Am behind everyone else due to a number of factors. Firstly no manure. Secondly am waiting on the boy to get raised beds done.
Friday 17th April 2015
1st batch of Raised beds delivered to allotment. Three 4 x 10' 12" high beds. one 2 x 12' foot bed.
Saturday 18th April 2015
Five scoops of well rotted manure from Col's farm delivered on Phil's tractor and trailer. 40 barrow loads transported to the plot. Rest tipped near the secretary's plot!
Sunday 19th April 2015
Down the plot early doors. Took five barrows of soil out of the original raised bed / compost heap thing we inherited.
Got that lot of soil into the 2 x 12' bed and got me onions in (Snowball and Stuttgarts) a good three months late but never mind.
In the afternoon went back down with Phil and bosskat. We got the mower going again after I let oil leak out of it! We also did a bit of tidying up of the sticks outside the shed as Harry Seed mentioned it in passing. Also screwed in some bits of wood into the big raised bed as Harry mentioned last year so that job is ticked off too.
Monday 20th April 2015
After tea and walking the pooch me and the missus went down and did a bit. Bosskat strimmed while I digged a bit and weeded a bit ready for the last couple of raised beds to come in. Rhubarb coming along nicely after I put a tub over it to force it!
Tuesday 21st April 2015
Went to AGM after work, walked up town and back. It was okay but got a bit worried about potential banning of pallet style composting heaps. Need to do a bit of work on mine to make it rat proof and get it a bit more upright!
Wednesday 22nd April 2015
Went down early doors to get 6 bags of ornamental tree bark up to the plot for the paths. Had a look at plot number 2 that they want volunteers to clear. Looks a fair bit of work but definitely doable.
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| Plot number 2 that they want volunteers to clear |
Friday 24th April 2015
Went after work and dug til dark. am going to have the beds going this weekend or die trying!
Saturday 25th April 2015
Up early, loads of digging and moving stuff around - put three barrows of muck into the big raised bed. Have dug under the raised beds that are there and dug the paths in between so should have sufficient soil all being well.
Sunday 26th April 2015
On site early doors, brought peas, broad beans and a couple of cauliflowers (just because they were in same carton as peas.
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| Bed 3 |
Bed 3 set up has a row of peas in the right in the picture above, two mini-rows of broad beans some big, some small, some seeds at the top of the picture to the left! Two short rows of beetroots (bottom left) and radishes (bottom middle) that I'll sow another foot of at the end of May.
Phil finally got tractor available so got the final three raised beds down and in position.
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| Six 10x4' beds, two 3x3' beds, one 12x2' bed and one 10x3' bed - awesome! |
Then and Now!
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| September 2013 when we took it on |
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| Still a work in progress in April 2015 |
As it stands -
The original back of a fag packet style plan!
Tuesday 28th April 2015
Before work, uncovered stuff and watered, after work down to lotty on bike. Covered up the peas and broad beans. Got the first early spuds in.
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| Bottom left: Swift, top left and top right: Home guard, bottom right Casa Blanca all first earlies |
Got three or four barrows of muck into the original big raised bed. Got two barrows of top soil going the other way. Getting there slowly. By 8.50 it was getting a bit dark so cycled back home the long way. Am getting to the stage where I'll have that bit at the bottom free soon.
Wednesday 29th April 2015
Usual uncovering in the morning - was raining and cold so didn't hang about. After work I went down lotty on the bike again. Worked on getting the 10x3' in position and filled with soil. Got the sieve down to make the soil absolutely ace. Am going to put weed cover material on the unoccupied beds to warm em up and keep the weeds away in the short term until midmay I think. Will also bag some muck up I think and possibly some soil.
Thursday 30th April
Hell's teeth, last day of April already. Whizzed up to lotty in the motor to uncover everything. Stuff is looking okay. Onions are showing their heads, peas seems happy enough. Broad beans are happy I think they're resilient to leave uncovered but am not going to risk em after all this time! Jobs for tonight - bag that muck, finish off the 10x3'. Had to go to a farm sale preview with Phil so didn't get chance to do much. Did some more work on the 10x3' and got things covered up and that was about it.
Friday 1st May 2015
Blimey, first of May. Had a half hour free so, did a bit more digging and filling of the 10x3'. Uncovered the peas and broad beans (they look alright, so far). Watered everything (even the spuds).
Had a look at plot 102 - if it's available I'm having it. If not, such is life.
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| Plot 102 has become available and don't need a lot of work, really. |
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