Topic: What did you do in the garden today?

[SnooziSuzi]

Thanks Cambourne,

It's entirely my own fault though. As penance for my laziness, I shall be down there weeding, even in the pouring rain

(although I'm hoping your crossed fingers work  :))

Tabby

Tabby I'm in exactly the same situation.  My weeds have almost taken over, what with the warm and wet summer and me not keeping on top of them.  New job last week too so I can empathise with you.  fortunately, I'm the association secretary so I'd just have to send a letter to myself!! 

Today I harvested the last of the sweetcorn and ate them!  YUM
cleaned out the hen coop
put in a perch which they took to straight away.  I was MOST pleased!
hoed off some weeds and had a bonfire to get rid of them.

I also let the hens out of the run today so that they could peck around in the lottie and see what's what.

I've only had them for a week, so I figured they had spent long enough just in their pen and it was about time they saw what else there was to life!

Whilst I was hoeing off the weeds I found loads of chaffer grubs so fed them to the hens.  They soon got the idea and came over to where I was clearing away and started helping themselves!

I love having a lottie!  :-*  ;D

[SMP1704]

Yesterday, we had a Community PayBack team on the site.  They helped us to clear out the remains of four burnt sheds, which filled up the skip.  We also cleared the rubbish off of two plots that are about to be re-let and fixed the fence that the council said they couldn't afford to do ;D

They are also coming back for 3 more weeks to tackle the brambles ;D ;D ;D

[caroline7758]

Hope they do it properly, SMP. A similar group was put to work on our site to clear a plot that was covered in brambles- it certainly looked better, but the poor couple who took it over said they'd left most of the bramble roots in!

[tabbycat]

Cambourne, your crossed fingers really worked!  ;D

Was down there from 8.30 until 1.30 and the weather was beautiful!  :)
My DH and daughters turned up at 10 with bacon sandwiches and thermos tea - yum.

Got two more raised beds edged, harvested all the sweetcorn, planted tulips and dug up loads and loads of weeds.

Suzi - I went and grovelled to the lottie chairman and got him to come check that I'd edged my plot properly. Congrats on your new job. I'm very excited about mine as it's the first time i've worked in 7 years, since having daughter number 1.

Tabby

[theothermarg]

I did some more digging on what was the sweetcorn and bean patch. suddenly
loads of mice(well at least six ) came running out from where my spade was in the ground and disappeared under the pile of dying foilage! when I looked I had killed one! I left the others despite others telling me to hack them all to death
marg

[caroline7758]

Well done, tabbycat- hope you're not too exhausted to work!
I've done garden rather than allotment today- mowed front and back lawns (both small) and cut back loads of scraggy plants. OH was supposed to be cutting hedges but it didn't happen- he promised he'll do it tomorrow! >:(

[cambourne7]

Hi

Well i managed to get to another allotment holders plot today (same one who gave me there greenhouse) they asked if i wanted anything from there rasberry bed. And i managed to get about 10 plants and a redcurrant plant as well. There all temp planted in a big boxs of compost for a couple of weeks.

I sorted my compost bin turned some of it and moved some of the compost from one bay to another, (hubbie cleared out all out paperwork yesterday) and i have interlaced these along with weeds and other stuff. And gave it a good water as its quite dry.

I also finished topping up the raised bed i was working on yesterday and covered this in cardboard and some wood to hold it down. I am going to pick up some spent hops and use this over the cardboard over winter.

I cant believe how hard the ground is its really slowing me down.

But i am glad the weather had stayed dry i locked the site up to the most glorious sunset.

Camborune7

[Suzanne]

Today I just went out to add last nights vegetable peelings to the compost heap on No1 allotment. But the weekend was so glorious (afternoons were sunny anyway), that on Saturday I completed weeded and tidied up allotment No1 with much standing back/sitting in the sunshine. Also planted out my winter lettuce seedlings which I will cover with a cold frame later on.

I think the standing back/sitting is a vital part of allotmenting as it conserves energy, allowing you to sip on a cuppa and start a conversation with your neighbouring plot holders about your plans for the next years sowing season. I also like the bit where we all say what a dreadful year it's been, despite the fact we have just produced our best ever leek, pumpkin etc. The implied if I had tried harder this would have been magnificent is brilliant - a bit like taking exams at school when somebody asked you haow it went - never say well!!

On Sunday I went to lottie No2 which I took on in Feb this year. I have grown all my squashes and long season crops there. So howed all of the beds, harvested carrots, parsnip, leeks, some Nero di Toscana kale, and some more raspberries and blackberries. Incidentally the last plot holder loved raspberries (I have 4 rows at about 10 ft a row), I am going to take some out this year so if anyone wants some autumn fruiting raspberries (variety unknown) and lives or can collect from Rugby area let me know. I also checked my pumpkins and winter squash doing well but I am keeping an eye on the forecasts as I don't want to lose them to the frosts.


