It's cold outside...so what can I do on my lottie?

[Cat]

Hi everyone,

I only got my lottie in the Autumn.  The soil has been overwintering and I want to get over there and rake it over.

The thing is, it has either been too frosty or the soil is too wet to do anything with.  Very frustrating.

I just wondered what everyone else does on their lotties when the weather is bad?

Thanks  :)

[Cat]

[Roy Bham UK]

Hi Cat, ;) Get in that shed put the fire on brew yourself a hot cup of oxo sit down with your seed catalogue and get your seed order in pronto. Draw a plan of what goes where, only sow what you will eat. ;D

[flowerlady]

Not a lot!!  ;D

Compost bin building?  Leaf collecting, and compost making.
Find the odd plank or two to walk on so as not to compact soggy soil!

Do you have any fruit bushes that need tending?  Or do you need to split/move rhubarb?

[Robert_Brenchley]

If the soil's not too frozen you can dig, but then it may have gone like concrete. It will if the freezing spell continues for more than a couple of days. Trim any hedges, prune anything needing it except plums, which have to be done in the growing season. Clear up, sort out the shed if you have one, have a bonfire. Sit and plan, drool over a few catalogues. Read a gardening book.

[katynewbie]

>:(

I know what you mean Cat!! Got my plot in June and had to wait for the previous owner to remove huge pigeon loft, that took til November. Then it got miserable and now its either frozen or sopping wet!!

Keep thinking that its all about enjoyment, so go and look at it and dream!!
Have spent cosy nights in wrapped around a pile of warm seed catalogues and making lots of plans!!

Think thats all we can do!!

;)

[agapanthus]

you could build some raised beds ;D

[jennym]

Lay some paths?

[grawrc]

Sounds as though your plot is in good nick from what you say. In that case you can sit back with a self-satisified smile and plan.  ;D ;D

[Rose.mary]

My goodness! I go down to my allotment most days, and I don't know what I do but I am always busy. I almost cry when they turn the light off before I am finished.

Rosemary

[Moggle]

I keep an eye on the long range forecast. Then when several dry and sunny days are forecast together (ie end of last week) then I start booking afternoons/days off work  ;D

There is a certain amount of stuff you can get done when it's only a light frost too  :)

Other than that, as others have said, plan and read  :)

[Larkspur]

Hi, over the last six weeks or so I have laid wooden bed edging, erected a compost bin, laid new paths, dug most of  my patch (though it had had polythene covering) ordered my seeds, drawn up my cropping and rotation plans and done a flow chart of sowing times. Mind you I am retired so I can pick my moments but some of that has occupied some of every day so the allotment is generally in my mind. Hope that gives a few ideas :)

[John_H]

If  you have any old wood or prunings then you could could have a burn up, build some places for wildlife (burying upturned flowerpots to make bumblebee nests), pick some places for corrugated iron sheets â€" which slow worms and lizards can live under, or make a frog pond to put spawn in next spring. Start collecting 2ltr plastic drinks bottles for turning into cloches and watering funnels. Have a think about making some raised beds so that next year you will have some areas where you can plant things without having to tread on the soil.