romaine.
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Another couple of hours last night for me and the wife!
Planted out Moore cabbage, red and spring, calabrese, cauliflower, kale.
Dibbed in the leeks, winter giant and Musselburgh.
Watered the plot and added more netting over the brassicas!
Mel
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Cut the tops off my remaining first and second earlies. The blight had spread despite spraying. Thankfully maincrop appear to be unaffected so far. Weeded. Watered. Picked onions, garlic, shallots and strawberries.
OH did more work on new raised bed.
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Had very productive few hours on plot. Planted sweetcorn and built little wall around them all for shelter out of plastic panels. Looks good!
OH finally managed to dig tree up after 3rd visit! Left very big hole which took long time to dig over area and rake level. Plot looks so much better as tree was covered in brambles, grass, weeds and looked mess, Also stopped me planting near it too so space limited.
x
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Planted more leeks and cabbage out watered gh's and pt 8)
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Another hour after work, I watered & weeded whilst SWMBO (Nix) planted the Cannellini beans.
WW 8) & Nix
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Planted the courgettes & pumpkins out & the spare tomato plants, all 27 :ohmy: of them, oh & the soya beans.
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Watered the plot and polytunnel. Then filled up the waterbutts.
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I've been in work all day, but Nix spent the morning down the plot.
She's planted two dozen leeks (Musselburgh) and two more rows of Beetroot - one of Burpees Golden and one of Chioggia.
As well as another tom plant that was found hiding in the greenhouse.
WW 8) & Nix
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Planted a whole bed of leeks out. Trimmed hedge and dug out weeds underneath. Weeded. Watered. Picked lettuce, pathetic beetroot (v small) and some overwintered onions that are ready.
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What?! Has nobody else but me been working on their plot today? I'm surprised at you all, on a lovely day like today!
Dug up another split onion, which is very annoying.
Also pulled all my garlic, it has a bad dose of rust and I left it for a while but it has just got worse with the leaves all shrivelled. The bulbs seem okay, not the biggest bulbs I ever had, but usable.
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What?! Has nobody else but me been working on their plot today? I'm surprised at you all, on a lovely day like today!
I spent all day trying to dig out the root ball of an ash tree. Im 3 foot down and have been pounding at the roots with the mattock most of the day. It has been anything but lovely :mad: Over the years I've done this so many times I've lost count, but this one might actually beat me. :ohmy:
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I forget to post here now I have my diary!! :D
I dug over and weeded the 'long bed' and planted out 4 tomatoes to trial outdoor toms and transplanted a load of lettuce seedlings and thoroughly watered everything first thing :)
Oh and I planted out a couple of more squashes - not very successful with these this year. :(
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Hi Annen, I think we were too exhausted to post earlier. More hedge trimming. Made some comfrey tea. Planted out various left over plants and celeriac (ever hopeful) in spare spaces. Watered. Weeded. Tied up the climbing peas. OH levelled paths and did lots of soil sifting. Picked a lettuce.
On a slightly different note, whilst trimming hedge found some illicit drugs hidden in the hedge. Makes a change from a wasp nest that a neighbour trimmed through last weekend. Third similar find in a matter of weeks. Presumably left behind by our nocturnal plot visitors. Disposed of same and reported to our local PCSO. You shouldn't have to deal with that on the plot, should you?
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Made a frame for the 4 gherkin plants to grow up, planted the 3extra pumpkin plants I bought on Friday when trying to get butternut squash plants ???, planted 2litre bottles next to same plus all the sweet corn & 2 ornamental gourds. Watered all the same plus the tomatoes. That was on the first visit this morning. Then back again after dinner with hubby, he watered all the climbing beans,chard beetroot& peas. I watered the raspberries, picked them & 3lbs of goosegogs.
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Lifted all the Garlic as the rust had taken over. The bulbs are OK but not huge should have been left until mid/late August. The variety was Marco does anyone know if this variety is prone to rust or was it just the mild Winter?
Watered and planted out the last of the Brassicas.
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Couple of hours yesterday was spent weeding my next patch to get ready and building the frame and putting netting up over the cabbage. Dam bird's. >:(
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Early rise to water the spuds and keep the nematodes alive. Am keeping a close eye on the leaves as everyone else on site uses a hose to water theirs and they tend to create their own Smith periods... ::) Also stuck in some replacement achocha and noticed that the salsify, which is supposed to be a slow germinator, is already up in the tub.
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Lifted all the Garlic as the rust had taken over. The bulbs are OK but not huge should have been left until mid/late August. The variety was Marco does anyone know if this variety is prone to rust or was it just the mild Winter?
Watered and planted out the last of the Brassicas.
I grew Marco last year and they were fine, but this year they were smothered in rust. I would think it's just the mild winter followed by the strange weather we had this spring.
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Just back from a couple of hours on plot 33, de-runnering 1st year Strawberry plants, and potting runners from older ones. Too hot out there now, so will be back later for work on plot 29.
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... but this one might actually beat me. :ohmy:
It put up a good fight for 3 days but in the end I always win :D
That's now cleared the patch in front of the chicken run, I think I should be able to get 3-4 rhubarb plants along the fence line where I've removed the tree from. :)
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Planted lots more spuds :D
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2 more visits since my first post today
Visit 2:Planted the 2nd squash bed on plot 29
Visit 3: Watering on plot 33 (until we realised it was likely to rain), and in the flyaway on 29
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More climbing and runner beans went out. More summer squash plantd out. Harvested all my autumn sets of onions. Some nice big Onions but about 5% had white rot. Dug over the bed BFB and cauliflower and Kale went in. Weeded and watered. The International Kidney potatoes are looking fantastic, I can see a few laying on top of the bags.
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Put out 3 rhubarb plants (2 Victoria , 1 Glaskin), how long do you think before I kill them ::) , built the worlds most rickety bean frame for some cobra climbing beans . Found the pots of sweat peas Id sown and forgotten about - they're rather crispy ! :ohmy:
Looking around everything seems to have just stopped, we're forecast some rain at the end of the week hopefully that will kick start everything again.
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Pulled up my first, first early today. Arran pilot, planted them on the 25 march, so exactly three months
from plot to plate. delish
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Spot of weeding and watering gh's and pt ;)
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Topped up the comfrey barrel with water.
Started to tackle the jungle that is the raspberries and weeds!!!!!!! :mad:
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Planted out my parsnips (in paper pots, so I hope they do OK), weeded and counted melons.
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Weeded pt and all 5 gh's and watered ;)
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Sounds busy out there! :)
I sowed: sweet william seed, oriental salad, mixed salad and more beetroot.
Picked strawberries.
Watered.
Cut one 120' hedge, trimmed three others and nipped back indoors to sort out dinner.
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Bit of weeding this morning, and dug up a few spuds for this evening's meal. Allotment check today from committee, I wonder who are going to get the grumpy letters this time?
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watered the beans, but we need some rain here please...anybody?
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Got loads of work done today. All the front beds weeded, all the paths strimmed, everything fed and watered. The PT tidied up.
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Yesterday: sowed mixed salad leaf, oriental salad, sweet william, spinach and more beetroot.
The usual watering, hedge & lawn cutting.
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Having not been down for over 2 weeks because life seemed to get in the way I was worried about what I would find.... Ragwort and willow herb were attempting to take over the world :mad: so spent both days this weekend doing LOTS of weeding. I can't wait for my hoe to arrive as I could barely move my back last night!
I also dug up a third of my potatoes, harvested the small amount of gooseberries (only their first year so am pleased) and the last of the peas.
Despaired at the state of the onions and the rubbish germination of beetroot again. All brassicas doing well though.
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Was great to get up to the allotment and having a stroll around and chat, looking at everyones plots, before getting ready for work tonight!
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Lots of watering, everything is dry. The broad bean tops were drooping and all growth has slowed to a stop just about.
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Planted out my purple sprouting very early this morning and took the shears to a load of weeds in among the aubergines and peppers. Watered the sweetcorn and onions in the winter veg patch. So glad I planted these onions: Fuentes and really good at this time of year in salads. Counted the winter squash that have formed and looked at a huge flush of male flowers, which have come after a huge flush of female flowers. You'd think plants would somehow manage to get their flowers a bit more co-ordinated.
Late last night dug up and weeded ground to put a dozen lettuce in. Plants bought by Mr Snoop at JM's. Looking good this morning, they were. Hope they survive the sun today.
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Having not been down for over 2 weeks because life seemed to get in the way I was worried about what I would find.... Ragwort and willow herb were attempting to take over the world :mad: so spent both days this weekend doing LOTS of weeding. I can't wait for my hoe to arrive as I could barely move my back last night!
I also dug up a third of my potatoes, harvested the small amount of gooseberries (only their first year so am pleased) and the last of the peas.
Despaired at the state of the onions and the rubbish germination of beetroot again. All brassicas doing well though.
I know the feeling - I haven't been able to get down for a couple of weeks, as I have to fill the base for the conservatory with concrete, unfortunately we cant get a mixer into the garden so its all getting mixed manually in a wheelbarrow.
Grendel
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Lifted the winter onions that have turned over and put them to dry, still about half standing bolt upright.
Picked Jessy and Excellenz peas. Picked half a bucketful of Red Epicure broad beans.
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Watered!
Started weeding the mess that is my raspberry patch. Got to just prune some canes back now, so get more fruit instead.
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Took some bricks and blocks down to the allotment that I scrounged from a local building site!
I will put them in place tomorrow.
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Filled up 2 petrol cans and delivered for allotment society machinery.
Watered. Fed maincrop potatoes with chicken manure pellets. Testing if the fox is still around!
Wondered at the 2 tiny okra that have appeared on my one tiny okra plant in the little polytunnel. Also have some v small sweet yellow peppers and a yellow chilli pepper, some cucumbers and 4 little tomatoes showing.
Sprayed pak choi, mizuna and komatsuna to try and get rid of the flea beetle. Really odd, we never have flea beetle on our plot, but my daughter's plot a hundred yards away is riddled with it.
Dug out the Pentland Javelins and Charlottes 2 weeks after cutting the haulms down for blight. Obviously smaller crop than expected, but they seem OK.
Planted out cavolo nero kale and a couple of lettuces. Harvested lots of soft fruit and Wizard field beans.
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Dug up my Lady Cristal spuds in case they're sick - pretty good crop underneath the soil ;)
Picked a huge amount of broad beans.
Charged up the strimmer - will need to cut the grass up there tomorrow ::)
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Dug and raked a bed for more peppers. Babs decided it was a good place for a dust bath so promptly scattered it all everywhere.
Dug up the last of the Dunluces. Found a few slugs and other assorted beasties but no damage to the potatoes, which look fantastic. Bridey decided to gobble up the unexpected treat.
Started weeding a bed for more French beans but got too hot, so gave up.
Not a very productive session really, apart from the potatoes.
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Installed three blue barrels next to the shed, just have to get the guttering done now! Used some of the bricks/blocks I scrounged yesterday.
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Dug over the last area in the bottom of the plot and planted out Tuscan Kale baby plants or 'plantlings' as I like to call them. :)
Planted out some more lettuce seedlings in various gaps,
Made the insect mesh framework over the PSB taller as I got some new mesh today and it was a bit bigger tha what I had already, so hopefully that we cover them right through the winter.
Strimmed the grass at the top of the plot. Will get this bit sorted out one day but I need the new shed first.
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Planted lots more spuds :D
really? I'd like to do that too. When will they be ready and are they a special variety?
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Watered parts of the plot I missed from the last time.
Sowed 2 rows of carrots, spring onions and flat leaved parsley.
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Finished weeding the bed for French beans, planted out peppers and white aubergines. Started weeding pea bed, but ground far too soft after yet more rain last night.
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Picked the last load of broad beans and had a go at turning some of the soil over. Even with standing on either the fork or the spade I can't get into it! :ohmy: This is not going to be fun. Have come home for a rest and to get out of the sun.
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Picked the last load of broad beans and had a go at turning some of the soil over. Even with standing on either the fork or the spade I can't get into it! :ohmy: This is not going to be fun. Have come home for a rest and to get out of the sun.
I know the feeling!
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Planted lots more spuds :D
really? I'd like to do that too. When will they be ready and are they a special variety?
planted some albert bartlett red rooster,saxon,desiree,kerrs pink,pentland dell,pentland hawk and maris piper,2 inches tall already im hoping they be ready sept/oct sometime.
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Last night, potted up peppers and started off more dwarf French beans.
This morning, planted out climbing beans, dug over and raked a new bed. Had to chase Bridey off the beans several times. She might finish them off before the spider mite do. Need to find some kind of protection till she can't get at the growing tips at least.
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Popped up to see the effect of the rain. Thought about doing the 5 or 6 hours of work needed to sow second carrot and pea crops, sort the greenhouse, and get the plot a bit ship shape. Decided not to bother and head for the coast path instead. I'll do it tomorrow ::) I'm getting more like the cat every day.
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Planted lots more spuds :D
really? I'd like to do that too. When will they be ready and are they a special variety?
planted some albert bartlett red rooster,saxon,desiree,kerrs pink,pentland dell,pentland hawk and maris piper,2 inches tall already im hoping they be ready sept/oct sometime.
Old bloke next to me used to do 2 plantings, you'll be fine if you can keep the blight off them.
Pulled the castano garlic - bit of a mixed bag some good sized others supermarket size. Digging the bed over though the wood started to fall apart :( Seems 5 years is all Im going to get out of them. Which means a bit of a rethink before I put the leeks in as everything will need changing / replacing over winter.
