[MoreWhisky]

This afternoon Prepared my Onion section  had a little weed of my garlic and japanese onions while i was there.

Pruned my Leveller Gooseberry bush.

And had great delight in watching my rhubarb grow.

Nice afternoon.

[Slowgrind]

Started Onions and leeks in the propogator.
First time for both so fingers crossed!   

[solway cropper]

We're having some high spring tides at the moment and all sorts gets washed up on the marsh. I collected 2 sacks of seaweed to add to the compost and a blg plastic bucket. As a bonus the moles had been busy where I park the car so I also got a sack of molehills. The fine soil is perfect for mixing with compost for my containers. 

[Mahogony]

The weather was fab in Dublin today, a balmy 8 degrees C.
I checked my onions and the roots seem ok so they can stay in bed for another few weeks before I evict them for non-compliance.
My garlic have come on great in the last couple of weeks so there is hope.
I bought my first early seed potatoes and the last of the seeds I will need.
I sorted out all the toilet roll insides I have been collecting over the winter and will microwave them and sow my broad beans later int he week.
I will be copying a few of you and found an old cat litter tray so I can plant my leeks the DD way (just need to search the archives to wee what that way is)
Ground is still very wet. Didn't do any weeding today as even the weeds aren't growing in the terrible weather we have been having.

Love the image of you on the bus with fruit bushes 

[Trikidiki]

Great idea!

.......Drew up charts of sowing times and layout plans of my raised

I think you'll find most of us have been doing that all winter.

I shared my plot last year with the previous holder (92 years old and had the plot for 20+ years). There was an area just behind the plot, an old path, which was overgrown with brambles, nettles, loosestrife etc. I started clearing it last year and was cock-o-hoop to tell him I had made a start in clearing the area. He told me that he had left it like that to stop the kids from running through the old path. Deflated? Me?

I have taken over the whole plot this year and the last two days have been clearing that area completely. The troublesome kids he was on about are now grown up.

Yesterday it rained and it was a dull but rewarding time. Today the sun was shining, down to a T-shirt and have cleared 75% of the area (total approx. 50' by 6'). Planted 5 apples and a pear. Not far to go and I'll get my three plums in.

Chatting with the houseowner next to my plot, I have now secured all his leaf sweepings and lawn mowings from his large garden for my comost. He will also fill my 1000lt water container in exchange for some produce. On a sandy plot with no water he is heaven sent.

Covered the two asparagus beds with bubble wrap to warm the soil ready for planting.

Sowed my leeks using the much publicised cat-litter tray method. I have always sown my leeks in deep boxes but just broadcast, then seperated when planting out. Thought I'd try the spacing out at sowing time to see if the results are any better.

.......I sorted out all the toilet roll insides I have been collecting over the winter and will microwave them and sow my broad beans later int he week.

You are joking? I know my wife (a childminder) has been told she should microwave them before the children make them into rockets, but surely its not now the Elfin Safety idea for the veggie garden?

"Be sure to sterlise your loo rolls before you plant them in your newly manured plot".

[Cazzy]

Love the image of you on the bus with fruit bushes  

Bushes would have been ok, these were 5ft trees 

[lacewing]

Mahoqony, how long do I put the toilet rolls in the micro for?  This is a great tip, I gave up using them because they always went mouldy.

[Mahogony]

Love the image of you on the bus with fruit bushes 

Bushes would have been ok, these were 5ft trees 

even better. shhh you can't see me Very monty pyton.

Mahoqony, how long do I put the toilet rolls in the micro for?  This is a great tip, I gave up using them because they always went mouldy.

Not sure, I read a thread how to do it on here over the winter, I have to dig it up again, I will post a link here when I find it.

You are joking? I know my wife (a childminder) has been told she should microwave them before the children make them into rockets, but surely its not now the Elfin Safety idea for the veggie garden?

No I wasn't joking, I read about a lot of people doing it on here, now I wonder is it a bad idea? more research required. Unfortunately there are no other allotments around me and this is my first year so I don't really have anyone to ask for advise or learn from so I am getting all my info from books and this forum so I may have picked things up wrong.

Maybe I should use paper pots. "Robs paper pots" rings a bell, read something about them during the winter. will do a forum search.

[Mahogony]

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=26363.0

This is DD's thread for growing leeks in litter trays for other newbies like me. Loads of people on here have mentioned using it so using the wisdom of crowds I will be copying this to grow my first leeks this week.

I'm going to treat this forum as my virtual granddad who has had an allotment forever, I might not know why something works but if its good enough for the "experts" its good enough for me.

[Jamie Butterworth]

Sowed sweet peas yesterday along with putting onion stes into cells to propegate them I think 

[JayG]

Mahoqony, how long do I put the toilet rolls in the micro for?  This is a great tip, I gave up using them because they always went mouldy.

I don't think it will make any difference as the mould spores come either from the air or the compost. The glue used to stick the rolls together seems to encourage the mould (you get less of it if you use paper pots).

Although it looks unsightly I don't think it does any harm to the seedlings; make sure your rolls or pots are kept moist rather than soggy.
 

[lacewing]

Thanks JayG. I think I will stick to the paper pots, not so mouldy as the t. rolls.

[Trikidiki]

Moved some strawberries to their new home in a raised bed.

Planted out Hercules and Red Baron sets, covered with polythene.

Weeding among the newish raspberry bed.

Seiving compost to go in the mix for my potatoes in bags.

Played with the dog while drinking can of cider in the sun.

[Cazzy]

Emptied the shed out onto the 'patio area' looking for the gun that holds the tubes of waterproof sealant, didn't find it but my shed looks great now that 4 black bags full of rubbish have been emptied out of it.

My Dad saved the day and brought his gun down for me and hopefully thats the greenhouse roof watertight for the first time in two years.

[Hobnails]

The ground is still too wet to do anything with.

I planted All Gold Autumn raspebbies ina  pot  last year to move here. They have multiplied and desperate to get them into permanent positions, but too wet. Separated them out and planted them in 10 inch pots as a temporary measure until I can get them into the ground.

Turned out our last pot of Ratte potatoes that we overwintered under fleece. About a third were frosted and useless, but others scraped well and have an acceptable new potato taste.

Planted the first four pots of First early potatoes yesterday- trying Orla for the first time.
I like to put wilted comfrey in the pots under the tubers, but still too early for any comfrey.