Greenhouse Growings.

So there is something happening in the greenhouse...it's so exciting....

All sorts of Legumes

A few squash

Tomatoes and aubergine...they're small
but definitely there!!

Brassicas.

Ermm...nothing??

Come on sweetcorn...you can do it!!

Squash and Legumes

Careful...it's the runners!

So with seeds planted in the plot and things germinating in the greenhouse I really fell like i'm starting to get back on track. Still some clean up to do on the allotment but not quite so daunting now and should be even better again by the end of the weekend which is when I will post some pictures!

'Whack a mole' anyone??

So it's a couple of week since my last post and time at the allotment has been a bit hit and miss due to weather and work but I do believe I'm getting there.

Before I go any further I just want to thank the people that came by to read my last post and also those that commented too...it's been so long I kind of forgot to publish the comments ...sorry about that.

So anyway...potatoes and some root crops are finally in the ground and I got some weeding done around the fruit bushes at the end of the plot near the shed. Things are starting to look a bit more like an allotment...well almost....

'Whack a mole' anyone??

So above is my potato patch...what do you think? Am I loosing it a bit?? Possibly...however I do have my reasons....

Potatoes potatoes everywhere!!!!

You see...this is last years potato patch...do you see all the potatoes?? I'm absolutely rubbish at digging them out....and then I spend years digging them out of beds I no longer want them in...but...depending on what is currently planted in that particular bed it is often easier said than done.

So I thought about not planting potatoes...but I do love home grown potatoes and that was when I remembered all the pots in my shed.

So i thought why not give it a go. It isn't a particularly easy or quick fix but if it works I'm happy to do it and look forward to easily harvesting spuds this season!

So once the ground was prepped I dug a whole and put the put in it...I then added some soil and one potato to each pot...I then filled with some more soil..(wow I wish it was a quick as it seemed whilst I was writing it!!).

I don't see why it shouldn't be successful but only time will tell...as the potatoes grow i will add some more soil to each pot. when I want to harvest some then I just need to tip the pot over and reap the rewards!!

There me be pro's and con's to this method which I will update you with over time but people do grow potatoes in containers but obviously not planted into the ground...if you're wondering why I planted them its so they can draw the moisture from the ground...so that I didn't spend a fortune filling them and so that I can still (hopefully) successfully rotate my crops.

As for the title of my post...my allotment neighbour told me it looked like a huge 'Whack a mole' game from the fairground.

Strawberries are happily flowering and a few
fruits have already set.

I knew I'd put gravel down
somewhere!

That's all for now...stay safe everyone and do tell me what you think...it's okay i can take the criticism and ridicule!!
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One day at a time.

Well...I feel kind of bad for not posting but it really wasn't that long after my last post that things started to go a bit 'tits up' for us all.

I do hope this finds everyone safe and well.

things have been slow to start in this crazy new world...of course I don't have a polytunnel...I didn't get an easter vacation...I continue to work and life goes on if in a new and very different way.

The lockdown hasn't made that much of a difference to me really...I'm happy in my own little world and the kids live far enough away that I don't miss them too much by just chatting on the phone and facetiming them...but with queues in town and shopping for more than one household its time consuming and in the beginning draining but I have learnt to take my 'switch' to town with me so even that doesn't faze me any more...the abnormality has become the normality and I will be fine with it until things calm down and do what I can for anyone that needs help.

That being said it meant I got way way behind on the allotment and with new rules in place my niece can't come down and I couldn't borrow the allotment rotavator so needless to say it was a mess...at least this year I had a legitimate reason for it though!!

Anyway...a rare thing happened this week...I had three consecutive days off in a row and no appointments to attend and stuff so I made a date for my diary and promised I would get something done down the plot.

Start of Day 1

This is where there should be a polytunnel!
As you can see it's just weeds and a few leeks!

Not a single thing sown in the greenhouse.

And the only thing this is feeding is the bees!!

Safe to say as is usually the way with me I had my work cut out for me. Now originally I was going to put up daily posts but to be honest I was so knackered at the end of the day I just wanted to veg out on the sofa...after all I was getting home about 9pm...so instead you are getting everything tonight.

End of Day 1

Borage bed weeded and borage retrieved and
replanted in the place I want it.

Tubs round greenhouse weeded out and
ready for new seeds.

Gravel weeded so it all looks tidy for passers by.

Top plot weeded...no more bee food!!

Now I'm not trying to win any prizes here...just want to get on top of things so to speak and update you all on exactly where I am at...during all this I have been keeping on top of getting the bee plot mowed and done quite a lot of sorting out over there but that will have to be shared in another post...maybe at the weekend.