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Last night: water up from well and a huge watering session. Mr Snoop gave the melons a right good dowsing, all over the leaves. Shame as they're starting to get a fungal disease after all the rain... Am keeping shtum. Will be out with the copper-sulphate early next week to keep it all in check.
Very optimistic this morning: started off some more sweetcorn in paper pots. One year I started some on 23 June and it was ready by early September. Really surprised me. Am really pushing it this time though. First frost mid-October, though daytime temps will still be warm... Will note in diary so I remember.
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Down to the plot after a week away. How things can change. Neighbour collected Courgettes for me , to stop them becoming marrows. Picked purple and green dwarf beans, gooseberries ( excellent year for these ) beet root , last of broad beans ,first main crop potatoes , just checking by pulling up one plant. Now sign of any blight on the site. Now at home to start freezing whilst watching the Grand Prix.
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Now at home to start freezing whilst watching the Grand Prix.
Plenty of time to do your freezing! ::) :D
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Weeded and picked a few raspberries that were ripe, plucked a few carrots and turnips and picked the mangetout that were ready. ;)
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spent all of yesterday mixing concrete for the conservatory base, with the plan to pop to the plot this morning, it only stopped raining here about an hour ago.
Grendel
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Tied up the fruit bushes, picked blackcurrants again. Weeded, dibbed in a small batch of leeks. Pulled turnips and cursed at the woodlice. Disturbed an ants nest in the beetroot bed, re-sowed some beets in the bed quick before the ants got me. Planted some kale, picked a cucumber ( the first ) had two cups of tea with a fellow plotter. Took up a small bed of spuds. 15lb not bad seen as they had gone iver to blight.
Picked toms, picked a cabbage. Came home and cooked a huge dinner
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Got soaked to the bone digging taties :mad: but we really needed the rain ,thank you up there :lol:
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Popped along this afternoon to pick raspberries for a cocktail ::)
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Hard day today done some digging 8ft by 8ft, the mud was very very hard, fork would only just go in it, coming up in big blocks, added manure & compost mixed with woodchip, very hard to break down into small pieces,
Got told today by anther allotmentie that the last person who had my plot never dug it has he had a bad back he just put manure on top of the seeds he wanted to use
Also told today I cant light my fire because the corner house over the road complains she cant open her windows, it was 630pm when I was going to light the fire.
Been told to put a pallet in the corner and put the long bundles of grass on that then put anther pallet on top and leave it there. what a joke.
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Mowed the grass paths (my manual lawnmower is my new favourite toy!), did lots more weeding, harvested some French beans, runners a cabbage and rhubarb. Need to sort out the strawberry bed - if has turned into a strawberry plant jungle!
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Hard day today done some digging 8ft by 8ft, the mud was very very hard, fork would only just go in it, coming up in big blocks, added manure & compost mixed with woodchip, very hard to break down into small pieces,
Got told today by anther allotmentie that the last person who had my plot never dug it has he had a bad back he just put manure on top of the seeds he wanted to use
Also told today I cant light my fire because the corner house over the road complains she cant open her windows, it was 630pm when I was going to light the fire.
Been told to put a pallet in the corner and put the long bundles of grass on that then put anther pallet on top and leave it there. what a joke.
Sounds like the digging is hard-going. I'm intrigued by the woodchip. I've been told that sawdust and the like can take an age to break down. What kind of woodchip are you using?
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Its just very small shavings mixed with compost and rotted down thorn leaves, added it as the mud is just clumping together when dry the mud is to hard when wet its like clay it helps to break it up
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5 more days before i dig up my first potatoes!
Lovely
Aled
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Sewed more turnip and beetroot as rows are bit sparce!
Dug up third of red onions and mostly good size, few small but lovely.
Watered courgettes and pumpkins which are really slow to get going. One courgette been badly eaten and never had this before. Last year had healthy productive plants.
Bit of weeding and picked few strawberries.
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Its just very small shavings mixed with compost and rotted down thorn leaves, added it as the mud is just clumping together when dry the mud is to hard when wet its like clay it helps to break it up
As I understand it, wood shavings actually absorb nitrogen from the soil as part of the process of breaking down, so if you're hoping to plant in these areas this year, make sure you add more, especially for leafy plants like brassicas.
My progress today: not much, just watering and one intercontinental ballistic missile of a green courgette not spotted yesterday.
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Spent an hour on the plot this morning, last daytime during the week as will be back to work on Thursday :nowink:
Removed an old lawn mower that has been on the plot since we took over in April, I want to try to turn it into a hand powered shredder!!
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Picked beans and got soaked, everything is sopping
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Filled up the water butts with hose pipe. While waiting for these to fill, sowed a few salad seeds, kohl rabi, fennel.
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Watered polytunnel and tied up the tomatoes. Weeded, picked fruit and other harvesting.
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Didn't get to the allotment until this evening, did a little more digging, then the fresh hot steaming horse manure got delivered so spent 3hrs taking lots to my plot.
now waiting for my chicory & spring cabbage also lettuce seeds to be posted to me.
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Did plot inspections inbetween showers - apart from the usual few who need warnings it was fantastic to see some of the new plots that have been completely turned round. Need to investigate when and how to spray marestail (by a professional) as we're finally looking into how to deal with a plot that is over-run with the stuff.
Planted out my cucumbers and some of the potted oca which does look a bit miserable and marvelled at the strawberry runners. Bought more compost on the way back from hospital for a weekend of pegging runners into pots sometime soon. Sowed kale.
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Squished lots and lots and lots of asparagus beetles. :mad: :mad: :mad:
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Hurried watering session. Overslept and had to get it done before the bees arrived for water from the barrels. Once they've descended, there's no chance. This year, there are about 60 beehives close to us. That's a heck of a lot of bees. They even bee-tle about in the pots in which I'm growing seeds to get the water and minerals out of the compost. Mind you, the pollination of the melons has been spectacular this year, so I'm not complaining. Yet. It'll be a miracle if we get much sweetcorn, as they steal all the pollen from the male flowers before the females open. Only wish the squash plants could get their acts together - it's all male or all female flowers and ne'er the twain do meet. Looks like we'll be low on squash this year, bees or no bees.
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Hurried watering session. Overslept and had to get it done before the bees arrived for water from the barrels. Once they've descended, there's no chance.
Only wish the squash plants could get their acts together - it's all male or all female flowers and ne'er the twain do meet. Looks like we'll be low on squash this year, bees or no bees.
One of our water tanks is the bees favourite and it's difficult to get at it some days. I've spent ages rescuing swimmers with a long piece of woodchip!
Picked courgettes which had been hiding and are now a bit big (courgette surprise tonight!), and noticed a flower on one of the potimarrons was open so rushed to find a male flower to pollinate it. I've had a bad record with male/female flower timing too and have already had to remove 4 rotting female flowers from the Crown Prince and the Tonda Padana. :( No male flowers on the seed circle courgettes at the moment either, but at least 2 courgettes have set from that and are already each over a foot long.
Found 3 ripe tomatoes in the culticave and ate them as watering snacks. very windy here today, so am hoping that the tomatoes in large pots will be ok.
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Weeded lots. Picked lots more soft fruit. Gave beans and peas a seaweed feed. Harvested broad beans, turnips, lettuce and peas? My turn to clean the allotment toilet, thankfully not too bad this time.
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Yesterday, dug up half the shallots (going a bit soft in the neck) and tied up the last of the toms. Made a home-made fly trap from a plastic water bottle with chicken poop for bait. Works a treat (unsurprisingly).
This morning so far: hoped to do some planting out but still far too windy for plants to survive. So cut down some weeds (could have shouted "timberrrr" for a few of them, they were so thick and tall) instead and gave everything a good watering. Am now about to go and tie up some sprouts and pepper plants.
Edited to add: didn't tie up the sprouts and pepper plants. Dug up half the Charlottes instead. They're so big they're busting out of the ground and starting to go green, so I thought I'd better dig them up. I have no idea what we're going to do with so many potatoes. These past few years, I've bought maybe 40 kg of potatoes a year (Mr Snoop likes bread and I like rice). But I've picked more than that already and I've still got half the Charlotttes and all of the Picassos (main cop) to go. This is my first successful attempt at growing potatoes and I'm a bit outfaced to tell the truth.
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first trip to the plots for about 4 weeks, what with the weather, work and having to build a conservatory base, not too bad, but weeds as expected, also potatoes look like some need to be started digging up, so tidying to be done - today was supposed to be dry here, but everything is still sopping wet, tomorrow rain is forecast, so it looks like the weeds get a weeks reprieve.
Grendel
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Popped up to collect a lovely harvest including my first cucumber, sweet pepper, reddened chilli, and large beefsteak tomato. Also cut off old dying halums that could be early blight or just old age ... they were earlies/2nd earlies planted on 17 March so all is cool. The small maincrop I have seems to be just about ok.
Unusually dull, and rain was forecast today, but the maps had the look of fizzling out to nothing of any use, and so it is proving, just like most rain bands have this year down here.
So, up tomorrow morning bright and breezy at 5 o'clock, and will give the whole plot, especially outdoor tomatoes, beans and sweet corn, a well needed proper soaking under the early rising sun, as it looks like next to nothing wet will be falling here well into next week either. I'm loving this Summer.
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quick trip to harvest some peas and a few potatoes, started raining half way through.
Grendel
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A couple of hours this morning tidying up and weeding.
Harvested some of our second earlies, cabbage, mangetout and some raspberries(that didn't make it home :ohmy: )
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Weeding, weeding and more weeding!!
:lol: :lol:
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Watered and mourned the loss of five of my 20 autumn and winter cabbages (broken at ground level, no idea by what) and of two of my sweetcorn plants (definitely dogs). Picked more courgettes and picked over the toms looking for tomato fruitworm eggs. One tomato down but a few clutches of eggs squished.
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Couple of hours today. Finally got a new area dug over ready for plants/seeds. Hoed all the other beds and then sown 3 rows of Carrots. Strimmed all the paths and just before I came home picked a large bunch of Sweet peas.
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Finally got a new area dug over ready for pants/seeds.
New laundry line going up, then? :D
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Finally got a new area dug over ready for pants/seeds.
New laundry line going up, then? :D
You spotted the mistake then. ;)
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Finally got a new area dug over ready for pants/seeds.
New laundry line going up, then? :D
You spotted the mistake then. ;)
Yes, some of my land is so compacted you'd think the Panzer Division had rolled over it.
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Had seven lovely hours, one hour sat nattering and the rest weeding, picking, just enjoying being quiet
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Weeding, sowing, procrastinating…
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Made a version of a lasagne bed for the brassicas, supervised hubby digging spuds, then planted out another 83 leeks at the end of the squash bed.
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This morning - finally got around to weeding the beetroot bed, and bought the shallots home to dry on the garden table
Tonight - watering, watering, and more watering and then trying to retrain the pumpkins to go where I want them, so we can still walk down the paths.
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Dug up my small crop of first earlies and weeded. Each time dig an area, find more stones and bricks!
Finally getting a crop of spinach after 3rd sowing which covered with net. Not sure what ate them before, birds or slugs?
Need a longer session to remove debris netting and weed cabbage, cauli and sprouts.
One courgette plant seems only one surviving which dont understand why. Leaves eaten to leave stalk on other but one at home nearly ready to plant, yellow type.
Pumpkins not looking great either.
Cabbages looking lovely. some cauli blown, others healthy.
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Did a major water last night, so this morning I sprinkled some granular fertiliser about the place and then dusted some pyrethrum and a bit of copper sulphate on plants that looked like they might be glad of it.
I should really have been weeding, but to be honest it's nice to do something that feels a bit more 'positive' for a change. The weeds aren't going anywhere...
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Watered a lot. Picked more broad beans and peas and a few salad items.
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The peas are finished now.
The strawberries are finished too.
Some tiny runner beans on now, no french beans yet.
Started picking broad beans when I noticed that a lot of the stalks are empty now, so I started cutting them down. Got halfway through and there's a ton of beans to carry home so the rest can wait until tomorrow.
Pulled out some of the bigger shallots and set them out to dry. There are some very big ones and some teeny ones, no idea why.
Brought the rest of the winter onions home to dry in the garage.
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I have been steadily picking my broad beans and freezing those I don't immediatly need. I have staggered pea crops, so I am planting new peas to replace those I have picked. Other than that it is weeding and watering and lamenting what the slugs ate last night.
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Watering again!
Looks like another roasting tomorrow
Cheers HH
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Watered thoroughly and did a paltry bit of weeding.
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Spent 5 hours at plot today! Really enjoyed day despite the heat. Got so much done. Digging up onions. Weeded around cabbage and planted 6 new cabbage plants and some kale. Sewed carrots and more pak choi as last lot didnt germinate, also more fennel and sugar snap peas. Covered everything with net as think birds are eating all my seedlings. Cant all be poor seed or slugs!
Gave everything a really good watering too. Planted my reserve courgette too!
Very productive day until felt sunstroke coming on and ran out of drinking water! x
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Watering, and tied up my tomatoes plants in the greenhouse last night.
Won't have to do any watering today, but hopefully collect some broadbeans.
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Tied up sprouts bit breezy today, don't think they will do very well bit of an exposed site oh well next year, tied up broad beans weeded round parsnips and cauli,
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Sat beside the strawberry bed and attempted to plant runners in pots.
When Monty puts the runner on top of the compost and pushes it down with a little hoop of bent wire, it stays down, mine just kept popping out again as soon as I looked away. Grr!
