One more bed to dig

Not sure this bed has ever been dug apart from when the water pipe was laid. It is pretty solid and parts are claggy clay and sand mix which is strange.

Plenty of worms in here whilst digging, at least I have started and this will be ongoing over next couple of weeks. Will be the potato bed for next season so that should more out the heavy soil.

First ever broad beans sown

OK so I am not a fan of broad beans and have been reluctant to plant them before despite constant questioning from mum and dad. Anyway this year I have decided a winter crop would be good, I love the structure of them and I will just give the produce away.

So half a pint for £1.99 and a paper bag full, I have managed to sow 8 rows, clearly marked. Let's hope this mild November gives them a flying start like others on the allotment.

More spinach beet

Pretty pleased with how this has hung on at home, so final plants now planted with others. They are looking pretty good, not eaten any yet but they do at least look like I am growing something. Will definitely do more of these next year, lets hope they make it through the winter as promised.

Foxgloves in the orchard

Finally planted half of the foxgloves I had for free from Mick on free cycle. Looking good on the corner of the orchard. The second half are in the garden as a floral tribute to Molly cat.

Birthday flask does the business

Latest view of allotment

After all the digging and work today I stopped to look at the allotment and am actually pleased with progress. Ok so it may be lacking in plants in some areas but the structure and plan is clearer.

Just need to decide what to do with the wilder bit.

Strawbs

Bit late but runners trimmed and Flores over bed.

Bit worried about blackcurrant bushes, still alive but don't seem to be getting any taller or fatter.

Rhubarb peeping

I wasn't sure if it was going to make it but it is peeping through already.

More spinach

The spinach beet is looking fab and I still have some plugs at home which I need to bring up and plant next time.

Dug over the other areas of the bed so all ready for planting up.

Preparing flower bed

Finished digging over the extra flower bed, bad clay patch at one end so hoping the worms work hard this winter.

Nattering with Cecil

Caught up with fellow allotmenteer Cecil for a natter. Thanks for the tomatoes. Cecil has created a little haven on his plot. Wooden shed, storage shed and homemade plastic covered area to link the two are most charming.

Wandering round the plot he has created raised beds with ingenious frames over the top to allow fleece, net or cloches to go over for protection.

Sharing ideas, successes and failures, apparently peas were awful as well.

Left feeling better and with a few new ideas brewing on what to do with my waste land. If only I had as much time as Cecil, but will keep on plodding on.

Looking good

A couple of views across the allotment. Basically the first section of beds are now sorted so will be maintaining, well once flower seeds have been sown.

Attention now to the grand plan for next year, will ponder and update soon.

More flower space

Ok so have decided to go overboard on cut flowers for next year, this bed had peas and beans in but they did very badly so only the borage remains. With a. It more effort I think this will also be a good filler for next year and should attract lots of beneficial insects.the remaining area I will devote to additional flowers amongst the Vegas planned.

Started to dig over, one half is pretty nice, the remaining bit is a little claggy so will have to out something a little more robust, definitely no direct seed sowing in this section. Remaining half to be dug, was too tired having forgotten a chair for a rest and my coffee flask.

The flowers are coming

This bed has never had anything planted in it and pretty sure I haven't ever managed to clear it so I was not hoping to find such nice soil.

Weeds cleared,see beofore and after shots. Much debate on whether to dig over but as I want to get some annual flowers in here I have opted for a rake over to get a nice crumbly top and leave the rest to the worms.

So, clearance and raking (blimey that was hard work) and now need to decide what annuals to plant and whether to havea trial seed sowing up at lotty rather than transplant from home.

Orchard

The weed clearance is still holding out, so moved some of the black covering from raspberry bed to around the trees. Still need to put some more down but really need to get those pins to hold it in place.

Another job for the list.

More raspberries

Despite all the rain Thursday I was still surprised how wet it was. Took the opportunity to grab a few more raspberry runners just in case the others haven't worked. Managed to get a few food ones so fingers crossed they will be fine.

Raspberry bed is now full and looking good. Roll on next summer.

Windy miller...

Much as I loved Camberwick Green as a kid the wind is causing me untold problems on the lotty.

The shed has now been dismantled and laid flat with slabs on top, thanks to hub for doing this. Apparently it may be reincarnated as a tool trunk instead.

So lesson learnt, it is so much windier on the lotty than you can imagine and unless you have industrial strength products a shed is no good on my exposed plot.

That said the rest of the allotment is not looking too bad and I have new plans formulating for next year. Watch this space.

Raspberry bed

So with the shed stood up after a hand from a fellow allotmenteer I could turn my attention to what I had planned to do.