I'll take the camera down this week so I can show you.

Today I am at work - this is my lunch hour so the only lottie fix I am going to get I think  :-\

[cambourne7]

Had a wonderful full day on the allotment, only just crawled home.

I managed to move 10 wheelbarrows of compost to my beds and 5 wheelbarrows of woodchips to help put over weed membrane and cardbard on my new thinner paths. Very small dent in what needs to be done. But its a start :) I also got 2 wheelbarrows of stuff for the compost bin and gave my bins a water as there a little dry.

Pumpkin plant has actualy continued to fruit which is intresting and my runner beans have produced loads of red flowers which makes me thing that they might fruit!!! which would be great :)

One of our new allotment holders where there with her 2 kids and they were full of energy and not a lot for them to do so i put them to work and showed them how to use a hoe and they filled up 2 wheelbarrows of wood chips for me as well. And they want to come back tomorrow to help me :) i think there mum would rather they helped her but she has nothing for them to do at the moment and i have promised them some pumpkin seeds for there help which they were very pleased with.

I also planted up a strawberry planter for another allotment holder whos giving there plot up and has given me there red-currant plant. So when he comes to clear his plot in the next week he will get a nice surprise.

Tomorrow i am off apple picking and will spend the afternoon on the plot and with luck i can get some more weeding done while we still have some compost available on the site so i can get more beds topped up. Hubbies comming up saturday to help me make the last of my beds as i just cant get going on them and my backs a little stiff so all that bending down is not ideal. Opting for the pub for dinner and then a hot bath so i might feel better in the morning. The chicken i have defrosted for tonights dinner is going into the oven and be cooked to add to dinner tomorrow instead  ;D

[saddad]

Spot of weeding and got a couple of rows of winter onion sets in!
 ;D

[newbies]

Wow Cambourne, I am soo jealous!  I'm gutted that I don't have the time at the mo to spend on my plot, but it will come.  Congrats for achieving so much, it sounds like you worked really hard.  Roll on Sunday for me!

[cambourne7]

I am just trying to make up of the good weather :) believe me my plots probably far worse then yours  8)

[Emagggie]

Yesterday I had 3/4 of an hour, so I went to plot, picked yet another 20lbs toms for cooking,gazed at the jobs to be done and went home. ::)

[cornykev]

Picked the last of the sweetcorn and dug up all the plants, harvested runners, carrots, last cauli, courgette and savoy cabbage.  ;D ;D ;D

[tabbycat]

I went straight to the plot after rushing home from work at 12.00, did battle with the weeds and dug over two new beds.

I'd always known that you should plant potatoes to break up heavy soil, but having seen the results on the worst bit of my plot, I have to say they are little miracle workers. I planted 1/2 a bed up at Easter and the soil is lovely and crumbly, unlike the other half that is really lumpy and full of stones.

I then rushed back to school to collect the girls, still in all my lottie gear, with dirty nails. Some of the more groomed mummies must nearly faint with horror when they see me  ;D

Tabby

Am supposed to be having an ironing day tommorrow  :(, but if this weather keeps up, I'll be back down the plot!

[caroline7758]

Beautiful day here today, so put in 3 hours at the allotment (and I'm feeling it now!). Dug over another section where the weeds had taken over and sowed some green manure in the hope it's not too late. Harvested carrots,rasps, runners and a few blackberries. think the courgettes are finished now :( but they've been great. Feeling quite positive about my chances of getting the plot properly ready for next spring- hope it lasts!

[Emagggie]

Am supposed to be having an ironing day tommorrow  :(, but if this weather keeps up, I'll be back down the plot!

It's amazing what a bit of body heat can do Tabby. ;D

[cambourne7]

whats Ironing  ;D

Nothing i buy needs ironing unless its stuff for special occasions, hubbie does his own ironing aka his shirts for work but as i wash and dry them its the least he can do!!

This weather is forcast for 4 days  ;D (http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/today.asp?zipcode=CB4) so i am trying to get as much done as possible before the bad weather closes back in again.

All i know is that i need a hot soak, i know i want to do lots of stuff but i have to keep telling myself to slow down and pace myself. Maybe that should be the A4A motto  ;)

[caroline7758]

Think we need a thread on "best bath soak for allotment backs" ;D

[manicscousers]

cleared up the strawberries and potted up 60 runners, they should've been sent out to allotmenteers so I hope the strike doesn't last long, they might get too big  :o ;D