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So far, have dug up almost the last Charlotte potatoes, only one small row left to go. Only pronged one! All the others are nice and undamaged - no slug or snail holes. Didn't do the rest as I was starting to get a bit hot even though it was only 7.30 am. Also dug up the last of the shallots grown from sets. Am very pleased with the harvest. Plus, very quick in comparison with growing from seed.
Cleared a load of weeds. Can't really call it weeding. I'm in firefighting mode and just trying to stop them from setting seed. Getting rid of them altogether is beyond me at the moment as the day job is taking up too much time.
Removed yet another winter cabbage that has been damaged. Five out of 20 gone. This evening's job will be to sow some more, even if it is a bit late, and start off some more beetroot.
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Watered the polytunnel. No need to water outside! Discovered a frog in the polytunnel. Put a little water bath in for it. Picked 1 okra! and 3 courgettes.
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Finally planted out my leeks and covered them with fleece. This will hopefully stop the leek moth!
Pricked out salad seedlings.
Quick hoe.
Picked some flowers!
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Finally planted out my leeks and covered them with fleece. This will hopefully stop the leek moth!
Watered and exclaimed in alarm at the sight of some of my leeks bolting (temperatures and winds have been extreme here over the last few days).
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2 hours at the plot today, strimmed the weeds on the paths, rotovated the unplanted land and planted my pumpkins and brassicas ( the few the slugs left me)
it was hot and muggy and I must have sweated off pounds.
Grendel
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We have swapped two of the brassica cages over, as the cabbages were pressing against the top of the small cage and he swedes are stll only ickle.
Fed the toms, squashes and pumpkins.
And weeded of course. :D
WW 8) & Nix
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Planted sprouts,kale,broccoli,borecole,cauliflower. Then netted it all, how I hate netting, so awkward to put on on your own.
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Hooray i have eaten my first potatoes and i am over the moon as they tasted great. Now need a nice sea trout to go with the next batch.
Cheers
Aled
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Mowed, weeded, tidied up, sprayed a big patch of nettles and dug up a row of my Maris Peer 2nd earlies. The plot is starting to look nice now :)
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Cut back some foliage on the greenhouse tomatoes - it was like the day of the triffids in there - and then watered and weeded the greenhouse. Weeded the courgettes bed and picked four, then weeded another patch.
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Just put a hour in before it got too hot.
Carefully watered one or two containers in the GH which have dried out since yesterday :ohmy:, tied in the cucumbers (again, oh yes :)), hoed and also hand-weeded the leeks and parsnips.
Literally took the plunge (well, my arm did) and pulled out several handfuls of hornwort from the pond - it's swamping the water lily which is still sulking after I chopped the crown to about a sixth of its previous size last autumn. :lol:
Picked a few courgettes and found my first female flower on the Uchiki Kuri winter squash, and managed to also find a male flower with sufficient pollen to hopefully make her day with my little paint brush! ;)
Then it got too hot! 8)
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Popped up to the allotment after a long drive home from visiting Mum in Essex. It was lovely and sunny and peaceful. Picked peas, lettuce, courgettes, radish, chives and very early Stuttgarter Giant and Red Baron onions. Watered generously.
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Dug up the last of the Charlottes, looked at the Picassos and hoped they'll hold off for quite a while, watered generously and tried to help the Borlotti beans make their way up the poles.
Might ask Mr Snoop to rotovate where the Charlottes were to provide room for sweetcorn and French beans.
Picked up a few tomatoes off the ground, evidence of the dogs helping themselves in the night... :mad: to the power of 9. We should have had loads to pick this morning, but only orangey-yellow ones left. More :mad: to the power of 9.
Picked some beetroot. My first. They look lovely. Chickens didn't seem convinced by the leaves.
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picked enough toms and chillis yesterday evening to make my first batch of tomato and chilli chutney this morning, which is now bubbling away nicely on the stove and making the house smell very nice
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Just an hour or so this morning as I am on afternoons this week. Plot looked good so it was just a quick weed all round, fixed the netting over the cabbages and then picked a massive bunch of scented sweet peas for the house.
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Watered, weeded, took photos, harvested lots of produce and admired the plot!
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Watered, harvested.
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Watered, checked the toms for fruit worm eggs (none today) and then piled earth onto the exposed Picasso potatoes. Tried to do a bit of weeding but realised that to do it effectively I needed a tool, and as I didn't have one to hand, I put it off till another day...
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Luckily I am an early riser usually 4/5 am so I get a couple of hours before it warms up and then have to get to work, dug up charlotte pots, picked broad beans, turnips, lifted some red baron onions to dry, will take a few to work to spread a little happiness around, pulled some carrots and courgettes for me only, lifted a couple of garlic think I will leave the rest a week more they have really bad rust difficult to see if leaves are turning brown, watered everything in the greenhouses oops forgot to pick a lettuce.
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Handed my 2 half plots back this week. Makes me a bit sad, but the plots were great when I had no outside space whatsoever. Now with a large back garden & working longer hours than ever I just can't keep up - would need to spend an hour a day or my whole weekend, neither of which I can afford.
I am spending most of my holiday week in my garden doing things, and that is delightful.
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Watered, watered...
Picked the first runner beans, Yey!
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Planted the last 55 leeks, & the cabbages, chatted with H, had 2 cups of tea with her, did some weeding. Sowed 3 short rows of swede & 3 of turnips & 2 short rows of radish. Watered all the brassicas that I planted last Sunday & today. Phew no wonder I'm weary.
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Handed my 2 half plots back this week. Makes me a bit sad, but the plots were great when I had no outside space whatsoever. Now with a large back garden & working longer hours than ever I just can't keep up - would need to spend an hour a day or my whole weekend, neither of which I can afford.
I am spending most of my holiday week in my garden doing things, and that is delightful.
I have my veg patch not only for produce to eat but also as a way to lower my stress levels. If your plots were a source of stress, then it partly defeats the object of having them. Sounds like you made a sensible, if sad, decision.
Bet your garden will blossom and bloom with all the attention.
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Planted out 2 blueberry bushes that weren't doing well in their pots and did some weeding. No time for anything else today!!
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Handed my 2 half plots back this week. Makes me a bit sad, but the plots were great when I had no outside space whatsoever. Now with a large back garden & working longer hours than ever I just can't keep up - would need to spend an hour a day or my whole weekend, neither of which I can afford.
I am spending most of my holiday week in my garden doing things, and that is delightful.
I have my veg patch not only for produce to eat but also as a way to lower my stress levels. If your plots were a source of stress, then it partly defeats the object of having them. Sounds like you made a sensible, if sad, decision.
Bet your garden will blossom and bloom with all the attention.
Snoop, you have it in one and I couldn't have put it better. I no longer found pleasure in the plots, only the stress of keeping them clean. If my garden turns into a jungle because I am away for a few weeks, nobody cares and I really have little interest these days in keeping ground 'weed free' as required on the allotment.
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Weeded ::). Watered and harvested last night and will be back to pick up a couple of rubbish bags to take to the dump later today.
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up to the dreaded plot of weeds by 8am, strimmed - remade paths between crops, picked plums a few apples and beetroot and feel happier now that the 18" high weeds are mostly gone (still a few amongst the crops, but that is another days job.
Grendel
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Not a lot!! Popped down to water but with only 1 tap on site and no water butt on my plot I didn't have time to wait for the queue to go down. I will try again today
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Tidied up all the garlic; trimmed and plaited them. Set aside the biggest for autumn planting. Labelled them all to see if I could taste any difference between them -I bet not! Some lovely big bulbs this time, and thats with the worst rust I've experienced.👍
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Rowan I completely understand, I've just moved and my allotment is now a good hours drive away + I have an exam to sit in Autumn. I've put a lot of hardwork into whats there, but apart from picking what I’ve already put in, I have no time to succession sow anything. To stop myself from stressing, once I'd pulled something up I'm covering the ground with weed membrane so I dont get any weed complaints. I will be handing back the plot or at least 1/2 of it next year, might keep the 1/2 with the fruit bushes and rubarb on it if I cant get a small plot nearer to me.
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Tidied up the tomatoes, pulled up the peas, watered everything really well, sowed some spring cabbage, ttidied up and dug over 2 beds that were empty and sowed green manure on them.
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Yesterday:
Lifted my onions - some lovely big onions ;) Dug this bed over as I have some more lettuce seedlings to stick in the gap ;)
Picked French beans and lettuce.
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Handed my 2 half plots back this week. Makes me a bit sad, but the plots were great when I had no outside space whatsoever. Now with a large back garden & working longer hours than ever I just can't keep up - would need to spend an hour a day or my whole weekend, neither of which I can afford.
I am spending most of my holiday week in my garden doing things, and that is delightful.
Glad you're enjoying the garden - I'd probably hand mine back too if I had outside space to tinker with.
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Had a picnic lunch with two friends :D
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Today I brought home the marrows I have accidentally grown.... And tidied up my tomatoes which are growing like the clappers, especially my centiflors which have trusses 2 foot across!
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Rowan I completely understand, I've just moved and my allotment is now a good hours drive away + I have an exam to sit in Autumn. I've put a lot of hardwork into whats there, but apart from picking what I’ve already put in, I have no time to succession sow anything. To stop myself from stressing, once I'd pulled something up I'm covering the ground with weed membrane so I dont get any weed complaints. I will be handing back the plot or at least 1/2 of it next year, might keep the 1/2 with the fruit bushes and rubarb on it if I cant get a small plot nearer to me.
That's some commitment keeping your plot that's so far away from you. Have you put your name down on the list for where you live now? If so, I hope you manage to get something sooner rather than later. I'm lucky because I'm only a 3 minute walk from my plot
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Decided it was time to dig up the garlic - they resisted rust for far longer than others have reported on here, but when they did cop for it they made up for lost time! :ohmy:
Same ex-supermarket variety I've been replanting for several years now - acceptable sized bulbs but others years have been better.
Sowed more rocket, mixed salad leaves and radish, all pretty much mixed in together.
Had a word with my Marketmore cukes - lots of flowers but started off all female and now nearly all male so no cukes yet - it could be they're taking the pizza because I finally succeeded with fancy female F1 GH cukes this year - perhaps I should move them where they can't see them! :unsure:
Had some aiming practice chucking chicken poo pellets into the dibbed leek holes - a couple of holes-in-one but I was only a couple of feet away. :lol:
Harvested di Nizza and Defender courgettes to add to my fridge collection. ::)
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Prepared a bed for the leeks with my new Wolf soil miller, wow! it's great! :D Its the nearest I've had to a fine tilth, ever! (except when I had a try of a mantis)
Pulled out some rotten maincrop onions :( I wondered why they were turning over so soon and when I pulled, they just came up easily with no roots and looking a bit mouldy. I don't know whether to lift them all now, in case its catching. This is the second year they have done that, and coincidentally both years have been very dry.
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Dug up some spuds then sprayed all the weeds I could see on my plot.
Weather still dry but rain possible later so decided to hit them whilst I could.
Cheers HH
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Finally got an hour in!
Dug up my 'main crop' and was very pleased, perfect- whereas my earlies on the other side of the plot had a bit of scab. Haven't watered them at all, so pleased to get some real biggies.
Did what John's book suggest which is to plant french beans in the space after spuds as a 'green manure' but I might get lucky, last year I did really well with a late sowing. We'll see.
Today's courgette count- +2yellow + 1 lebanese
Already 'in the fridge' - 8 mixed :wub:
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Hour and a half carefully digging up the reset of the Charlottes. A couple were rotten and stinky - no idea why. Otherwise no slug damage, lovely large spuds. Just got Desiree left, and only 6 seed spuds of those are in. Will need the space for the spare tomatoes and the beetroot seedlings.
Found what I think is a potimarron (didn't label) and bagged it and the only male flower on the other plant as I need some more seeds - and am addicted to this saving lark. Would have liked another male flower to pollinate it with, but that will have to do.
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Watered and weeded the main parsnip bed.
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turned, watered and fed my compost bags - 2 bags are now at one with each other! And bagged up the split bags of dry horse manure. Loadsalubberlystuff! And all that lot was done in about 30+ degrees of heat 8)
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Planted my leeks out at last. :)
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Allahu akbar.. the heavens have opened at last :)
Had a bonfire early morning pre rain to get rid of the blighted halums, assorted weeds and nasties. Perfect timing. Gathered a fair bit of food and saw to the jungle in the greenhouse... well, a little bit.
It's amazing how quickly the plot empties once onions and potatoes are lifted. My first beetroot have also come up and half the brassicas are already history. The cat has decided to return home briefly for more than just a feed, after 2 months of camping out in the oh so warm and wild woods. Nice to see her but feel sorry her Summer break being a proper outdoor animal will be coming to an end shortly, given she doesn't like the wet. Feeling a bit sad that sunflowers and lots of things are going over already. Life really is a quick spurt. Blink and you miss it.
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Very speedy pick in the rain as we have been to the beach instead, got back early due to the fact Florence has issues with donkey fur ::) safe at home in the rain, the plot needs it........ So smile
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Before poured with rain, managed to get lots done as about to go on hols! Did lots of weeding, finished making my two paths and covered with weed fabric. Trimmed grassy edges with shears as looking bit untidy. Picked peas,spinach,one cauli and rest of my very rusty garlic. Plot doesn't look too bad so hoping not too bad when I get back :lol:
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Thanks to the overnight rain at last, I was able to do quite a lot of very effective weeding and digging. Saw to the ex onion, beetroot, turnip, brassica and potato beds, even dug up a path to rid it of couch grass.