Corner of the plot has some raspberries that seem to have wandered from various other places. I have been planning to dig up and transplant for ages but it has been so dry it wasn't possible. So with spade in hand managed to extract about 10 runners and transplant to my raspberry bed.

I can call it that now as the section is now full of raspberry plants, fingers crossed they had enough root when I transplanted but as per my usual rule, they have two chances and hopefully they should be ok.

May try a few more next time as I have a little bit of space left.

Rabbit toilet?

Seems the rabbits like a warm place to do a poo, they love my weed covering and have made themselves a little cosy toilet. How sweet!

Not again

So the shed has gone for a wander again. Seems like the solution to secure the base has worked but the wind has now ripped it off the base and turned it over a couple of times onto my neighbours newly planted strawberry bed, oops sorry!

Ok running out of ideas now and seems to be taking up my precious planting time trying to sort it out. Think it will need to be taken down and rethought, will call in reinforcements later.

I'm back

Ok nothing to report over last couple of weeks due to holidays but made the trip to check on lotty this evening.

Pleased to report all looking well, photos to follow. Not much time in the evenings now before it gets dark so need to be organised and plan what I am going to do in advance.

Tonight, cleared the remainder of the orchard, tidied the paths and lopped some tall weeds off in the raspberry area until dusk fell and I couldn't see what I was doing.

Definitely need to buy some more of the weed suppressant pegs that I tried, they are doing a good job and I don't want to waste time clearing weeds throughout next year.

Ah well, a new plan is forming, watch this space....

Where did the winter squash go?

After trying the unique circle planting with hub, next visit shows the winter squash have disappeared. Some tell tale holes are left, rabbit? Deer? Fox? Badger?

I reckon Mr Fox had a feast, he is more than welcome on my plot, as are other creatures, but hope they don't steal too much before it gets established next time!

The latest view towards the orchard

I know It's a bit grand calling it an orchard but it keeps me happy. The apple tree is not looking brilliant, strangled by some bind weed and branches broken off, not sure if something has been eating it or it is just not happy.

Jersey royals potato harvest

These were planted late and were a gift from John, a fellow neighbour on the allotment. Pretty good harvest I think.

This section of plot is not great, even with these potatoes in, the ground is still heavy and very clumpy. Lots work to here here, must get more pins and cover the ground over for winter I think.

My first ever sweetcorn appears

I know they are small but I am pleased that small cobs are forming. This is the first time I have grown sweetcorn. They did go in late, doesn't everything on my plot. However, I didn't really think they would do much, lets hope we have some warm and wet days to get them maturing.

Potatoes gone, sweetcorn and spinach beet still going

Planted another row of spinach beet. The other looks like it has settled in well although not growing massively. Still nothing appears t have eaten it yet unlike the winter squash planted at the same time which has mysteriously disappeared. See other blog post for evidence!

Scrummy raspberries

Well they are on the edge of the plot but still mine. Need to dig up the ones that have sprouted and translate to my raspberry area.

They are yummy though

The orchard

Still undecided what to do around the trees. Decided to start clearing and cover up for now so I can cut down on unnecessary weeding. Probably going to leave and maybe cover with wood chip pings or something.

Will have to have a think....

Green manure started

Forage rye sown from sowgreenmanures.com on half the plot. Let's see if it works, steady rain just as I was leaving so should give it a good start at least.

The potato harvest

A bucket full of treasure! The main crop potato harvest. Thanks to Hub for the digging and helping to cover the ground.

The harvest was smaller than I had anticipated although they were in a little late and had to fend for themselves during the hot weather in May and June. Still I think the red ones were the biggest success. Will have to dig out the name of the variety and update later ready for next year.

The great cover up

All ground has been covered ready for me to sow the green manure, I have forage pea and forage rye to sow, seeds now on kitchen worktop to remind me to take them next time.

Used my new pins to hold down the weed covering, bought from BHGS the other week, easier and neater than the water filled plastic bottles I usually use. They were impressive so may have to invest in some more.

Let's dig up the tatties

Digging up potatoes and the soil left behind is lovely. Forgot to bring green manure seeds so will cover ground and bring them next time. Should do well, this is the best soil I have seen on the allotment so far. All the digging has paid off!

Winter squash are in!

The winter squash are in, some are not looking great but they have two chances. Feebs your windowsill is clear again and thanks Hub for digging the holes to plant them in. Loving the circle idea to make it a bit different.

Spinach beet also planted, plenty more at home to plant so will see how this does, good roots on the plants despite constant slug nibbling in the greenhouse at home.