It's looking to be a sunny day here in the south east so a full day over at the allotment is planned. What jobs is everyone planning on doing in their allotments today? :D
OH built a double composter yesterday so that will be going up. I shall be weeding out the couche grass that is coming through & planting the rest of the onions & probably having a natter.
Janet
I have an area that will be used for two raised bed to be cleared but i usually get carried away doing other stuff ::)
I might finnish building the d.i.y green house or shredder but seeds need sowing.
I will probebly spend half the time talking to others ;D
Neil
Glad I'm not the only natterer.
Janet
I too will be wrestling with couche grass and after that planting some peas and pots, ideally, if time also some early french beans under fleece.
Well you have to have a natter don't you?? ;D
My compost area is a right mess,falling down really.As it is nearly empty at the moment I am going to remove all the old wood and create a new bed on that area.I am going to order one of those plastic composters off the council.
So that is what I am going to do today. ;D
What a pity you're not near us Betula, we have 2 going spare.
Janet
Groan ;Dstory of my life grannyjanny ;D
no allotmet but in the garden I'll be adding soil to my potato planters, potting up my yardlong beans, sowing some seeds, and other small jobs that will surely crop up.
I was planning to plant my seed potatoes and plant out some peas on the allotment. At home I was going to sow my pre germinated parsnip seeds in large pots on the patio, but a bad back has reared its ugly head and scuppered these plans. >:(
i have to plant the last of my mains,
earth up the earlys
sow more peas, carrots, spinach
sow turnips, sweed
transplant umm cant remember what
pot on toms and chillis ( at home )
lbb
Went to allotment yesterday and things were a bit soggy underfoot. .
Today I will sit and pot up seedlings. Been pulling up some grass - first time for weeks that the soil have not been rock hard.
Mostly digging out brambles still. :(
Getting there though, have about 3/4 of our new half plot pretty clear at the moment.
A bit of hoeing and tidying and earthing up the 'taters.
At home we got LOADS of 2nd hand pots from freecycle so we'll be cleaning them and potting on some seedlings! ;D
Sowing seeds, just come home for a bit of dinner.
Digging up bambles & other assorted roots here too. Though judging by the number of weeds that have sprung up over the last few days with all the rain we've had, looks like I might have to leave OH to dig while I weed ;D. Hoping to get some carrots sown too!
to plant out sunday lunch brasicas but got to plot and had left them at home.....DOH! so i half burried my bean coffins so i dont have to buy loads of compost
Aren't we busy bees! :D
I have just come back from my allotment and fought the couche grass, planted four rows of french beans (2 x yellow and 2 x purple) and 2 rows of peas, manured a couple of trenches for runners and measured up for some bird netting for my fruit patch. A nice feeling of accomplishment side by side my aching back!
Half way house... in for a spot of lunch. Sited my tall obelisk (bought for my Birthday last July)... drilled holes in some slabs put the legs through and buried. If it stays up right will decide on permanent planting next year... :)
Sooooo gorgeous here today! 8)
I have sown carrots and another bed of peas, planted a globe artichoke (to give it a go as never tried it before), sown some beetroot, made a little pond out of a big trug thing, planted some herbs and thats about it! Could have stayed there all night it was so lovely.
Mmmmm what a lovely day I've had :) :) :)
Planted the rest of the spuds
Made 2 paths out of weed control fabric and pallets
Weeded the onions
Strimmed the grassy bits
Noticed I have loads of baby gooseberries coming along
Sat in the sun drinking tea
Ahhhhhh
And I get to do it all again tomorrow 8) 8)
Composter up & running. Not to difficult to get in place. To hot for me so came home about 4.45. Might go early in the morning.
Janet
Thanks for all your lovely replies, I really love knowing what everyone else is up to, especailly as out allotments only have 4 other people!! Happy Gardening tomorrow!
Nothing, I've been at a beekeepers' gathering.
Quote from: Robert_Brenchley on April 18, 2009, 20:09:13
Nothing, I've been at a beekeepers' gathering.
whats one of those called? A skep of beekeepers ;D
I sowed my french beans and had a natter, at home i rearanged the greenhouse( yet again) still can't get more in :-[
Beautiful, sunny and breezy day. Apart from the usual weeding and tidying up, I straightened the edges around my fruit growing area, put a path through the middle, covered it in bark chips and erected a new fruit cage over most of it. The gooseberries, currants and strawberries are coming on really well and definitely need protection. The autumn fruiting raspberries can fend for themselves. Also stuck a few willow branches in the ground along part of the plot that needs screening (they have rooted very well in water).