Very happy with that, and all in a couple of hours or so. The weather doesn't half help if it's friendly.
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Took my mum for a quick visit as she popped over so we could go shopping in Basingstoke.
Seemed quite gobsmacked by the size of the pumpkin i'm growing for my nephews.
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My new shed was worth its weight in gold as the thunder and lightning crashed around my head this afternoon :nowink: .
In between showers I picked courgettes and runner beans, dug up potatoes and forked over the empty bed.
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Rain here, too. So no need to water. Weeded the melon bed but left the bindweed - it's so entangled with the melon vines that if I were to remove it, I'd end up damaging the plants. Still pleased, though.
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Planted out my calabrese, dug up my last potatoes, then dug the bed over, weeded everything else. Looking good for a change. Great to see my 2 strawberry plants have each got 3 runners stretching out to plant themselves so hopefully more strawberries next year. :)
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Weeded around the French beans & put stakes in for them & tied them up,beans were trailing on the soil. Did lots of weeding inc the first sown carrots. Found they were tiny & riddled with carrot fly so out they came. Took old forced strawberry plants from the greenhouse to the compost bins, that's all the hanging baskets empty now.
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Weeded, sowed more beetroot, planted out some leeks (for the 3rd time in these holes). Mike weeded the ex-shallot bed, and then we did some watering & feeding.
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Went up after work to check that my new calabrese has settled in and water them. They are still standing so should be ok. Never grown them before so fingers crossed.
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actually yesterday I spring cleaned my "girl cave" and drew up a rotational plan for my soon-to-be-revamped kitchen garden.
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Fed the sprouts not hopeful about a couple of them some blown already even though they are staked, weeded and more weeding, checked for caterpillars, only 3 so far where are they hiding ? fed toms and cucumbers, not hopeful either on state of romenesco either I think the wood pigeon has done to much damage time will tell, 10 minutes sitting in the sun watching the birds on feeders then off to work
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Dug up some of the wilja spuds, then our daughter and 2 grandsons arrived, the 2 yr old wanted to dig some spuds up so we had to hide some spuds just below the soil so he could find them and dig them up with his little plastic spade.
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Just got back from an hour or so down there. Dug over an area ready for Autumn planted onions. Strimmed all the paths and picked another very large bunch of scented sweet peas.
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Lifted most of my maincrop onions as I was finding quite a lot of mouldy ones. The others haven't turned their tops over yet so I might leave them a bit longer.
Picked the first french beans, there are nowhere near as many as the runners, they don't seem to be being pollinated.
Same with the gherkins and courgettes, lots of little ones, but no big ones. There are plenty of bees about, so I don't know why.
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Put up shelves & hooks in the 'girl cave' (c bussinspain ^) dropped of my new 'bistro set' (bargain corner @Ikea £10 ) :D cut some cues & toms, a few achona and my first borlotties...... :)
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Nothing >:( torrential downpours from 5am till 7am just got the dogs out and checked to see if winter lettuce survived ... little flattened but they will perk up if we get some sun today
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Finished turning a bag of horse manure/compost into another bag on my plot, ready for the autumn re-vamp, re-design and deep digging (will be done by hubby and "Bessie" the HUGE rotavator) I will then use my little "Tilly" the tiller to dig in the manure and compost. New seeds ordered from a company that I "stumbled" across on the net. They were very prompt in replying to a query I had prior to ordering and thier site is so colourful and informative. In case you are interested here is the link http://www.sowseeds.co.uk There is a good selection of AGM seeds available and the prices are not too bad either. I will see how they perform out here.
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Watered and issued commands! (Mr Snoop and a helper are currently brushcutting and I'd quite like some paths clearing through the forest of weeds.)
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Picked lots of runner beans, 2 climbing french beans and one purple french bean.
Binned the psb, pulled out some more rotten onions, milled the soil - love that miller! :D
Dead headed the sweet william and the cosmos.
Picked 3 blackberries, all three had caterpillars >:(
Potted up 2 more strawberry runners.
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Picked loads of French and a few runner beans. Found a couple of marrow like courgettes and some normal ones. Picked my first ever non diseased outdoor tomatoes! And a few bits of soft fruit. Something has eaten most of the baby pea plants - pigeons, rooks or rabbits? Or maybe magpies? Pollinated the sweetcorn and pulled up a few weeds.
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I did some digging at the back of the allotment today down the left hand side, while digging I broke TWO forks under the soil someone has hidden lots of very big slaps, looks like ex council slaps.
Brought a new one today but don't like it the fork as a funny curve in it lol
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picked some broad beans, spring onions, beetroot, cucumber, dug some Maris Piper up take to work for the girl I work with ...spread a little home grown happiness :mellow: ammonia sulphated sprouts, folded over onions as they are big enough and I am worried they might go to seed.
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Watered very hurriedly, weeded the second parsnip patch and lifted a few Figueres onions that had keeled over. Given the weeds in the onion beds, I'm quite pleased with the size of these onions. Significantly larger than the ones you can buy in the shops here and absolutely lovely sweet flavour.
Checked the toms to see how many E might have taken last night. When I told him to come and get some, I didn't expect him to turn up with two carrier bags! ??? Still quite a lot left, fortunately.
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My niece and her lovely children came down the allotment with me today. It was great watching them discover where real growing food comes from. Especially when they dug up some of my "pink fir apple" potatoes up. They went away happy with a goody bag of fresh veg! :)
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Dug up all my king Edwards. Now lay out on the ground for a couple of hours before I store them. Back to do the earlies in a bit. Dry day today so last chance for a while to get it done.
Will then sow some phacelia in their place.
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Watered and picked a few melons that went from being a bit hard yesterday to over-ripe this morning. Ah well...
Also, had a right good rant about the dogs, which have wrecked some of my red cabbage and dug enormous holes in the beds that were (in theory) settling post-weeding to firm them up for caulis and broccoli.
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Harvested cucumber, beans, courgettes, carrots etc. Sowed some radish, French Breakfast and Crimson Giant. Watered in the polytunnel, no need for watering outside after yesterday's deluge. Had chat with other plotholders, quite busy this morning. Also very windy and high winds forecast for tomorrow. Hoping the tall beans, the achocha and the sweetcorn survive.
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Tightened up and added some more stringing around and through my sweetcorn as the wind was starting to produce a pronounced lean in a couple of them.
Ditto the stringing holding up the autumn rasps.
Sorted out the half-dried shallots into 'hopefully keepers', 'hopefully keepers for next spring's planting', and 'better eat or freeze PDQ!'
Trimmed the now-dry garlic and put into the cupboard-cum-glory hole in the side of the house (they join one left over from this time last year which believe it or not is still in good condition!)
Brought the 3 bell pepper plants in from the GH to a sunny windowsill - getting a bit sick of seeing the fruits still all dark green (must be nearly a couple of months now.)
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2nd Munty frame had bent over a bit due to the winds and a Queensland blue squash that has decided to climb it! Not too much damage to the borlottis which are almost done.
Picks loads of stuff, 5 huge cues from one plant! Shame it's not a variety I'm very pleased with due to it's tough skin & prickles....will do my research for a better one for next season. Pulled up the first south facing row of sweetcorn stalks as they had now finished and I want the sun to ripen the next row and so on (well, that's the plan.... :D)
French beans planted only last week with the late Charlotte sowing; both showing very good growth already.
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Drew up water from the well and lifted the Figueres onions. A good mixture of sizes, so suitable for all purposes. Love these onions.
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Hunted for some healthy chickweed on my veg patch then fed it to the budgies. They love it!
Potato lifting tommorrow.
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So far, watered. Am about to go and tie up the toms. Very windy today and they're suffering.
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So far, watered.
Wish that we had the weather meaning that I had to water! I'm going to plant radish I think and get a final crop in!
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Harvested the last of the peas and removed the plants from the plot, weeded, spent 20 mins in the shed sheltering from the downpour then picked the last few broad beans and removed these plants as well.
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So far, watered. Dug up one of the Picasso maincrop potatoes. Too damp after yesterday's generous watering by Mr Snoop, really, so will leave the rest. The plant I dug up had half a dozen or so absolute whoppers, a few medium and small-sized ones and a dozen or so tiddlers. Each whopper is easily big enough for one meal for us.
Next jobs, once breakfast (yoghurt, melon and very milky coffee) has gone down is to rake out some beds and maybe put in some French beans currently in pots and (gasp) some sweetcorn that I've had growing in paper pots since I don't know when but had no cleared bed space for. Not sure how well this will do, but it might as well be in the ground as out.
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Restrung some of my tomatoes in the polytunnel where the weight of them had broken the strings. Used para cord this time. Even the beefsteaks won't snap that! A couple of trusses had snapped off so they will be for chutney. Will have to invest in some decent string next year. I used some white plastic stuff that dad used to tie his dahlias up with. Massive ball of the stuff but looks like the light has maybe perished it.
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Shifted 3 barrows of soil improver up the hill to the plot, two more this afternoon when I have recovered.
I am beginning the renovation of a compacted and poorly drained corner of the plot, where all the fruit trees and bushes are looking sick. So the 4 surplus gooseberry bushes are out and the new apple tree has gone into a pot. The 2 old unproductive apple trees are probably for the chop - one definitely, the other I might give another season's chance.
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More weeding! Cleared 2 barrows worth today. I have also started to re-jig the orientation and size of some of my beds now I know the plot better. I have decided to bite the bullet and move all my fruit bushes into an area that gets full sun as they don't look too happy in the 50 % shade. I only gained this sunny half after I put the fruit bushes in but is still annoying! Just got to wait for the bushes to go dormant
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General tidying really. Tied a few Tomatos to the stakes as they are growing faster than I can tie them. Picked some Tom's as well. Inspected the Runner beans and thanks to the help I got before (on here) I will be picking some in the morning. :)
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Yesterday we spent 5 hours at the plot, I severely pruned the old plum tree that had got well out of hand whilst TOH weeded around both the plum and apple trees. We both spent a couple of hours weeding and generally tidying up before harvesting what we had ready and going home for dinner!
This morning we went back and cleared all the bags of rubbish etc. to the local dump before buying some food for the fish back home.
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Watered, picked a load of melons and then got interrupted. Am hoping it will cool down this evening as there's lots to do...
Dig up Picassos and weed and tie up sprouts. Plant out beans and sweetcorn, which didn't get done the other day. Story of my life at the moment.
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Trimmed the hedge on our plot, daughter's plot and the allotment association plot. Feeling very noble about this, as a problem with our container means that I couldn't use the petrol hedgetrimmer and had to do it all by hand using shears. Watered in polytunnel, fed tomatoes and peppers. Harvested lots.
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Weeded leeks, and spring cabbage patch, gave an imploring look at the sweetcorn to ripen and was ignored ...again, checked cauliflowers for caterpillars, these pale green cauli leaf coloured ones are a bit sneaky of mother nature. Watered celery, planted out last of winter hardy lettuce, dug up last of Maris Piper pots, watered toms, peppers and cucumbers found a cucumber lurking at the back of the greenhouse could pass as a marrow so big ... whoopsie 15mins to change for work
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Dug over the new L-shaped bed made in the sickly corner of the plot, incorporated the five barrowloads of soil improver, but it looks as if some more wouldn't hurt.
Sawed down an apple tree, pruned and moved a red gooseberry bush which was too close to another one.
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Myself and OH spent 4 hours up at the plot yesterday. We have been away for the last 2 weeks so OH strimmed the paths. I tied in the toms and cucks and took the side shoots off the toms. Cut back the stems on the main crop spuds which had died back while we were away, took four barrow loads of weeds out of the beds. Harvested toms, beet root, cucks, lettuce and basil. Also took home a large bucket of Dahlias and Lilies. I loved my holidays but I was delighted to be back on the plot.
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Went back this afternoon and planted three jostaberry bushes.
Dug up a row of desiree potatoes, not an awful lot, but they were under water for some of the time so I wasn't expecting much.
Millered the bed after - love that soil miller! :)
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Just picked another bowl of Tom Million Tom's and I had to stake all the Sweetcorn as the wind was blowing them over. As it's the first time I have ever grown Sweetcorn I don't want to loose them now, not when they have lots of cob's on them.
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Picked the 3rd qtr of the corn crop (36), it's done really well. Loads for eatin' and freezin'. Will definitely be doing 'Swift' again. Managed to get to it just before the woodlice come a munchin' although they had started making inroads down the tassels. I lost loads last year this way.
Lobbed the used corn stalks onto the compost and tidied up some of the squash vines. Weeded under the brassica nettings, sprouts & PSB looking great, red cabbages not so much. Pulled out the last of the Khol rhabi undercropping (it worked really well, but we're not fans)
Ate a few strawbs & rasps. Harvested 6 huge cues ::) came home with 3 heavy carrier bags full.
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Picked the 3rd qtr of the corn crop (36), it's done really well. Loads for eatin' and freezin'. Will definitely be doing 'Swift' again. Managed to get to it just before the woodlice come a munchin' although they had started making inroads down the tassels. I lost loads last year this way.
Lobbed the used corn stalks onto the compost and tidied up some of the squash vines. Weeded under the brassica nettings, sprouts & PSB looking great, red cabbages not so much. Pulled out the last of the Khol rhabi undercropping (it worked really well, but we're not fans)
Ate a few strawbs & rasps. Harvested 6 huge cues ::) came home with 3 heavy carrier bags full.
