[richy]

Dropped off a good batch of manuar at the plot ready for later on in the year then went home to build the new walk in greenhouse.

[marcofez]

Went for a walk round the allotment before having a snooze, ready for nightshift. While enjoying the sunshine, I swapped some red cabbage seeds for some bush tomato ones. Also checked the onion seedlings in the poly. 

[Thephoenix572]

I dug over the onion bed and planted my Shallots, attacked a patch of brambles and weighed up where everything is going

[Paul Plots]

On Sunday I escaped for two hours - managed to do some more digging and lift some leeks.

High hopes for getting it ship shape for Spring if only the old Howard rotavator will oblige again this year - bless it's bright orange socks. 

[jim1972]

got the shallots (red sun and golden gourmet) in and some garlic. Beautiful day with blue skies and sunshine.

[Mrs Bee]

Slid over, picked some leeks, slid over again, picked beetroot, celariac, leeks and swedes.

Weeded 4 beds, got nagged at by OH for doing things wrong and continued to slip, slide away

So I came home for a hot bovril.

[blackberryjam]

What a lovely day, finished digging, plots all ready for sowing now just need to repair my shed. 

[plinston27]

Cleaned out my inherited potting shed and started off some broad beans, peppers, chives, toms and purple sprouting broccoli.
Finished off my 8 small raised beds in the polytunnel and filled with my soil/manure mix that's been left to rot together.
Then just enjoyed the strangely warm weather an came home

[angelavdavis]

Another beautiful day here on the South Coast.  Gorgeous sunshine, no breeze and children running around having fun.  The children were wired this morning from days cooped up in the house - by the afternoon, they were relaxed and happy, playing nicely together.

Unusually for me, I dug over a 8ft square area that was so badly compacted, I decided to break my usual no dig policy.  This area of the plot hasn't been cultivated for at least ten years.  I am planning to plant potatoes in a portion of the area I have dug, with a lasagne bed over the top of the other area.

I gifted some raspberry canes which were excess to requirements to another very grateful plotholder which was nice.

[RJR_38]

What is a lasagne bed? I am waiting for my raspberries to arrive - am very impatient now!

[Mega]

Compost bin emptied onto one roughly dug bed  Rest  re-piled for later use 

Four new raised beds put in and filled ready to roll 

Shed emptied & repacked

Ache like billio now 

[angelavdavis]

What is a lasagne bed? I am waiting for my raspberries to arrive - am very impatient now!

Lasagne gardening allows you to cover the existing weeds, etc with cardboard or newspaper, then build up layers of greens (uncooked kitchen scraps, grass clippings, manure) and browns (newspaper, sawdust, straw).  Thoroughly wet all layers as you build.  Build as many layers as you can get your hands on the materials for. I usually aim at 6 layers.  You can allow to rot down, or you can simply top with a layer of soaked newspaper and compost and plant in the compost.  Because you build up so many layers, it helps to break down the weeds originally in the soil.  If the soil is compacted, fork over and water the area before starting.

Have a look either at my diary (look at the beginning) or at the following link for more information:

http://ourgardengang.tripod.com/lasagna_gardening.htm

There are lots of examples on youtube too.

I have found it a great way to convert overgrown allotment plots into usable growing spaces very quickly.  I set up two lasagne beds on the new plot in June last year (only took over this half in October).  They are well draining and the condition of the soil is excellent now.

[RJR_38]

It sounds fascinating. If I had read this before I started to clear my jungle I might have considered it! As it is I have done most of the back breaking work now I think and only a small area left to clear before I can concentrate on improving the soil.

[Jim the builder]

Finished emptying my compost bin, lesson learned, regaurdless of what people tell you switch grass, nettles and dock do NOT compost down, but instead just happily go on growing and spreading through your compost bin till you end up with great compost riddled with weeds!

[AlaninCarlisle]

Last weekend I sowed celeriac (Prinz)and leek (Toledo) in heated propagator.

Also 72 cloves of garlic in fibre pots, again in propagator. Yes I realise this is contrary to conventional wisdom but I've been doing it for several years now with cloves of original garlic from supermarket so I've no idea as to variety etc. It just works for me and gives us enough garlic to last all year.

Tomorrow I'll be preparing raised beds in polytunnel and then this weekend I'll be rotavating the  outdoor plots that have had tons of muck applied since last late summer.

Sheer relief to be able to work dryish soil after so long as a muddy patch