Although I don’t have an allotment @Victoria Sponge , I really enjoy reading this thread. From the ups and (very low) downs of your first plot, to tackling the flooding and planting fruit on this plot, it’s really entertaining, thank you! (And @GWRS too)
Sorry to hear you've had a bad back @Victoria Sponge glad to hear that it's on the mend, I've been on light duties this week with a stiff back think I got to excited and overdid the digging at the allotment but its easing now. As you said its ideal time to get all the maintenance jobs out of the way, to that end I have just ordered paving, sharp sand, scalping's, posts, trellis, and other bits and pieces all for hard landscaping jobs at the allotment over the next month or so weather permitting
"You don't stop gardening because you get old, you get old because you stop gardening." - The Hampshire Hog
Golarne your welcome Off to plot tomorrow as long as it is not raining , I intend to weed small raised beds and cover with horse manure for winter Got g/h bubble rapped at home yesterday Happy gardening everybody 😉
Took some kitchen and brown composting bits to chuck in the sump, it's heaped over the top now but will collapse over winter I would imagine. I'd cover it in topsoil but I'm a bit concerned about all the weeds I chucked in there re-rooting. Might let it get some winter exposure first.
Also took up another 3 Heleniums I dug out the garden to put in the greenhouse. They are to go in the front garden once I have the paving done, don't want them getting trashed in the process.
Did some impromptu weeding. Will try and get a bit done over winter. There is couch grass in the path and it has started to spread out into the beds so will try and clear that. I'm debating whether to dig up the path which is just compacted soil and weeds to clear it properly but once disturbed it will be a sticky mess to walk on til next year. Deliberating whether to get more bark to put down.
When I got back home I found I had some rasp canes delivered. I bought a mixed pack last year and 3 Polkas had failed and the supplier has sent me 6 to replace them which is nice of them. (Fothergills). Will have to go back up to plant them tomorrow or otherwise it'll be next Saturday before I'm back out in the daylight.
Didn't see anyone else at the plots today although some membrane has gone down here and there so folk must be tidying up for winter.
Ouch watch your back Mine's sore as have had a trailer load of manure delivered and it needs putting round all my fruit bushes and the remainder moving to a better position to overwinter. Fortunately one of the old allotment hands saw me struggling and has leant me a proper manure fork. Great piece of kit x
I wish I could get stuff delivered to the allotment but it's at the end of a residential cul de sac and there's only pedestrian access. I have to take bagged stuff up by car and reverse down to unload. Hope you get the rest done without further injury
Walked up to the plot today, it's about a mile away, as for once I didn't have much to take, just the 6 Polka canes, a tape measure and some freshly laundered gloves.
Quickly got the canes in and checked the seedlings again but that was all. Think the campanula are germinating, but could be anything at this stage.
Moved in some topsoil from elsewhere on the plot as the clay I've got laid out everywhere is causing some slippery drama.
Bagged up some topsoil from an area in my front garden that I will be getting paved, will take that up next weekend, no sense it getting skipped. It's got some clay lumps in that I keep picking out (the plot has enough clay) but otherwise is dark and nice and worm heavy.
I wanted to try several kinds of beetroot next year, but looking at the plot I'm not sure I'll have enough free planting space as I expect the clay to take at least another 6 months to deteriorate.
Does anyone have a theory about leaving greenhouses open or closed over winter? There's nothing tender in there, I'm more thinking of storm damage, windows getting ripped off etc?
Vic , personally I would close g/h to stop winds getting inside and blowing glass out At home I do over winter some pot plants in g/h and bubble rap it as best I can
Forecast is good for today so will take a trip to the allotment, need to clear some space for delivery tomorrow and maybe just a little digging and see how the back is
I agree with GWRS regarding the greenhouse Vic I always keep mine closed, it will be interesting this year as I have a new poly tunnel hope it can survive the winter storms we get here on the coast.
"You don't stop gardening because you get old, you get old because you stop gardening." - The Hampshire Hog
H/Hog , the plot next to mine had a poly tunnel destroyed by winds a couple of years , so the next one they put straps over it , the sort they use on Lorries 🚛 and the have no problems Have thought about one but decided on fruit cages instead It certainly extends what you can grow
Posts
As you said its ideal time to get all the maintenance jobs out of the way, to that end I have just ordered paving, sharp sand, scalping's, posts, trellis, and other bits and pieces all for hard landscaping jobs at the allotment over the next month or so weather permitting
"You don't stop gardening because you get old, you get old because you stop gardening." - The Hampshire Hog
Off to plot tomorrow as long as it is not raining , I intend to weed small raised beds and cover with horse manure for winter
Got g/h bubble rapped at home yesterday
Happy gardening everybody 😉
Light Duties! It's been a while since I heard that phrase @Hampshire_Hog
Hope you enjoyed the football @GWRS
Took some kitchen and brown composting bits to chuck in the sump, it's heaped over the top now but will collapse over winter I would imagine. I'd cover it in topsoil but I'm a bit concerned about all the weeds I chucked in there re-rooting. Might let it get some winter exposure first.
Also took up another 3 Heleniums I dug out the garden to put in the greenhouse. They are to go in the front garden once I have the paving done, don't want them getting trashed in the process.
Did some impromptu weeding. Will try and get a bit done over winter. There is couch grass in the path and it has started to spread out into the beds so will try and clear that. I'm debating whether to dig up the path which is just compacted soil and weeds to clear it properly but once disturbed it will be a sticky mess to walk on til next year. Deliberating whether to get more bark to put down.
When I got back home I found I had some rasp canes delivered. I bought a mixed pack last year and 3 Polkas had failed and the supplier has sent me 6 to replace them which is nice of them. (Fothergills). Will have to go back up to plant them tomorrow or otherwise it'll be next Saturday before I'm back out in the daylight.
Didn't see anyone else at the plots today although some membrane has gone down here and there so folk must be tidying up for winter.
Mine's sore as have had a trailer load of manure delivered and it needs putting round all my fruit bushes and the remainder moving to a better position to overwinter. Fortunately one of the old allotment hands saw me struggling and has leant me a proper manure fork. Great piece of kit x
Walked up to the plot today, it's about a mile away, as for once I didn't have much to take, just the 6 Polka canes, a tape measure and some freshly laundered gloves.
Quickly got the canes in and checked the seedlings again but that was all. Think the campanula are germinating, but could be anything at this stage.
Moved in some topsoil from elsewhere on the plot as the clay I've got laid out everywhere is causing some slippery drama.
Bagged up some topsoil from an area in my front garden that I will be getting paved, will take that up next weekend, no sense it getting skipped. It's got some clay lumps in that I keep picking out (the plot has enough clay) but otherwise is dark and nice and worm heavy.
I wanted to try several kinds of beetroot next year, but looking at the plot I'm not sure I'll have enough free planting space as I expect the clay to take at least another 6 months to deteriorate.
Does anyone have a theory about leaving greenhouses open or closed over winter? There's nothing tender in there, I'm more thinking of storm damage, windows getting ripped off etc?
At home I do over winter some pot plants in g/h and bubble rap it as best I can
I agree with GWRS regarding the greenhouse Vic I always keep mine closed, it will be interesting this year as I have a new poly tunnel hope it can survive the winter storms we get here on the coast.
"You don't stop gardening because you get old, you get old because you stop gardening." - The Hampshire Hog
Have thought about one but decided on fruit cages instead
It certainly extends what you can grow