Have you tried kohl rabi chips pigguns? They are gorgeous and we have been converted to it for that reason alone. If you are interested I will find the link for you
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Tore down all my runner bean plants which hadn't survived the winds. They were starting to go over anyway so that's lots of stuff for the compost bins.
Cooked a spicy aloo saag with homegrown spuds and spinach which went down very well with the neighbours too. Resisted the urge to chuck courgettes straight onto the composter and instead took them home, grated and froze them.
Met my new plot neighbour. At last, someone is going to cut down all those weeds which keep infiltrating my plot. On the downside, I'll have to stop chucking snails onto his.
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Watered and put into storage the last of the Picasso potatoes that I dug up yesterday. The house has been taken over by potatoes...
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Cleared the fruit bed, gave the bushes some fresh compost and poultry pellets as recommended on here. Got rid of loads of willow herb that had grown huge while I was away.
Inspected the squash plants - I had 4 decent size ones. One was ready so I brought it in last week, and I was waiting for the other 3 to maybe get a bit bigger and harden off. One was so soft when I felt it this morning - as if it was rotting inside. As it was right next to my other decent one I decided to sacrifice it and take it off the plant :(
Went to look at the smallest one and the tree rats/ ground rats have been at it -grrrr! So onlyhave one left on the plant.
Any ideas how to keep them off my squash?
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Weeding, weeding and more weeding!! ::)
I don't know what you can do about your animal problem really RJR_38 apart from the ::)obvious but that risks other wildlife too.
We don't seem to have that problem (with ground rats anyway) - we have a huge supply of local moggies that visit overnight!!
As for squirrels, we're surrounded by trees, so the only problem we have is with small trees popping up all over the plots where the nuts/seeds have been buried!!
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Yes don't want to risk other wildlife as we have a lot of it here. We are surrounded by trees also, so there are lots of squirrels but I have seen rats on the plot too (had a dead one a few months ago). I caught the squirrel in the act last year so I know it is probably a combination of both animals :(
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No need to water, as we had an unexpected deluge yesterday while we were out.
Had to rearrange all the onions that were supposedly drying as they all got absolutely soaked. Hope they'll store OK.
Have raked out most of the beds for the autumn and winter brassicas. Bought lots of plug plants yesterday plus 15 kg of calçot bulbs to plant out. Will put most of the plug plants out this evening and the rest tomorrow. Calçots to go in during the week with the help of visitors.
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Been away for 3 weeks so lots of weeds! Today though had to dig up all of my kestrel as had blight before hols so chopped all the tops off. Worried whether they were ok but they were lovely, really good size and mostly clean and free of holes and scab.
Lots of big beetroot and turnip and red onions lovely size too.
Weeds will have to wait until another day!
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More weeding plus I planted out 58 wild garlic bulbs :)
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Stood in the shed watching the rain run down the windows :(
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Rebuilt my shed on a new base on a new site - glazed and swept clean.
Great to have it back up and almost ready to use again!! :)
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Rebuilt my shed on a new base on a new site - glazed and swept clean.
Great to have it back up and almost ready to use again!! :)
Is this on a new allotment site or in the garden next to the little pink bungalow?
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Have rather overdone it: weeded and raked a few beds and planted out early and late white and green caulis, broccoli, loads of lettuce and leeks. Headache I woke up with this morning from over-indulgence last nigh to celebrate completion of the floor has now turned into a headache from too much exertion.
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today was a bit of a clear up day for me too, with building my conservatory I have spent most of my weekends at home doing that. so armed with the strimmer and rotovator I visited my first half plot, There I strimmed all the paths, rotovated, picked a bucket of beans, a punnet of raspberries, a few potatoes and some beetroot, then I rotovated where the potatoes had been, after that I lugged it back to the car, by this time my back was killing me. so on the way home I popped into the other half plot, picked the beetroot, then came home.
Grendel
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turned out the Desiree bag and took home 3.5kg spuds :D
also picked up a 8x6 polycarb greenhouse from B&Q for £45. Very happy.
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I did come across this little chappie while digging for potatoes.
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Watered (yes, its raining down here) my squashes, outdoor tomatoes and beans with comfrey tea and my sweetcorn and brassicae with nettle tea. Picked up a beetroot for roasting later and left the allotment because my plot now stinks like silage!
Time for some home cooking - Oversized courgette to be stuffed with a bean mix, homegrown pale yellow carrots (the original colour), green cabbage and garden peas. Followed up with soya yogurt and raspberries. That allotment is a gold mine. :)
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That allotment is a gold mine. :)
Isn't it great when it all comes good?
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dug a nice deep hole in the part of the plot which tends to flood, so I can guage how bad the drainage situation is after tomorrow's predicted bad weather.
Sprayed bordeaux on two rows of my spuds with little hope of it working as the two plants i dug up at the end of the row had mushy tubers. Think I'm going to just lift them all next week and put it down to experience.
Came home and checked the weather forecast which says there might be frost up here tonight. Fingers crossed that my butternut squash survive.
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Yesterday picked my first harvest of runner beans, just enough for todays dinner. Today dug over the bed where my dwarf beans are supposed to be but didn't grow. Well one did lol out of 60. Then planted some green manure, winter tares, first time using it so don't know what to expect. Picked a load of blackberries and some rhubarb. Made a blackberry and rhubarb crumble for after tea. Was lovely but strange at the same time. Going back tomorrow if it doesn't rain.
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Spent longer at the plot than intended yesterday. Had to get OH to bring a cat basket. Very friendly and hungry stray cat on site, others said it had been there for a few days, we'd had visitors so I'd not been since Thurs am for 5 minutes. Took it to local cat rescue place. It was microchipped and had been missing for 3 days, now reunited with owner. Also harvested beans, beetroot, carrots and blackberries, weeded and watered in the polytunnel.
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Well done AnneB, the owner must have been delighted ... and cat. :)
The rain stopped at 1pm so I tiptoed around the plot pulling all those deep rooted thistles, docks etc. Came up real easy with the rain we've had. Had a go at de-turfing part of a grass path.
Collected more tomatoes and a couple of fresnos for my now famous soup. Netted the grape vines against birds as the red vine is turning colour.
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Got potatoes sadly had to dig up most of the crop, blight has arrived. Tomatoes, Runner beans, carrots and beetroot all available.
Cheers
Aled
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Watered with the help of visiting kids and planted out the last of the savoy cabbages.
Everything is looking fantastic, but it is all going to take a lot longer to water now. Of all the plants I've put in in the last few days (32 autumn and winter caulis, 9 romanescu, 21 broccolis, 18 cabbages, 60 leeks and 43 assorted lettuce, 50 garlic cloves for eating at the young garlic stage and 30 dwarf French bean plants), it looks like just one broccoli might not make it and even that one has nice firm leaves, just tipped over to one side. Not bad considering how hot it is at the moment.
Will be planting calçot bulbs tomorrow... Better get up a lot earlier for watering duties once they're in.
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Watered with the help of visiting kids and planted out the last of the savoy cabbages.
Everything is looking fantastic, but it is all going to take a lot longer to water now. Of all the plants I've put in in the last few days (32 autumn and winter caulis, 9 romanescu, 21 broccolis, 18 cabbages, 60 leeks and 43 assorted lettuce, 50 garlic cloves for eating at the young garlic stage and 30 dwarf French bean plants), it looks like just one broccoli might not make it and even that one has nice firm leaves, just tipped over to one side. Not bad considering how hot it is at the moment.
Will be planting calçot bulbs tomorrow... Better get up a lot earlier for watering duties once they're in.
Can you set up a leeky hose system or do like I do sink bottles/plant pots in at the side of plants so you water direct to the roots?
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Managed to spend couple of hours weeding and digging over area from digging up last of red onions and some more beetroot. Plot looking bit tidier! Dug up row of broad beans as have another newer row. Last of little gem lettuce looking a bit tatty so will dig them all up next visit. Couple of weeks hols and week of flu and plot goes a bit wild. Couple more visits and will be managable.
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Dug up the Desiree potatoes. There were quite a few soft ones and quite a few with holes in, but there are quite a lot of shiny pink ones. I don't know if the soft ones were blight, but I'm not putting them on the compost heap just in case.
Dug up and have since pickled all the small beetroots from that succession. Pulled up a couple of parsnips to have a see what they were like and they look promising.
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Watered with the help of visiting kids and planted out the last of the savoy cabbages.
Everything is looking fantastic, but it is all going to take a lot longer to water now. Of all the plants I've put in in the last few days (32 autumn and winter caulis, 9 romanescu, 21 broccolis, 18 cabbages, 60 leeks and 43 assorted lettuce, 50 garlic cloves for eating at the young garlic stage and 30 dwarf French bean plants), it looks like just one broccoli might not make it and even that one has nice firm leaves, just tipped over to one side. Not bad considering how hot it is at the moment.
Will be planting calçot bulbs tomorrow... Better get up a lot earlier for watering duties once they're in.
Can you set up a leeky hose system or do like I do sink bottles/plant pots in at the side of plants so you water direct to the roots?
I've tried both these in the past without much success. I need to get a lot of hay I think for the leaky hose system to work as the water never seems to get down deep enough - just moistens the surface. The bottles seem to get a hard plug of clay that doesn't drain through very well, so again the plants get parched.
The leaky hose system is the way forward, but at the moment I don't mind watering by hand. Gives me a chance to inspect everything and gets me out of bed early before the bees have taken over the water butts.
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Just got back in from the plot. Picked some more Runner Beans, Tomato's and some Potato's. Can't for the life of me remember what Potato's they are, but they are a reddy colour. A cross between Red and Pink, if that makes sense.
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Weeded the parsnips, harvested stuff :lol:, had a solitary cuppa, chatted & put the world to rights about children & schools :D
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Watered the veg and soothed a little girl who was stung by a bee.
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erected a tower scaffold to pick the runner beans! :ohmy:
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Watered with the help of an army of kids and two mums. Lamented the dying tom plants...
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Had a lovely 3 hours with 11 year old. Another big patch cleared and dug over where peas and spinach were. Got a large pile of spinach now for more saag aloo. Last few red onions dug up. Thats the next bed to dig over. Looking tidier each visit but emptier too!
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Weeded around the strawbs to make a nice yummy bed for the runners to sink their roots into and what do I find? Loads of those fatty mega slob slugs. Mwahahaha Mr Sluggy.......
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Took some spent compost & added it to compost bin 1. Planted lots of various bulbs that were in various pots in the garden, & some that were left over from clearing the front garden last year. Chopped down some big weeds & brought them back with 3 bags of weeds taken out last weekend ready to add to the brown bin for Monday. In the garden I washed all the used plant pots ready to put in to storage when I've tidied the big allotment shed tomorrow.
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My veggie garden re-vamp is well on the way now. All the old beds have been dismantled, all the land has been deeply rotavated, new beds installed. I now have 2 bed 4x4m and 2 beds 4x5m. Yesterday I covered them all with some well rotted and very dry and dusty horse manure and a covering of chipped olive branches and leaves. I just need to incorporate that lot into the soil. Late summer plantings can now commence - cabbages, caulis, etc., to go in today whilst is it on the cool side. More aches in the shoulders today me thinks :(
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Brought home the last of the squash before the tree rats get them and pulled up the plants. Pulled out the runner bean plants as they are done and tidied up the beds. Made a start at hacking at the gooseberry/shoulder height nettle/bindweed mess that has hugely encroached on by plot from next door >:(
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Just finished planting spring cabbages (Duncan), green ball headed cabbages (Copenhagen), red cabbages (Cabeza Negra 3) and Cauliflowers (Alba) And also have started my runner bean trench for next year. Dug a deep trench, half filled it with some of left over horse/pig manure from last year. Will top it up with partly rotted compost and then back-fill. The beans will think they have come to a health farm next year! Have called it a day now (11.40) as it is now too hot to carry on. Tools away so now to shower and have an afternoon in front of the tv for some movies and carry on with my cross-stitch. Happy days:)
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Happy days:)
Great stuff.
As for me, I watered for the last time with help from one of the visiting mums. The house will seem dreadfully empty now they've all gone.
Now it's just me, I'll be back to the weeding and checking whatever else can go in or get started off before the end of the season.
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Cut one lot of grass and hoed. Inspected my newly painted shed.
Lots of flowers to pick in the week as well as carrots and beetroot to pull.
No rush. :)
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sat in the sun drinking coffee and eating all the ripe tomatoes out of the greenhouse ... heaven :nowink:
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Weeded the leek beds, the chickweed has gone nuts over the last week and they were disappearing under a mat of green :ohmy:
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In anticipation of a good late flourish of beans I gave my runners and climbers a handful of Growmore and a water. Hope this little Indian summer continues. There will be a lot more beans for the freezer. Harvested the last of my sweetcorn. Now they were a gorgeous revelation this year and go right to the top of Mrs Robsters approved list for next year. Started harvesting my Pink Fir Apple potatoes. Estimated that I have enough for about 30 weeks at our normal rate of consumption. I'll need to be rehoming some I'm sure
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Watered on my own! A shock to the system, especially as most of the water butts are nearly empty and it took me ages, walking back and forth from the fuller barrels to the beds.
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Watered the polytunnel on daughter's plot. Harvested quite a lot of stuff. Weeded the new this year brassica bed we inherited when the plot boundary was re-drawn after the tenant next door left (the fence did an abrupt turn left to take a mature apple tree into their plot, leaving ours about 8' narrower than it should have been at one end, and theirs 8 foot wider!). It seems the bed brought club root with it as the turnip I dug up although fully grown had the galls on the roots. At the other end 2 red cabbages had failed to develop properly and they were similarly affected. The brussels sprouts in the middle seem OK so far.
