Allotments 4 All

It poured down but these cuties hatched overnight (buff sussex bantams) so i  cleaned out a new hutch for them and smoke bombed the old hutch and then went to look at them every 30 minutes becuase they were so adoreable.


x sunloving

They're beauties - congrats!

i planted some green manure, and strimmed the paths a bit. Sadly the strimming along with the indoor job of making two cabin beds has meant im now laid up in bed with a bad back. Roll on wednesdayw when I can get to my osteopath.

weeded, watered,had coffee and bicy,we then sivied two loads of compost,then we came home knaked.

dug the final bed in my son's Swedish garden, sieving lots of soil in the process, then helped to move a great pile of stones into a raised bed he was building (drainage), then barrowed sevral loads of nasties to the tipping place round the corner-a comparitively easy day!

You came home naked Clay,   :o  thats my type of allotmenting.     :P :-*

I tried to sort out my strawberry bed as it is full of weeds/horsetail/grass but the ground was so hard decided to wait until we have some rain. Planted some strawberry plants that I was given, as he had too many, and every time I walked past his plot saw that his were better than mine.
Cut some grass with shears, but disturbed red ants, all crawling up my arms and legs (ugh) so gave up.  Just watched the raspberries going ripe, ate a few, and then watered.   Tried to curb my enthusiasm of pulling up things to see if they are ready, and didn't pick the plums, as not ripe yet.
Decided that the old redcurrant and blackcurrant bushes need to be cut right back but need a strong man for that and a big bonfire so that will have to wait.  Will have to get OH in a good mood, if that is possible.  ;D ;D

In the last few days, I've harvested Carrots, Runners, last 4 Onions, Purple French Beans, first big Cucumber, first Sweetcorn and more Kestrels.    ;D

Pulled 10lb. rhubarb for jam from 3 plants trying to take over the world. Hopefully give them pause before seeding asap next year. Dug some Pink FAs which are amazingly brilliant seeing the runts I planted and left them to dry in the sun. Ground bone dry and like sand so hopefully the tubers will be blight free although the tops are pretty spotty. As my back is duff that was it but well pleased with the spuds and have 3 potato berries picked and a few more on the ones left in to dig up later.  Had a good day ;D

Been up to the lotty and picked some Raspberries and Parnips, had a dig and a spray, off now for some Garlic seed bulbs, :)

I'm off up the lottie soon.. (now Pop Master has finished on the radio) to pick the last of the apples/pears and damsons... check the toms and chillies and so on... might even dig out the last of the spuds..  :)

Just back from another digging session and prepared one of my raised beds for the garlic, :)

Yesterday was up and about on the plot at 8.30, after the initial exhiration of being there so early :), I realised my weeds have turned into triffids and are maurading all over the place :-\.

Not to be disheartened I weeded round the leeks, butternut squash, around all the herbs and tackled the mutent stingers at the compost heap (which if it gets any bigger I may need planning permission ::)) after 2 hours my back ached, I had nettle rashes up both arms and I needed a sit down.

So sitting having a cup of coffee on the step of my shed gloating only to be assaulted by the biggest blackest spider I have ever seen :o...so I packed up my bags and called it a day....and went shopping. ;)

Watering.   My garden is bone dry, having had very little rain since mid March apart from a few showers and one decent downpour in August so I've been out with the hose watering in new and recent plantings in the main garden.

The veggie beds masses of compost poured on in spring to help retain moisture but I've had poor crops - wizened broccoli, bolting salads, gungy tomatoes.  The pumpkins look OK but are not plentiful.   Jerusalem artichokes have been flattened by recent strong winds.   Late plantings of red cabbage, cavolo nero, beetroot and winter lettuce are doing fine but need watering regularly even now.

Won't be long to the first nasty frosts so, since I can't get on with lifting and dividing or mulching, I've been pricking out babies to grow on and sell or swap - amethyst salvia, agapanthus, foxgloves and cavolo nero.

Had heavy rain this morning in not so sunny Enfield, north London.  Should be hot and sunny tomorrow.  Might go to the allotment later and do some more weeding.  Can't wait until October when I can have a bonfire, so much to burn, and don't say I should compost it cause some of it doesn't rot down.

took 54 herb cuttings, sowed some sweet peas, took 54 plant cuttings and transplanted
26 verbena bonserias ? sp for next year's plant sale  :)

dug a bed put on some mulch, and am going to cover over for the spring.

In the last week or so I've harvested beetroot and a few strawberrys
Planted Winter shallots and some onions in raised beds
Watered leeks and brassicas
Filled another pallet hold up thingy with council compost ready for more onions
;D ;D ;D

What is a pallet hold up thingy?

Its a thingy square of wood with metal hinges that slots on top of a pallet, then you can put anoter on top and so on, I'm filling them and using as raised beds, trying to combat white onion rot.    ???