[fibilou]

We have achieved quite a lot this weekend. Our allotment is now rabbit proof, with a very impressive fence and some sort of sheeting underneath the chicken wire, dug into the ground.

I've planted out tomatoes, chillies, alpine strawberry, chervil and cat grass seeds. We've planted out our peas in guttering as well, and I have planted out my mushrooms in a big box of year old manure. They are in the greenhouse so hopefully we should see some action in the next couple of weeks.

We bought some really cheap (4 x £1.99 for 6) strawberry plants in woolies, also some raspberry canes. I've planted them all out in their own pots in a mix of potting compost and manure this morning and cleaned them up a bit to get rid of dead leaves etc. They look OK, just in need of some TLC, so hopefully they will take on a new lease of life. We got a couple of asparagus plants which we are going to put in one of our baths, planted into some nice manurey soil

We also might have got a new double plot - from some friends on our allotments that are moving away; the plot is worked so we wouldn't have to clear it, and would be able to put up two more greenhouses !  It also has a year old strawberry bed, so we would be able to grow on our new ones for next year and still have a harvest.

We also cleared out the old shed on our plot and discovered a rabbit run underneath. Well, the bunnies won't be using it any more  

And my husband caused me much entertainment trying to climb up one of the big oak trees behind our plot to try and lop off a big branch. He didn't win !

[gobs]

Well done! Phew, I'm really pleased we don't have rabbits.
What do you mean you planted out tomatoes , chillies, it's freezing. :shock:

[compostqueen]

I've done nothing so far on my plot cos too damn cold.  No fun freezing yer butt off  

[fibilou]

Well done! Phew, I'm really pleased we don't have rabbits.
What do you mean you planted out tomatoes , chillies, it's freezing. :shock:

sowed seeds in the greenhouse/house - it said so on the packets, will they be OK ?  :?
We don't mind freezing, we are very hardy !

[Stripey_cat]

The plants are in a greenhouse?  Should be OK, so long as they don't get below about 10-12C at night.  Mine are still on the bathroom windowsill until the nights get warmer (I can't afford to heat a greenhouse, and it seems a bit of a waste of electricity anyway).  Also, I thought strawberries needed heat to germinate (20C or so) - are the alpine sort less fussy?

[fibilou]

the packet said to bung them in an unheated greenhouse mid march and leave em.
i might take them round to my parents' conservatory then, don't want to waste them.
Will the tomatoes be OK ?

[MarkG]

Hiya,

You could get one of those thermometers that record minimum and maximum temperature and keep it in your greenhouse. It will give an idea of what the night time temperature is, and whether its warm enough in there.

[nwalch]

We have achieved quite a lot this weekend. Our allotment is now rabbit proof, with a very impressive fence and some sort of sheeting underneath the chicken wire, dug into the ground.

Any chance of some pictures of the rabbit proof fence. I'm putting the posts in for mine this weekend (weather permitting) so any ideas welcome.

Thanks

[gobs]

Well done! Phew, I'm really pleased we don't have rabbits.
What do you mean you planted out tomatoes , chillies, it's freezing. :shock:

sowed seeds in the greenhouse/house - it said so on the packets, will they be OK ?  :?
We don't mind freezing, we are very hardy !

Well, the tomatoes and chillies do.

As everybody detailed it before they need certain temperatures, sowing it is OK, needs to be kept warm till end of May.

[fibilou]

Well, here is the update for this weekend

Mushrooms have started forming little white threads and mould
Rhubarb has grown two new leaves
Strawberries have all survived and putting on lots of new growth
Pak choi are coming up
I discovered that I hadn't planted the chillis after all as I found the seed packet intact
Peas have moved in their guttering and seem to be "doing something"
Raspberry canes look less forlorn and droopy
Still no movement on the alpine strawbs, chervil, cat grass or tomatoes.

This weekend we planted out our 2 asparagus crowns in a bottomless waterbarrel cut in half. I made up a mixture of the allotment soil, manure and compost with some leaf mould.
Have made an experimental batch of nettle water
Planted out the remaining two rhubarb crowns and stuck a little clear plastic pot  over them to protect them as the bunnies appear to have been at the other one
Dug out a waterhole to try and drain some of the lying water from the rains

[compostqueen]

I have some pics of my husband's rabbit proof fence. He made it look like a corale, lots of round poles everywhere. This was 3 years ago and he's still not got round to adding the wire netting  :roll:  

Regular Watership Down it is