I will treat with lime and avoid putting brassicas in there for a bit. Don't have it anywhere else.
OH sifting soil and putting in last raised bed.
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Refilled the water barrels and gave everything a liberal watering. Weeded the main parsnip bed (again) and gave the squash a rather half-hearted weeding. With any luck, some things will not need watering tomorrow...
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Had a bonfire on Cs plot :D hope he didn't mind :nowink:. I did burn his rubbish though. Finished weeding the 2nd bed of leeks, then starting digging the last untouched bit of plot 39. After lunch I carried on digging then I finished picking the pears & cut the pear & apple tree down :(, weeded a bit of the beetroot bed.
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Its the allotment show on Saturday so I was busy sorting out what I had and what I didn't. I had a huge spaghetti squash which looked perfect until I turned it right over and there is a crack all along it, >:( wouldn't you just know...
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Watered the plants that needed it. Decided to earth up the more advanced autumn and winter cabbages to help them cope with the windy period we usually get towards the end of this month. Discovered that helpful helpers hadn't really been watering them enough, so the ground was rock hard, which is why their growth has been checked. Earthed them up and gave each one a full watering can (7 litres) in the hope it'll filter down. I'll give them a feed tomorrow.
Tomatoes have blight. First time ever.
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Dug over the plot (again) that will be having onion sets in shortly. Picked another load of Runner beans and Potato's. Pulled up the last of the Sweet Peas as they where looking a bit sorry for themselves. Pulled up then composted the Mange tout, as I got nothing from them won't be growing them again. Then some general digging over from where the spuds came from.
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Picked some veggies for tea :)
Feel really bad - I was planning a couple of 'llotment days this week while we were on holiday and I've been ill so no energy to do any gardening :(
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That is so annoying DBG. :(
Lots of watering as the ground is really dry - we really need some rain soon.
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Hubby away so have 2 of the most fab days ever down the plot, more time that the rest of the summer put together- painted shed (have had the paint since feb!), put up guttering, moved waterbutt under guttering.
Weeded, tidied, harvested, dug out one of the bean trenches> used soil to earth up brassicas and late sowing of new pots.
Brought first few large pumpkins home to finish curing so I can watch them(the damaged ones I'm worried about).
About 15 mahoosive sluggies bit the dust, 2 were actually err... 'doing it' eeewwww.
4 lots of eggs removed.
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Allotment show day today. I was helping on the shop, birdseed, jams, raffle tickets, spring cabbage plants, courgettes...
I got firsts for pickled baby beets and plate of blackberries, seconds for spag squash and chilli peppers, not placed were runner and french beans, plum jam, tomato chutney (just shows what the judges know - that chutney is gorgeous, imho of course) and I didn't even bother to enter the beetroot, which had holes and the photo, which wouldn't print out properly.
A good time was had by all and my feet were v tired.
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out early this morning, 7.30 departure, quick tour round the local boot fair (picked up a nice oilstone in wooden box for £3, then off to the plot where I picked beans and raspberries, my pumpkins have just taken off, and if I am lucky might be ready for Christmas (they are just flowering).
Grendel
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Harvested the last of my potatoes. Beetroot and carrots still good, and i have a surplus of runner beans. I hope some work colleagues will take em.
Cheers
Aled
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Cut the flowering tops off the Phacelia. Felt so guilty as the bees were loving it !
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Watered daughter's plot and polytunnel. Harvested stuff. Enjoyed having the whole site to myself on a lovely sunny evening. Where was everyone?
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watching the football? ::)
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No watering required today due to absolute downpour yesterday. Scattered a bit of granular fertiliser about this morning to make the most of the wet soil. Scattered a bit around the parsnips. I know you're not supposed to feed parsnips, but I remember Ade (who once grew parsnips big enough for a family of six) saying he fed his. So... let's see what happens.
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Dug and weeded another bed where broad beans and no show carrot seeds had been. Tidied and cleared around the pallet compost bins as next visit will dig up the weeds and put weed membrane around it. One half full of manure but lots of weeds too ::) Picked and ate delish raspberries
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Popped down to sling water about after work this evening, took another pumpkin home and planned tomorrows jobs.
3 more large cues off the pant- but passed two on at the lottie gate, to ole'Norm who has given me some sungold toms. May try those next year but they do look strange on the plant.
Chilli mummy- I had a packet of those no-show carrot seeds too! They did what it said on the packet 8)... :D
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Binned another 4 blighted tomato plants. :(
Watered everything and helped two BNS flowers along with some pollen. Also added another 3 bags of topsoil to the new bed - one had red ants in so I stopped there.
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Picked another bucketful of french beans. I'm running out of neighbours to give them to. :nowink:
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Still no watering required. Removed two clutches of butterfly eggs off some cauli seedlings. First since spring, amazingly. Cleaned out the main henhouse at long last. Bridey not in the least bit happy about it: the henhouse failed the inspection and her commotion got the other two all worked up.
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Watering, watering and more watering. The ground is drier now that it was during the summer - but I am not complaining - all of this sun is good for the outdoor toms. :D
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went down at 7am, it was loverly 8)
dug over some rich soil and planted some small garlic cloves I harvested this year (solent wight) but were tiny in a patch that wasn't doing much. Not grown successful garlic ever, but nothing lost if it goes wrong.
Talking of which my 'green manure' french beans planted between my late crop 'new pots' flowering well...idea was to turn the spud soil onto the beans/green manure in the trench. May just leave both crops to do their thing.
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Watered, picked a snail-damaged lettuce for the chickens and then harvested today's offering from the chickens. Three warm eggs nestling in nice, clean straw.
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Dug over the bed where the Thelma Sanders were (plants have now died) and sowed winter greens - Tatsoi, spinach, mizuna, pak choi and Chinese sprouting cabbage (all cold tolerant varieties).
Chopped up and composted the squash plants.
Removed the 4 blighted tomato plants and dug over that area for the winter spinach and chard plants
Dealt with the chooks as it was my chook day :) ;) 1 egg from each hen ;) :)
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Hi DBG. what variety of spinach would you recommend? I sowed some winter giant a couple of weeks ago and they havent germinated yet.
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Hi DBG. what variety of spinach would you recommend? I sowed some winter giant a couple of weeks ago and they havent germinated yet.
Tbh I'm useless with spinach!! :lol:
It always bolts before completing it's growth ::)
I'm trying (for the second time) a winter variety called 'Ho Hei' - DT Browns make an 'overwinter greens' seed pack - 5or 6 packets of various winter greens. I will cover the bed in a fleece tunnel once it gets properly cold, but the others have done ok previously I just forgot to pick them... :blush: but going to persevere this year and get some over winter veg/salad!!
I always grow perpetual spinach or 'spinach beet' - I'm brilliant at that and it tastes just as good ;) and stands well all winter down here with no protection ;)
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Cleared the huge rubbish pile, bagged it up in old compost bags and filled the estate car three times to the local tip! Phew!!!
Will be back later to harvest what crops we have after two weeks away on holiday and to water the plot.
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Watered. Sounds easier than it was. I had a lie in and then had to argue with the bees as to who was going to have access to the water barrels, me or them. Took a lot longer than usual to get around.
Melon plants are definitely going for a second round. There's even a water melon just started. First frost in five weeks if we're lucky (two if not). Wonder if they'll actually come good.
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Finally tackled my 4 compost darleks in the back garden-usually by now they would have been cleared, but I have a bad shoulder (scan next week) so have been putting it off..... took it easy and love-rly crumbly compost was mulched around anything that didn't move.
Unearthed a mouse nest :ohmy: don't ask :(
Went down the plot and chopped spinach for tea (the real stuff, I keep it trimmed now so it won't bolt), cleared damaged leaves around the chard and covered with my metal tunnel to keep those pesky pigeons off!
Watered loads of stuff.
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Hi DBG. what variety of spinach would you recommend? I sowed some winter giant a couple of weeks ago and they havent germinated yet.
Have you tried Swiss chard? Leaves are very similar to spinach, I actually prefer the cooked texture
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i did grow swiss chard this year snows but even that went to seed. didnt get around to eating any.
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I generally do 2 sowings of perpetual spinach or swiss chard - one for summer which (will bolt eventually) but I cut the flower stem out as soon as it appears - makes it last a bit longer :) and one for over winter ;)
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I generally do 2 sowings of perpetual spinach or swiss chard - one for summer which (will bolt eventually) but I cut the flower stem out as soon as it appears - makes it last a bit longer :) and one for over winter ;)
or keep it short and it'll last you over into early spring.
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i did grow swiss chard this year snows but even that went to seed. didnt get around to eating any.
Just seen in Gardeners World mag to dig up a root & you'll have baby leaves all winter, I've not read it yet but I assume you put it under the greenhouse bench or somewhere similar.
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My swiss chard has been bitter this yr. :( and I have not had a lot of success with spinach this yr.
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picked 4 large takeway tubs of raspberries, and half a bucket of beans.
Grendel
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Got water up from the well and gave everything a good soaking. Wish I hadn't bothered. This afternoon we had 5 cm of rain in 45 minutes. On our land alone, we had 2.5 million litres of rain. There are hectares and hectares of land that feed water into our valley...
The mushroom pickers will be out this autumn.
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Mowed (and mulched) the Phacelia on the onion and garlic beds. Lightly rotovated it in. Tried strimming it down first but it was flying all over the place and landing outside the bed. Not the idea. The ground is very dry. Watered leeks.
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Trimmed grass around edges. Weeded and dug over area where lettuce had been. Picked some raspberries. Front of compost bins full of long couch grass. Dug it all out and laid weed membrane in front of it to try and keep weeds from returning! Looks so much better.
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3 icecream tubs of rasperries and some beans picked, plus rent paid for next year.
Grendel
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Harvested some of my carrots today but found most of them have been eaten by slugs except for my purple haze carrots they didn't like them .
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Walked around yesterday and lamented the state of my calçot bulbs that I planted a while back - they're now swimming in their own individual ponds and likely to rot. Everything is utterly waterlogged, and more rain is pouring down again. So far this morning since 6.00 am, 35 litres (3.5 cm) per square metre and rising. Looks like it'll rain all day.
The chickens are drenched, quite a few of my overwintering brassicas are keeling over to the side as the ground gets softer and softer, the lettuce full of mud from being submerged the other day are about to go under again, tomatoes are splitting and rotting (helped by birds taking pecks out of them)... On the bright side, the carrots come out of the ground nice and easy and the parsnips actually look like they're enjoying the conditions. The snails are also loving it and all my overwintering lettuce seedlings that they seem to have chomped in the night. They didn't eat a single raddicchio, which doubtless Mr Snoop will take as an indication of their utter inedbility.
Mr Snoop has just gone out to see if he can make some channels to divert water off the road, which is fast becoming a watercourse and losing all its gravel and stones.
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Went down to the plot for an hour after work. Just strimmed a few of the paths, planted 50 onion sets, picked more sweet million Tomato's. Oh, and got bitten about 7 times, got lumps allover me now. Back down Tuesday night to plant another 50 onion sets.
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Did a bit of weeding.
Picked raspberries.
Brought more beetroot (golden) home.
Chatted.
Kicked a few snails into touch.
Then spent the arvo making beetroot chutney, pumpkin scones and freezing beetroot greens.
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Nothing today BT were putting up a new telegraph poll next to my plot, they kindly let me have the old one to use as a border , lol should last for years. :D
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Had a walk/slide about in the mud. You'd never know I'd planted half my calçot bulbs, they're now so deep in mud. Most of my radicchio seedlings got eaten in the night, so snails do like them after all. Most of the chicken compound is inches deep in mud. The real treat discovery, mind, was a bag of used nappies left by one of our visitors with kids. It was left in a bucket and other things piled on top. The bag had a hole in and the bucket was full of rainwater. Guess who had to deal with that? Hint: it wasn't Mr Snoop and there's no-one else here but me...
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Yayayayayay manure delivery 8) rich sawdusty good stuff. Sod the bad back & shoulder- 4 barrows sorted! More tomorrow.
Cut a QB pumpkin, some Calaloo seed heads and a large cucumber that was making a bid for marrow-hood. I'm sure I planted more garlic than that...... showing a few blades under the netting, but some have been moused away...
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Lovely couple of hours in the sun. Uncovered my sprouts and weeded around them and between the rows. Dug up last of my broad beans. Where potatoes were last year is at the sunny end of my plot so will be my new fruit bed. Moved strawberries and planted runners and plants given to me. Will move rhubarb next and maybe 2 blackcurrant bushes if it won't kill them! Might buy a tayberry or gooseberry bush. This is the first time in my 3 years of having this plot that I feel in control and not overwhelmed by grass and weeds! :D
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Just got back home from the plot after planting another 50 onion sets. This time it was 50 red onions.
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Wish I could grow red onions. Just too wet and cold on our clay soil even though I add sand and MPC to my beds and even plant them on ridges. Maybe I will try again with just a few this year.
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That's 11 wheelbarrows of muck moved :D Lovely.
Pulled down one of the bean wigwams. Tricky to get to pick, but I must say it was worth it for a bit of nostalgia, will do that again.
Snuck into the cucumber enclose...... thought I could chuck the water at them and dash out without catching sight of one (I have a fridge full. Again). Too late, cut 2 ignored a couple more looking almost there.
