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Allotment year 2010

March 17 May 1 May 20

March 17 2010

I have pretty well got the whole plot dug over now. Towards the end of the summer I spread all our hedge clippings over the patch 'beyond the city wall' and these did a good job of suppressing the weeds there. I've just gathered this lot together added another two trailer loads of winter clippings, and had a big bonfire.

While this was burning I dug up every dock and nettle that I could find and then surveyed the scene, it looked as though I had dug it all! So I decided to buy a Rotavator and in the pics you can see my first efforts with this. It is slightly easier than digging and takes about the same time. It does leave a much finer tilth than I can manage so I feel I am ahead. The area that has been done in these first pics is just one tank's worth of petrol, I rather think that I run on a bit less than this.

'Beyond the city wall'

Rotavatored

Compost heap and main patch

Garlic just coming through

The garlic 4 days later 21 March 2010

Rotavator on the patch

March 22 2010

Moved all the compost from home, two trailer loads of it, and dug out the heap at the allotment this lot is now spread out all over this year's potato patch. Used 3/4 of a load to mulch the blackcurrants so we better beat the birds to them this year! allot4655

Break out the first strip

So big its got an echo

So big its got an echo for now

It soon fills up

Compost ready for spreading

Spread out ready for the rotavator tomorrow

May 1 2010

Everything coming along nicely!

Early potatoes just showing through

The brassica cage...none have escaped so far

Runner beans

Broad beans

What happens when its left to itself!

May 20 2010

What happens when I spend too long at the allotment

Probably, this would make a better Little Old Man Weekly entry but at least my spade handle shouldn't fill up with water as it does at present when I leave it outside. My new compost heap arrangement with integral tool store on the end.

The weeds caught before they are weeds

When I scrape the surface, weed seedlings are exposed before they have shown their horrid little faces. They glisten like silver threads in the sunshine. Nothing shows on the surface but they are about to erupt!

The cold frame at home bursting with squash, cucumbers, zuccini

I'm absurdly pleased with this arrangement, no bending for sowing or potting-on and the two heating pads get the stuff off to a good start. This is the 'deep' end, there is a shallow section for germinating seeds. Just about ready to move this lot up to the patch. Hot weather forecast but can we be sure we won't get another frost?

My sun dial, actually working to-day!

I'm never sure of the time when I am up at the plot, usually I forget my phone and I don't wear a watch. So I have made this sundial, the hours are marked in binary on the wood disks.

Last year I tried to use house leeks to mark the hours but they were quickly overgrown with weeds so have made the disks so that I can be brutal with any plant that pops through where it isn't welcome.

My last two remaining house leeks mark the noon hour so if you don't want to decipher the binary code on the disks, just count off the hours from 1200. My camera says I took this pic at 1606 which looks about right, certainly its good enough for me!

When Jill first saw this she accused me of having no intention of getting there before 0800 or staying much later than 1800, in this she is quite right! And no, I don't feel guilty either.