I received an email asking if I would list a site 'Growveg.com', which promotes the growing of organic fruit & vegetables. There is a commercial side to the site, a garden planner which you can subscribe to and they tell you when to plant, harvest, etc your fruit and veg. I've listed it because it has tips which people may find it interesting and useful if gardening organically.http://www.growveg.com/growblogpost.aspx?id=75
I just had a 5min visit on Sunday to the allotment as I'm very busy trying to catch up on everything else just now, ie repairing the house alarm and running cables to hook my son's playstation up to the router when the comtrend ethernet plugs that use the ring main decided to pack in, amongst the other trillion things to be done!
Still got my 2 bee boxes to install at the allotment and will do that tonight, also joined the BBCT to help our little friends. http://www.bumblebeeconservationtrust.co.uk/

Tattie bye.

I was at the plot just for an hour this afternoon and planted 4 rows of 'Winston' potatoes and 3 rows of 'Red baron' onions.
A bit early you might think, but I'm going in to hospital in less than 2 weeks time for an op so I might be out of action for a little while, so I've decided to get something in the ground for spring.
I had to empty the water butt as it was full of leaves and was stinking!
I also raked over some empty beds to make them look better and break up the surface. The bird box was emptied of the old nest so any new occupants can get it just how they want it.
I also got the first cut of the back garden grass after giving that a rake to remove some of the dead thatch, so even though it is still Feb the grass had started to grow. Spring has sprung.

For the past couple of weeks it seems the UK is snowbound. I think most of it's media hype, but I'm not saying some places have not been hit hard, some very hard and some very, very hard. My plot?- We've had about 3 snowfalls this year but they are usually starting to thaw on the same day. We've still got a small covering but roads, etc are clear. Some people will be looking out their windows thinking 'lucky you' as their area is still under a thick snow blanket. This has been the most snow we have had for a few years in this area and the local post office was doing a roaring trade in sledges, probably stock that's been sitting for a while.
Allotment progress? Zilch. I've bought seed potatoes and onion sets but waiting until March before planting them out. I've spread some wildflower seeds on one part to hopefully bring in the bees and I'm working on 2 nest boxes for them.
I've added a link as well to 'plot 28' which is a web site by fellow allotment holder Doug Martin, so there will be 2 of us with cameras stumbling about now.
Outwith the plot I've been visiting a local badger sett to see how they've coped through winter, and although they seem active, I'm not standing around at night in sub zero tempertures to get a glimpse of them.

It always happens.....

Why make plans? I was going to visit the plot today for a couple of hours as the -4c frost has gone but now it's 8c and the wind is howling and pouring with rain.
I wonder if the tarps are still onsite or have been blown away?

2009 - A new year.

Well it's now 2009, and I was around at the plot on the 1st of January to do a little bit of digging- 2 of the small beds- and put the poly tarps back down as they had been blown around by the wind.
The soil was surprisingly soft considering it was below zero and I broke the inch thick ice on the water butt for the birds to drink. Also filled the bird feeder as it was empty again.
So time to get planning for the growing season ahead.
All the best for your new year.

Winter's here.

Well, winter is well & truely here. It's cold, frosty and the daylight hours are short. Luckily Maureen the previous ( more later) allotment manager had done some weeding for me when I was busy at work.
Maureen has decided to give up the allotment manager post because of lack of time, and seeing the amount of work involved I'm surprised she did it for so long. It was offered up at the AGM and Les has taken over the reins so I wish him well and hope Maureen can now spend more time on her other activities.
I've put some plastic sheeting down to cover some of the ground and still have some spuds still to lift. A top tip if you want big baking potatoes, just forget about them and dig them up months after they should of been lifted.
I've been round and filled the bird feeder and need to clear the ground for the pond but as it's cold & frosty it will not be getting done just now.

OOOH ERR , FWOAR, giggle, giggle...

Before I say anything about allotments could I just say to the people who send comments about the size of cucumbers, carrots, onions, furry creatures, and dare I say melons, plums or even a nice pair (!) that I find your comments so excellent I now wear a corset as my sides are in danger of splitting with your humour. Why post such gems anonymously? Surely your comedy talents should be recognised by the nation so next time post your name and email address and I can pass them on to the BBC's Head of Comedy, you could soon be the new Two Ronnies or Ronnie, or even the next Michael Barrymore, don't bother to invite me to the pool party, just you and your friends get on with it. Really sad ,you seem like the kind of person who would complain about the lights on a cycle path.........
Any way, allotment! The weed infested jungle is getting cleaned out before Autumn. The Strawberries were good, but other soft fruits, poor. Veg wise potatoes and onions, good crops, potatoes especially, but other than some huge cabbages and nice courgettes, the peas, beans, etc were disappointing. I don't think the strange weather this year has helped any so I'm clearing the allotment and covering it over until the spring and planning a change of layout.
I'll be laying out some compost from the bins before putting down the tarps so the worms can feast and planning a pond since a generous plot holder has given me some pondliner.
So to all fellow plot holders the world over I salute you and hope next year is a better year for us all.

WEEDS!!!

I've just been away for a week and at 5am this morning decided it was time to see how the plot was getting on. Oh no..... weeds, weeds and more weeds. I took the micro mesh and started weeding. One cabbage had to come out as it had gone to seed but also lifted a dozen onions, 2 lovely courgettes and a couple of carrots. There's a couple of cauliflowers ready so they'll be getting cheese sauce over them soon and the cabbages are huge so I don't know what I'll do with them, another tub of strawberries and plenty of lettuce which gets shared with the hamster and a home grown carrot, enjoy furry one.
The rest of the plot is requiring a good weeding and the grass & nettles have sprouted so much it's back to wearing wellies again. Just as well I've still got another week off work, but will the rain stay off?
It has I'm pleased to say but other domestic duties are keeping me off the plot just now.

Don't fear I'm still here, because of work & weather I've just made a few fleeting visits between rain showers. The weeds are running wild but I managed to get 6 buckets full when weeding between the strawberries. I've got 3 tubs of strawberries so far, Tesco charge £1.99 for a small punnit so I must of saved at least £12. I've also had some peas and the earlies will be dug up once the rain stops.
One of the fellow plot holders has given me some pondliner for making a pond, when I get the time!

Thursday- A quick visit to the plot to plant some more lettuce, little gem. I did a visit during the week just to do some watering and cut back the nettles around the shed.
The Great Tits have flown the nest just leaving behind one unhatched egg, I just wonder if they'll be back for a second brood. The allotments seem to be filling with wildlife although the Robin has went missing again. The sky is full of House Martins swooping in catching insects, seen a couple of Rabbits, the Bees buzzing in & out of their underground nest, a few Wasps but not been able to find out if they have taken up residence on the plot again and of course the cabbage scoffing Pigeons and Strawberry eating Slugs.
Planted another 6 Tomato plants and have some beetroot to transfer into the ground. The Bees will hopefully benefit from the Marigolds and Sweet Peas.