Tomorrow will plant out some French climbing beans, leeks and marigolds (French and African) and hope there will be time to finish planting my maincrop spuds (Romano) before going off on a walk along the Severn Way next week.
After unloading a delivery for our lottie shop this morning, then working in the lottie shop, it was time to sow more peas and transplant 18 sprout plants into their final position. With my 5yr old son, what was to be a 15 minute job became a 2 hour job.....
I ended up having to go back later on my own for a further 3 hours to weed and dig and have a bonfire. Weeding is my job everyday; not just today ;D ;D
I do not usually work Sundays at our lottie shop but may pop down tomorrow as only 2 people are available to do the shop and nursery. Neither are able to hump and dump stuff. Just gotta tell OH.... it can wait till morning..... ;)
Hub finally put the roof back on the shed, and I pulled more weeds, gave the fruit bushes a bit of a feed and planted some yellow beetroot seed that I had ordered on line, only about 1/4 of site left to be dug over
Yesterday evening;- Sown 5 rows of Carrots, a row of Model White Turnips, and a short row of Saladin Lettuce. Popping down today (very early) to pick PSB for lunch.
Quote from: nilly71 on April 18, 2009, 08:56:49
I have an area that will be used for two raised bed to be cleared but i usually get carried away doing other stuff ::)
I might finnish building the d.i.y green house or shredder but seeds need sowing.
I will probebly spend half the time talking to others ;D
Neil
I didn't get any of the above done :( built a potting bench instead ;D and starting clearing around the outside of the plot.
Neil
Well the old compost area has gone and a lovely new bed in place.
Good job I did it as spotted Mr and Mrs Rat,never ever seen them before on the plot. :o
Really enjoyed working on the plot yesterday.The sunshine was a real tonic. ;D
I agree, long last the sunshine. It's gorgeous here again today, am going to poke about in the garden.
Going to collect a new engine for my possessed rotorvator :D
When i get beck going to do some weeding :(
Today has been 'Dandelion Destruction Day' (DD Day for short).
My eyes are now attuned to everything YELLOW and I feel the need to DESTROY IT.
Went to the Co-Op and bought a lemon on the way home. I hope they haven't got me on CCTV.
Dug out TONS of brambles along with some couch grass and other perennial weeds.
Earthed up the early potatos.
Generally weeded and tidied up the plot.
Levelled 2 beds on the new half plot and built half the fence around it.
Caught the sun! ;D
Found a couple of pallets so made the "bad stuff compost area" even bigger for the above weeds.
Still got to do some potting on.
:o
Flipping tired!!!
Steady on mate ;D ;D ;D
I need a rest after reading that :)
Ok After a late start due to my plot being flooded i have dug over bed by hand over the last few weeks and Today i took the Mantis up and knocked the beds down to a fine tilth .. Put in The spuds Earlies ,and now will leave a couple of days before sowing soon stuff and getting my onoins in Its looking good !
Now will need to strim the paths next as well !!
:)
Spent hours trying to keep the sale plants watered...
sowed some Choggia, 48 cells, pricked out 18 Cayenne... gave up because it was too hot in the greenhouse. Sowed radish, pod radish and coriander into the soil... :)
Ah, Coriander, that's why it's nice to read what people are doing as I forgot about coriander and LOVE it, so will plant some directly.
Thats reminded me about Coriander and parsley as well, need to get the next batch going!
I've been meaning to make a measuring stick - a bean pole with 2", 6", 12", 24" etc marked on it with a marker pen. Think it will be easier to use than a ruler/tape measure etc on the plot (got the idea from another thread on here...) also plan to re-pot the chillies and get some more peas (done in loo rolls of course ;D )
Now lets actually see what I get done....... :-X
another assault on the marestail colony is always on our list of 'jobs to do' **** it! ::)
marestail :o :o :o :o :o
NASTY
Quote from: 1066 on April 21, 2009, 10:24:12
Thats reminded me about Coriander and parsley as well, need to get the next batch going!
I've been meaning to make a measuring stick - a bean pole with 2", 6", 12", 24" etc marked on it with a marker pen. Think it will be easier to use than a ruler/tape measure etc on the plot (got the idea from another thread on here...) also plan to re-pot the chillies and get some more peas (done in loo rolls of course ;D )
Now lets actually see what I get done....... :-X
Well didn't bother making the measuring stick bought a collapsible ruler from a cheap shop for a quid ;D Did do the chillies and some peas. But forgot the coriander and parsley...