Then; salvation- Ol'Norm (he of the show daffs) brought over a huge carrier of lovely large toms 'it only me to feed can you use these' bless. Fair exchange, he was very pleased.... Hehehehehehe.
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Planted some of the garlic - Messidrome, Russo di Sulmona and Purple Wight. Watered the polytunnel, did lots of harvesting. OH sifted soil at the top of the plot.
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Levelled and milled three beds and sowed winter mix green manure seeds.
Noticed there was rust on the leeks already, so mounted a three pronged attack; 1. stripped off the affected leaves, 2. watered with a potash solution, 3. sprayed with fungicide.
Still picking runner and french beans. I have been letting the big beans get bigger and I opened some of them today and they have reached a nice cookable size.
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Sowed some spinach before the heavens opened, yet again. The locals like to think of this area as the "Tuscany of Spain", but to be honest it's more like the Lake District at the moment.
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Reluctantly dragged myself up there to bite the bullet and pull up all the sweetcorn whose every cob was eaten by rats. Was heartened to find my borlottis all nicely dried out and not too shabby a crop despite the rabbits eating half the plants.
Watered my parched parsnips and celery and tentatively pulled a carrot - no carrot fly damage!!! Decided to leave the butternuts to enjoy the coming week's forecast sunshine and hoped the rats don't find them.
Small victories and looking forward to next year again!
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Rediscovered my enthusiasm ;) ;)
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Too the hoe to the weeds mwhahaha!
Realised my neighbour has been spraying and has nearly killed one of my rhubarbs
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Lots of harvesting. Dug out and composted rest of the sweetcorn. Dismantled the French bean wigwam and put canes away. Trimmed off some old yellowy and possibly blighted leaves from the outdoor tomatoes.
Admired the storage container which some of the Committee have painted a very pretty shade of bluey green.
OH continued to sift soil and remove it from where the new polytunnel will go (eventually, it is taking months).
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Dug up last of the turnips and beetroot. Weeded where broad beans and lettuce had been and weeded around compost bin, put down weed fabric as grass growing into my manure. Last bed now is where rhubarb and sweetcorn are. Will be moving rhubarb and digging up sweetcorn next visit.
Need to plant my garlic, red onions and maybe spinach
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Rediscovered my enthusiasm ;) ;)
That's good to hear Nige :)
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Picked lots of tomatoes and red peppers. :D Had a look at the outdoor cukes, they do not look too healthy think that last night was too cold for them.
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Swapped out the netcurtain over the early planted brassicas for a larger mesh to allow the nice bugs to get in to deal with the mealyaphids, might mean I'll need to watch for caterpillars for a bit. Strange the plants under the other 3 planting nets don't have a mealyaphid problem.
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In my experience, mealy aphids appear almost on a whim. They remind me of those sunny bucket holiday resorts, squashing together in large infestations that tend to be be very localised, mainly on brassicas, with little rhyme or reason. A neighbouring plant a couple of feet away can be totally free of the pests. Fortunately they are easily dealt with.
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An hours worth of digging and weeding. Weeds have spread into manure in compost bin so made a start on weeding that. Plot looking emptier but tidier :)
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Removed some spent bean plants and then planted out spring greens in their place scattered BFB and netted them. All of a sudden I was struck by the change in the season as the rotation system goes round a notch.
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Weeded, cleared beds, manured, covered, planted garlic. Generally put plot 66 to bed, 65 next weekend and then 67.
About half the plot has gone to bed for a rest, cabbages, brussels, leeks, etc etc still going well.
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Planted onion sets. Went to pub.
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Picked more french beans...
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Planted onion sets and garlic. Pulled up all the strawberries from the PT (vine weevle have got them). Harvested toms, Brussels, carrots and peppers. Picked Dahlias and chrysanthemums. Tidied up in the PT. 6 hours and I loved every minute.
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Planted three rows of onion sets - reds, white and the usual yellowy ones.
Covered the lot with wire tunnels to keep the squirrels and, hopefully, the foxes out.
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My turn to mow the paths on site. Hard work. Then cleared bean poles, dug over the bed and planted some Paris White onions from seed and some Senshyu sets. Watered polytunnel. Harvested lots of stuff. Shattered. Not going up today as it is throwing it down.
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Mainly helped OH brush up the leaves that were stripped off the trees during last nights storm. Then cut down a couple of tomato vines and watered the remain ones which are still doing well. Stripped off a few dying leaves from the sweet peppers and snaffled three lovely ripe ones whilst I was at it. They are also still cropping well. Looked at the outdoor cucumbers - think that last nights storm finally did for them - they will be cut down tomorrow.
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Planted onion sets yesterday. Today a mole had been right through them. His days are numbered grrrr.
Ordered potatoes. Had to get Accent from a different supplier as not many stockists. Looked for Ambo which was recommended here last year but once again couldnt find any.
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2 Kg of Ambo at Tuckers for £4.55
http://www.tuckers-countrystores.com/ambo-seed-potato-organic/
mind you the postage is £3.95 :dry:
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Thank you Mum
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Planted mixed onion sets - in a random pattern. And covered with wire netting to stop the birds pulling them out.
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Planted 2 sorts of shallot.1 pack of Jermor with only ten in a pack so dug out another 20 to plant from last years crop. Also 20 home saved Eschalote Gris.
Nice to get them in and think they can be left to just get on with it now.
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Today I sorted out the shed as I had friends of the furry variety squatting in one of my storage boxes, my fleece to protect some of my tender fruit will never be the same again!
I then proceeded to make a decking area with pallets and then raced home to retrieve my Birthday present Bistro set, proudly setting it up and showing a plot neighbour who supplied a lovely bunch of flowers to christen it.
I needed to plant rather a absurdly large number of daffodil bulbs (I blame my dad entirely for this) but didn't manage to as the rain set in. I had asked him if he could get me some mixed daffodil bulbs as he works in the fruit and veg trade and this time of the year they also sell daff bulbs. I didn't expect him to bring me 20kgs worth!
I think I may have to undertake a guerrilla gardening quest and plant a load around the perimeter of the allotment and my housing estate to use the bulbs I don't manage to plant in the area I had earmarked for them!
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Guerilla gardening sounds cool.
I'm planning to plant some rhubarb and maybe some gooseberries and blackthorn in the field borders round the allotment site - basically for my homebrewing needs but others can benefit too...
Cheers,
Balders
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acquired a red goosegog plant from a neighbour, really pleased. :D
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acquired a red goosegog plant from a neighbour, really pleased. :D
I did too!
Went to plot today and gooseberry bush planted next to my strawberries. Had mentioned to plot neighbour that was going to buy one. Hers are really sweet so hope it is from person I think it's from :)
Have been given lots of strawberries from couple of people too so planted them. Started to dig weeds out from manure but had to give up as poured with rain :(
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Spent all day at plot in the sunshine. Compost pile weeded. Manured where potatoes will go. Dug out lots of rhubarb and replanted some in my new fruit bed. Might put rest on freecycle as must be about 6 plants from previous plot people.
Almost ready now for winter. Only thing left now to do is dig up sweetcorn and weed area.
First year not felt overwhelmed by grass and weeds!
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Made a start on tidying up my plot after being away with work for 8 weeks!! All the grass is mown and half the beds weeded. About 3 hours of tidying done and its starting to look respectable again!!
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As the ground was still sodden planting the daffodil bulbs had to wait so instead I tamed the raspberry beds, cutting down the spent primocanes and tying in the new floricanes. I then had my 1st bonfire of season.
Me and Fire usually aren't the best of friends, it often involves me standing forlornly next to the incinerator bin as my efforts are starting a controlled inferno amount to nothing more than a small flame and puff of smoke but today the fire fairy must have been looking kindly upon me! The raspberry canes are now ashes and I made the start in clearing the 5 pallet compost pile left over from the old plot holder which involves getting rid of 9 old crumbling pallets. I will be taking the crowbar down tomorrow to finish off the stubborn ones.
I had the pleasure of my sister, brother in law and nephew popping over with two large water butts they have kindly donated.
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Monday and Tuesday I popped down after work.
Picked lettuces and gave some away before the slugs have them.
Picked some more patty pans to add to my garden table full.
Thinned out my fartachokes to prevent any more blowing over. Dug 2 of the blown over plants up. shame as they are just starting to flower.
hopped for a window where I might get chance to spray the odd stinging nettle this month
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Not been to the plot but I have fixed my rotavator so its ready to use and just found a really local contact with loads of well rotted manure going for free. Looks like my plots going to get tucked up for the winter nicely!!! :)
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Finally got the power tools down to the plot to start the big tidy up after 7 weeks away with work! Rotavating done, mowing started, plenty of tidying done but loads more to do as you can see!! Finally feel like I am getting somewhere now :D
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Made some time today to play in the garden. :)
I was going to have a clear out and a move around this year, but with all the other things I have to do it will have to wait.
Dug over one of the smaller 8x3 beds which had produced nothing but a fine crop of chick weed this year and put my garlic in, 24 Music and 24 Castano from saved bulbs. Covered with netting to keep the alium leaf miner out and weldmesh to keep the cats off. :(
Cut down the asparagus ferns.
Cleared the courgette bed and gave the chickens the slug munched marrows I found. ::)
Just the fruit canes to deal with now, then I'm all done until spring. :D
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Crumbs, you guys are all so busy. And I'm oh so not.
Anyway, today, I watered everything. The temperatures are like July again, though the night time temps are now pretty chilly, but still too high for a frost. Should be in the minuses by now for sure. Very strange. The tomato plants are trying to start up again after the cold spell in September. Hard to know whether it's worth tying up the new shoots or not.
Also dispatched another couple of hundred snails. This is no exaggeration. The other day it was three or four times that. I have to find a snail solution. The sprout plants had getting on for 25 apiece, some more. And my lettuce don't bear thinking about. Even if I manage to get the snails out, there's all the poop they leave behind them... Not very appetising.
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Planted the garlic and the winter onions.
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Weeded the cabbages,I'm surprised their still okay with the amount of slugs and snails with had this year. Picked the last of my baby sweetcorn and tomatoes and then dug up the plants and put them on the compost heap.:)
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Cleared 3 raised beds and put weeds and spent plants on the compost. Pulled carrots and a couple of potatoes for my dinner and picked the last courgettes and yet more patty pans cut off some baby leaves but boy sure if they will sprout again now.
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Harvested the last of my beetroot, and put some wood ash on the patch!
Cheers
Aled
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Harvested some Toms, courgettes, Basil and Dahlias. Strimmed the paths. Put some winter greens which were in pots into the boarder in the PT. Took out any tomato plants that were finished producing. Tidied up the courgette bed. OH put up new shelves in the shed and fixed the lock on it. Started moving the pots etc from the PT to the new shelves in the shed.
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Not really been in the mood for the plot for the past couple of weeks since dad was dying (passed away last Wednesday). Made an effort today and went down there for an hour or so. Done some general tidying up, strimmed the paths, pulled all the Tomato plants up after picking the last of the fruit. Done the same with sweetcorn as well. The plot is still looking quite good for this time of year. As I am on 2pm-11pm this week I am aiming to go to the plot most morning's to start digging it over.
PS:just remembered, planted 20 shallot's as well.
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Felt like winter had arived on Sunday. The hour changed to begin with.
Dug up the last of the veg, will eating beetroot and carrots this week.
Took down my plastic tomato growing tent thinghy, and packed it away for the winter. Cleaned the BBQ and yep you guessed it packed it away for the winter. Sorted some logs for the fire, and raked a pile of leaves off the lawn and put them in a quiet corner.
Now if i could get some time to go shooting and watch some rugby the winter may be bearable!
Cheers
Aled
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Tuesday I popped to the plot at lunch time, I haven't been down for a few weeks.
This was literally a harvest and run stop. Picked all my squashes, some beetroot and celery,the last marrow, the last of the patty pans, herbs and nasturtium leaves for the bunny.
Cut down a few flowering thistles before the neighbours complain.
Felt very much like the end of the growing season. Won't be able to start tidying the plot til dec as I've got a lot on at the mo.
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This week as seen me dig the last 6 rows of spuds, cut down 2 areas of raspberry canes down ready to transplant into one plot. Get ready to consolidate 4 patch's of strawberries into one patch (this is because we've now taken on the adjoining plot). Clear and level an area of ground to start the erection of our 10' x 15' Poly.
What I have to do ASAP is plant out the cabbage, onions, garlic, beans....take the strimmer up for the path...ye gods when will it end?? :wacko:
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Had a quicky half hour, weeded the garlic and changed to a metal mesh cover to keep the birds off- my first year and very pleased they are looking so good!
Excited to see some lovely red cabbage (another first) and all the brassicas (psb,swedes, kales and romanseco) all looking perky.
Very, very excited that someone had left a big pile of large used polycarb sheets at the back of my plot :D left a note in case they belong to my neighbour, but nabbing them if not!
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Dug up last of potatoes and cover the area with weed suppression, my parsnips are doing okay but I was told they still need a sharp frost to sweeten them, swedes are also doing well. :)
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Dug over a couple of beds and sowed broad beans to over winter and also put in 100 tulip bulbs in one bed I am setting aside for cut flowers.
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Deconstructed and spread an old compost pile... looking good.
Sorted a new wood chip path that has more pleasing curves. Enjoyed the warm sun, picked raspberries and unbelievably courgettes in November ! Mused in the cleared out greenhouse.