Marestail is just showing. Have decided it is impossible to dig it all up, so am just cutting of the tops as they show through. Had a dream/nightmare about it last night. Surely someone, somewhere must want to buy it for medicinal use, then I would gadly harvest it. We have got a Council skip coming soon, so I cut down all the minature trees that I had in hanging baskets five years ago, that are now taller than me. Remind me not to plant unwanted shrubs on the allotment, throw them away, or else in 5 years time they are a problem to pull up. Have got some horrible grass (the one that is sharp and cuts your hands) and grows in a great big clump. That has become impossible to remove and is seeding. Think I may have to poison it. The rosemary that came from a pot has now got a bit out of hand. Minature rose is no longer minature. Oh well, don't mention the Christmas tree. Have now got a big pile for the skip, most of it especially the minature!!! fir trees will not compost too well so a bit more work with the secateurs.
Quote from: Borlotti on April 21, 2009, 17:13:15
Marestail is just showing. Have decided it is impossible to dig it all up, so am just cutting of the tops as they show through. Had a dream/nightmare about it last night. Surely someone, somewhere must want to buy it for medicinal use, then I would gadly harvest it......
We're taking the same approach. I read that if you keep cutting it off about an inch below the surface it will 'eventually' weaken or even *gasp* die off! I've yet to see any evidence of that but will keep at it. Why can't slugs love the stuff? problem sorted!
Having planted out most of my Kelsae onion plants yesterday (they've been in 3" pots outside the greehouse for the last few weeks) today is the day the jerusalem artichokes that are just showing in their 6" pots go in along with some Welsh Onions that I got a month ago off ebay and split into four an dput in pots..... they've doubled in size and then some ......Next up is shuffling the tomatos and peppers up a pot size, planting out the peas and broad beans that are currently germinating in pots in front of the GH and potting on/planting out a load of hardy veg that I've sown in modules in or in front of the GH..... then there will be thwe whole malarkey of getting the Asparagus sorted out as it ahs started to show..... I put 100 seeds split out in a 40-module tray and I seem to have a fair few through..... will need to get a big bunch of pots sorted out to grow them in so I can sex them..... I only want the males for the permanent bed, the females can get sacrifieced as forcing next year (and if any survive that then the year after too)....
chrisc
Barrowed some grass cuttings and did a bit of digging. I'm working on a patch which has always had a bit of couch, but there's very little there this year, so hopefully that's the end of it.
What a productive week. It all started on Saturday when I went to our local auctioneers to bid on a petrol mower...which I didn't get..BUT I paid £20 for an old garden shed with no roof and £12 for some folding stacking wooded storage containers. The last 2 days were spent making a new compost box and putting up the shed. In lieu of a new roof, I used some clear corrugated plastic sheets which means I now have a giant propagator/shed. The joyous part was that while building the shed my friendly lottie Robin kept popping in to check on my progress..I hope she likes my new addition. My lottie neighbour donated some Raspberry runners which were taking over her patch, planted them and moved all my pots and non valuable lottie paraphernalia from my overstuffed garage to the lottie shed. Planted four extra rows of carrots in the raised bed and planted climbing bean seeds. Picked some forced Rhubarb, some for me, some for the little old lady who lives next door. Cleaned and disinfected the chicken coop. Built a Geoff Hamilton style giant cloche/mini poly tunnel for my Minnesota Midget sweet melons and refilled the water butt. The next job will be to fit guttering to allow me to save all the rain run off. Isn't Lottie Life fun? Finished the day with a couple of pints of chilled cider....BLISS
Oh, I got an old shed a few months ago Got it for nothing but had to clear it of junk, dismantle it and take it away. Some of the 'junk' wasn't junk to me!!! Anyway, like yours, the roof was no good, Got some corrugated metal
donated. sounds great in the rain, reminds me of a caravan holiday!! I love that shed. I've done it up great! Today I will be finishing off a pallet fence and attempting to make a gate. Sometime, I will tend the plants!!
At very least check the greenhouse, dig up some strawberry runners and pot up, dig out some JA's, some couch, cut some hedge strim a bit... potter around... ;D
Am cleaning out old pots and patio containers, horrible job but I suppose it serves me right for being so lazy in the autumn! ;)
Put in 5 rows of Autumn King Carrots, a row of Beetroot, short row of Lettuce, and dug over the bottom part to get to grips with the last piece of Couch Grass, Sieved through my finished compost . Harvested some Leeks for my dinner together with a good helping of PSB. I had a perfect day :)
Am just sooooo pleased - ;D - with myself today, I've built some wire cages to sit over my carrot and radish beds, with a bit of luck foxy-woxy will now walk AROUND my veg plot rather than straight through it! Or rather, not straight through, but more like back and forth and round and round and then DIG. Grrrr. >:( Hopefully this will be a case of Hild 1, Basil 0.
Fingers crossed!
Last few days in Portsmouth have been wonderful and spent most of those days on our half size allotment.
Our earlies are well underway earthed up and weeded.
Weeded onions and garlic.
strawberry bed and fruit bed all weeded out, looking good.
Our kind neighbour who has just had a spell in hospital has loaned us a massive bed on his allotment for maincrop potatoes so approx 90 are now snuggled up in their beds!
My partner Rick did a lot of strimming on the borrowed allotment then did our paths.
We did have quite a few tea breaks in between.
My little flower bed looks pretty sweet and the wallflowers smell beautiful.
At home runner beans are going mad, courgette seeds just popping through as is the psb,toms good. Planted up 20 sunflowers to put along our boundary fence on allotments to pretty it up.
Rained last night but now the sky is brilliant blue so after all those boring jobs are done this morning I hope to be off to paradise for the afternoon. Have a great day everyone.
on my way to cut this(http://i475.photobucket.com/albums/rr111/gardentg44/alottmentphotos011-1.jpg)
We are hoping to get up the plot sometime today between showers. I have to tie the sweet peas in and Tone is going to make me a structure for the chrysanths. I have got to harvest some more PSB. Cannot believe how good it has been this year.
we are going to finish clearing our last bed and then our lottie just has to be maintained all the very hard work done. maybe at somepoint put up our fruit cage frame :D
I'm hoping to dig out and weed another bed (only 3 more to go) try and do something with some strong wire drainpipe trellis stuff i got from freecycle. Think i'll see if i can grow some peas up it. I also want to plant up the red sunflowers i'm growing and i'll leave the yellow ones to grow on a bit before planting out. :)
Going to see how everything is getting on after 4 days away walking the Severn Way. Expect everything will have grown a lot. Kind allotment neighbours have done some watering for me.
im hoping to get the kale in the ground,along with psb and tenderstem,they all look ready to me,also having a tidy up storage area. off to an allotment open day first,at my mates site,hope the sun comes out for him cos it looks c**p out there so far today!
have fun one and all!!
as all my psb and sprouts have been eaten by rabbits I'm going to fence my plot in >:(
Quote from: reddyreddy on April 25, 2009, 13:26:01
[as all my psb and sprouts have been eaten by rabbits I'm going to fence my plot in ] >:(
Dont do what i did reddeyreddy and fence the rabbits in ;D ;D ;D
Recovering from 'gardeners stoop'...
So ordered net tunnel on Ebay (not that it will ease my back - but will go towards keeping peskypests off plants.
Janval
Sowing more lettuce, sweet corn, french and runner beans for the sale...
pricking out Nicotiana, french and African Marigolds, Fennel... potting on Basil..
put out some cabbage and peas.. :)
Teaching Ghandi to swim, it's chucking it down!
hoe hoe hoe
and maybe some more hoeing
when i am eventually allowed to get there (OH having some me time paning the second greenhouse,apparently he can concentrate better when im not there,dont know WHAT he means?)
i am going to sow more carrot seed in cut off drain pipe for an experiment,maybe put out more brassica seedlings,have a general hoe about,pot things on in in the greenhouse,sow more things and come home before i start annoying him and get on with homework/housework/playing with the kitten/cooking
It's raining quite consistently so today it's
1) Pot up the basil and collect seed for next year.
2) Pot up the oregano and give to my adopted sister
3) Transplant some Lady's Mantle and Cowslips
4) Try and source some more bits for our raised beds and cold frames.
Janval
Just got to the plot today when it started thundering. I spent most of the time hiding in the toilet, then went home.
weeding
I nematoded my plot!
Neighbour's plot completely overgrown so he offered me £20 to clear it, which I accepted with gratitude - though on reflection, I think I should have asked for more (an MP would have done). Less time to do what I wanted to do on my own plot, but managed to plant out various climbing beans that I'd grown in modules - Cosse Violette and Borlotta di Fouco mainly. Also planted out some more brussels sprouts and broccoli under netting before the rain started.
QuoteI've been meaning to make a measuring stick - a bean pole with 2", 6", 12", 24" etc marked on it with a marker pen.
No matter what you mark it with it will soon be impossible to see. May I suggest strategic saw cuts, (slots and notches) and drill holes.