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Had a loverly garden fire on the first day of the open bonfire season. Got rid of just about all the bits of old shed, dead apple tree and other such stuff.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ZqsIaLmYkYE/VFVxXo43pnI/AAAAAAAATtk/P3Ru81BChag/w718-h538-no/WP_000392.jpg)
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First visit for three weeks owing to holiday, so lots to do. Tidied the polytunnel. Cleared away squash plant. Weeded lots. Sowed the Wizard field beans. Harvested an awful lot of stuff. Put fleece over the leaf chicory and lettuce still in the ground outside.
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Harvested the last of my greenhouse tomatoes. Amazed to do that on the second of November. The same day that I harvested my first parsnips. General weeding tidying.
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Emptied it! Nothing left in there for the winter now. Seems we will be moving house soon, so i dont know how much effort i will be putting into the plot over the winter. I will dig it over, and probably manure as well.
But little else.
Cheers
Aled
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Winter is here and the log fire is burning! So had a load of ash to stick on the patch this morning!
Cheers
Aled
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Took my vegetable waste down to the compost heap and came home! Too cold and too wet!
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Not much. Harvested carrots and celeriac for a stew tomorrow. Spent a bit of time planning things.
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Dug my first root of early spuds (Cliffs Kidney) weeded the runner beans and watered the tomatos. :tongue2:
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Cleared toms from the PT border and started to remove some of the soil. The raised bed timber has started to rot so we are going to redo them over the winter. Harvested carrots, beetroot and parsnips. Came home and started work on a new heated propagation box in the greenhouse.
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Soil very soggy, did some weeding will they stop growing soon ?, picked a lettuce planned where to put new strawberry plants, and blackcurrant bush, everything is covered in leaves and sad looking, roll on spring.
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Went for a calming 5 mins to find my water butt had broken the stand :unsure: sorted the resulting mess out, but will need a bit of planning.
On the other hand spent a happy hour at home in the greenhouse tidying away for winter, transplanted some lettuces out to the cold frame.
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Pulled beetroot then stood and relaxed knowing it's my little plot and no one can come along and tut because somethings not to their liking.
It will get done in good time when the rain stops... no rush :)
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Just harvested the carrots. They have been attacked by the fly and slugs, but I'm sure I can salvage plenty for a couple of stews. Also harvested a couple of celeriac and a few leeks, also for my stew but enough to make soup as well. :D did a bit of tidying up. Had to watch my step as it was very wet and slippery up there. I sowed some lettuce, radish and salad onions in the greenhouse. It worked last year, so thought I would give it another go.
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Had a tidy up of all the stuff I couldn't compost or need. This was then taken to the tip. Was becoming a bit of a salvage yard (Steptoe & Son)! :D
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Had I attempted to get onto the plot today the verb would have been "swam" as it's not stopped p-I-didddling down all day.
Watercress might be worth contemplating...
(I have a new fibre-glass pond ready and waiting. All I need to do is dig a hole.)
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Paddy fields for you, Paul!
Since arriving here, I have come to realise I have developed many bad gardening habits and effectively re-learning how to garden in an effective and efficient manner.
To this end I'm doing an online horticulture course and viewing my garden with new eyes. I also got some h-u-g-e pots for potatoes (photos later) and making sure that I'm doing the best I can for my plants that feed me.
Massive respect to the experienced hands on here who share their experience so well. I've enjoyed all my hobbies over the years, but gardening has to beat them all!
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Early morning visit in the chill to take down the culticave and stash it away for winter. Rinsed off all the mud and as mush of the mouldy bits as I could. There are a couple of annoying structural jobs I can be getting on with now it's too soggy to dig beds. Should make it easier for next year anyways. Leeks, kale and broccoli are all looking good. Am a bit worried that at about 6-7 inches high the broadies are a bit too advanced to overwinter well, but at least I have plenty of seed to replace anything that doesn't make it.
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Well I planned to go to the lottie today (haven't been up there to garden for nearly 2 months :ohmy:) and both waking up all snotty and sneezy and the rain have scuppered my plans! :(
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2 months!!! Think your neighbours must have been on the verge of sending out a search party.
Hope you feel better soon. :)
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I've been up to harvest stuff, see to the chooks etc but just haven't had time on dry days to do any gardening
My backgarden and greenhouse are looking neglected as well ::)
I don't feel particularly ill - it just bothers me that whenever I'm on annual leave I get poorly! :mad:
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Lawns cut today - ours at home, my mother's and my cousins next-door where I have two veg of my three veg plots. Not too wet.
Now to work up enthusiasm to sort out a barrow load of gladioli - trim, store and dry.
Alternatively I could just sit and relax for an hour while a carer is taking my place? :unsure:
Lazy soooo & so. :blush: I better get out there and make the best of the dry.
Keep at it Kevin - even the experts don't know everything and what works for one may not for another. It's all about experience and common sense as well as determination and a sense of adventure. The on-line course sounds interesting. :)
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Looked at the sky....
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7uQwCn0LFNo/VHNjtgiIyrI/AAAAAAAAT2w/HxgdUCS5FbI/w718-h538-no/WP_000402.jpg)
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Used my brand new towbar today. Borrowed my mate's trailer and managed to collect 20 bags of horse manure for the allotment. 17 bags in the trailer and 3 in the car boot. Hoping to spread over next time I'm off from work!
:)
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me and OH went to the plot for 3 hours on Tuesday. The plot has been very neglected over the last few months as I’ve been revising for an exam.
We took the bean frame down and the twine off the pea frame OH dug this bed over and then we covered it with some plastic sheeting.
Cut down the fartachokes - the wind has pulled a few root tubers above ground but no time to dig these all up. If anyone has any tips for cleaning/skinning these that would be much appreaciated there so fiddly.
Dug up 2 rows of Sarpo Mira spuds about 12 plants made a good tugs full. A vole had made himself a nice home in an amongst the straw around the spuds and has been stashing chestnuts and broad beans as well as eating my spuds threw a carrier bag of nibbled spuds out, dont like to share my food!
Dug up 2 Oca plants, dispite the frost not having got to them these were a really good harvest. The white/yellow tubers are much bigger than the pink ones I'd grown last year.
Picked some celery, lettuce, beetroot and carrots.
Made a mental note of everything else that needs doing down there!
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Took down the old raspberry frame that was rotten and replaced it with a new one, then tied in the canes.
Did the same with the old blackberry frame but two of the meta post sockets had rusted away, so collected two new ones on the way home to fit tomorrow.
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Fleeced the chards, kales and swedes- I know they don't need it, but was more to keep the pesky cats and foxes from trampling them all down again.
Mulched the rhubarb crowns with manure
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... two of the meta post sockets had rusted away...
I didn't think they did that. How about treating the new ones with Hammerite or some such thing before putting them in? The cost of the paint is far less than the extended life, cost and annoyance for it to happen again.
(Don't spoil the ship for a ha'porth of tar, comes to mind.)
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Thanks for the advice Kevin67, I had done that before I saw your post this afternoon,great minds think alike!
Finished off the frame work and tied in the blackberry whilst TOH spread manure on next years brassica plot and covered it for the winter.
Harvested some of the remaining crops and went home for a bath!!!
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Tidied up my ' Man Shed ' took me 3 hours , finding items I needed before but it could never find. Tools cleaned , oiled and rehung. Cleaned around the outside and put done fresh woodchip. Looking good , with only a few jobs left to do . Can't wait for the spring to get going again.
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2 hours at the weekend. Tidied up the compost bins and watched a completely unafraid rat stroll around the shed end of the allotment. Tidied up two more beds - dug grass out from round the fruit bushes. Need to tidy up generally to give him less room to hide. Gorgeous sunny day - in a T-shirt.
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Cold but sunny, so put the thermals on and spent 3 hours at the plot.
Harvested the last of the sweet peppers and chilli peppers. Little polytunnel is now empty.
Put in some onion sets for another plot holder. Netted my PSB.
Harvested some leeks and a small swede. Noted most of the field beans and all the garlic is now through. Weeded those beds.
OH levelled ground on half the plot, laid weed suppressant fabric and covered with woodchip. We need more woodchip now.
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Harvested a few nice beetroots & some greens. Plot looking very bedraggled but didn't have time to tidy. Was very surprised to find after roasting them 2 were golden beets! Don't remember growing them, but they tasted really good, just didn't look like beetroot!
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Absolutely nothing, zero, not a stroke, the sum of zilch squared, diddly.
It's cold and wet up there, all under control with zero pests or watering needs.
Will make one visit to pull up the holiday greens and root veg..... and just maybe cut/dig in some fava/broad bean green manure, depending on how they're faring.
I'm planning at home though, putting my onion and pepper seeds on standby. The propagator will be fired up when the sun goes over the solstice yardarm... not long now.
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I'm so pleased to be on a forum where people actually know what they're talking about - and willing to share, too!
Yes, I'm actually counting the minutes down to this winters solstice!
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Just a gentle reminder that this thread is for telling everyone what we did on the plot today, not what we didn't do or general chit chat :)
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Popped down at lunch, dug up the rest/5 oca plants and 2 fartachoke plants (enough to feed an army) plus the first few leaves of kale. Thought about much needed weeding but didn't get very far with restricted time
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Sat all by myself in peace and quiet and drank my coffee, and then was sufficiently enlivened to dig out and barrow away to the communal dump all the remaining old strawberry plants ( I have made a new bed already for next season) Even took out all the ones that had rooted in the path. :D
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Finally found an hour free to spend in the garden (well it wasn't actually free I was supposed to be working :D ).
Raised the netting on the garlic which had started to come up, cleared lots of cat pooh >:( cut down the toms, peppers and physallis everything was covered in mould so off it went to the fire. Grumbled at the chickens for not laying any eggs - first time since I started keeping them everyone has stopped laying. :ohmy: :( Planted out 2 apple trees I am try to espalier the other 2 refuse to branch.
Still lots to do before I can consider things put to bed for winter, but at least it's a start.
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As we had some woodchip delivered to our site which did not contain any green leafy matter, I spent several hours transporting builders' trugs of it, seven at a time (as that is all I could lay my hands on) from the mountain by the main gate to my plot the other side of the site ... and we have a very large site ... in my car.
These were then barrowed one by one down the plot to the far end, to improve the paths. I also took out every weed from the paths before laying down the new stuff. Where the old layer had mulched down there had been quite a lot of weed seeds germinated
I did four trips, but it does all look beautiful now. Just a few beds to tidy over now :lol:
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Only went up to harvest some lovely kale, parsnip, swede and carrot. But had to fix the blown out greenhouse door.. my stupid fault.
The plot looks so different now so much hedge/canes/bush/vines have died back, taking all those mysterious little corners and half romantic bowers with them.
Thought about a bonfire but decided a nice sunny Saturday morning tomorrow with some sort of cuppa would be far more suitable. Looking forward to the Penzance Solstice bonfire on 21st with associated guising music and merriment.
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Finished making two raised beds. One where we hope to grow some blueberries, providing we can get the pH low enough, the other for carrots. For the rest, everything is very bare.
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Moved some strawberry runners, did some pruning and raked some leaves. Mended the greenhouse roof that had blown off. Nice to be outside- greenhouse saying 23 degrees but there was frost all day in the shade :nowink:
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Dug up half of my raspberries and moved them to my new fruit bed. Now have in that bed new strawberries all given to me, moved rhubarb so three plants there, a gooseberry bush given to me and half of my raspberry bushes. Weeded area but not sure what to do with the rest. Seems a waste to dig them up to throw away so might transplant the rest another day :lol:
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Cleared the weeds around the raspberries and the blackberries then mulched with manure.
Topped up the compost bins with manure, the sites delivery of manure is nearly depleted now :(
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planted the shallots into a wet plot. :( small hole, about the size of a fist made with trowel and filled with hand full of sharp sand... shallot placed firmly on top and then filled up and covered with last years tomato compost.
last seasons harvest of shallots ready for the festive season..... two jars full of matured pickled onions ::)
dave
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Prepared the two beds for the raspberry canes I've just had delivered. I was hoping to get them in today but it took longer to sort the beds than I'd hoped. Back tomorrow to finish off the job.
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Added a load of half rotten pine needles to the blueberry bed-to-be and some garden compost mixed with sharp sand for the carrot bed-to-be.
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Started installing the new irrigation system into the greenhouses. Cleared and tidied the shed, had a long chat with the chooks and planned the beds for this coming season.
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Put in 4 more fence posts - the plot is starting to look like the OK Coral. OH suffers from a touch of OCD and this fence is starting to turn into a fence that would look well around a million pound house, it is perfect level on all sides and precise to within a centimetre :lol: :lol: I was absolutely frozen despite having loads of layers on - all Imwanted to do was go home and sit in front of the fire but OH was having none of it so I ended up standing holding posts while he levelled them from all sides for 3 and a half hours :(
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Stapled a strip of plastic over the leak in the greenhouse window.
Too cold to do more.
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Its becoming hard to find jobs to do up the lotty. Today I carted a lot of manure up ready to put on after the the roots are out and before the beans. I harvested a lot of Kale as well today
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Turned the compost bin over!
Cheers
Aled
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Its becoming hard to find jobs to do up the lotty. Today I carted a lot of manure up ready to put on after the the roots are out and before the beans. I harvested a lot of Kale as well today
Shall I give you directions to mine & a glimpse at my very loooong list of jobs
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Carried on installing the irrigation system, all the pipe work is done and the drippers are now connected. Had my daily chat with the chooks and took a beer over to me neighbour and had a chat with him too. Cleared some old wood i had dried up to burn tonight while looking up at the heavens enjoying the clear nights and a beer!