End of Day 2

2nd half mowed over...yep....I mowed it!!!
I'm not superman (unfortunately) and I only had three days.
A mow over got rid of all those nasty seed heads and let that
rain get down to the ground so it will hopefully be easier to
tackle at the weekend!!

1st half all forked over and loosened ready
to be rotovated.

I got seeds in the greenhouse!! You wouldn't
believe how happy this makes me!!

End of Day 3

As you can see above and below...take the picture from different angle and you can see that there is still a lot of work to be done...but it's doable...and I'll get there...and I now feel in a better place to tackle it all!!

First half of the plot!!

So...that very last picture makes me very happy. I can't take it all the credit though...another plot holder who lives just a couple of doors away from me has been furloughed so got a lot of time on his hands and his own rotavator so went over it a couple of times and then I put my paths in place. I am so grateful to him and am now in a place where it will be easy to dig and weed put the missed its and also get my potatoes in this weekend...there are lots of potatoes kicking around where the rotavator went as I didn't get them dug up last year...but that post will be one for the weekend so watch this space.
Stay safe

Reminiscing

Well we are all so fed up with the weather right now so when I found these pictures from last summer I thought it would be great to post them....just a reminder of what is soon to come for us all!!

Fruit trees...yum yum!

Busy buzzy beehives!

More fruit trees.... enjoying the sunshine!

My first ripe saskatoon!!

I was so close to digging this up...

but was so glad I gave it a chance when
I noticed this leaf growing!!

A lovely shot of the plot from the beehives.

I think my broken bench gives it some character!!

As is the way every summer I
had to find the greengage tree....

Oh look....there you are!

A Tidy up of the Greenhouse

So after sorting out my seeds I realised that I really needed to get down and sort out my dead jungle of a greenhouse.

I didn't manage to get the tomato plants sorted from last year....or the other stuff I'd had growing in there and to be honest it ended up a bit of a dumping ground over the summer. I also had some broken post and stuff so I used some more of my week off to get things sorted.

I didn't take Polly with me this time....after all I was lugging stuff in and out and clattering about so there really wasn't room for her and that.

It took me a couple of hours to go through everything but I have to say I was pleased with how everything was looking when I left.

Stacked seed trays ready for planting.

Clear benches ready for growing.

Somewhere clean to relax...a hat should
we get a decent summer and clean cloths
to wipe my hands on!!

So everything is ready for me to get going. I haven't sown any seeds yet...I know many have but I don't like to start things off at home as it's a lot of work carrying stuff down to the allotment and when I have started to early in the past then things have died with late frosts so now I am just patient. Things work different for different people in different ares but I have found that this is what works for me so I'm happy to stick with it.
The wind still keeps picking up to 40+ mph outside and the heavy rains still keep coming and flooding but fingers crossed it wont be for too much longer....as the days get longer I really start to go a little stir crazy when I cant get outside!!

Seeds for 2020

So I had a week off last week and although it was a very busy week I did manage to get down the allotment for a few hours.

I didn't do anything on the actual ploy....very windy and very wet...but thats okay as my first visit was purely to sort out what seeds I had so I would know what I needed to order for this year.

My seeds are kept in my greenhouse in some wonderful seed storage containers I got for gifts a few years ago.

These seed tins are great...protect the seeds from frost,
light and little critters. I need two to be able to store
everything!! I love the fact that I can put the seeds
in to separate compartments!!

Polly came with me to the plot
as I didn't want to leave her home.
She was very happy sat in the
chair watching the birds!!

Just a quick pic outside the greenhouse..thought
it would be good to show you the location
in which I will put the polytunnel!

I have quite a few 'multi-pack' seeds.

These all came from the pound shop..great value
for money!!

They often give me the chance to grow something
 I usually wouldn't and I have  always had good
germination rate from them...great if you are
on a tighter budget or just want a little more
variety.

There are also a few flower seeds, I don't put
flowers in the allotment very much but do
like a good selection for at home!

I took pictures of the multi packs as it was so much easier than writing them all down but also in my trusty gardening book I have a list of all the other things I have for planting this year (I would show you a picture but things are scrawled in it very badly so I doubt you'd manage to decipher it!!). I am very well equipped this year and only need peas and runner beans....this is great as it means I can get a few more unusual bits which I like to do each year...this year even more so as with the poly tunnel I will be able to grow stuff which needs a little more warmth!!

So the newbies for this year are going to be; Crystal Apple (squash), Honey Bear (squash), Lady Di (runner bean), Jewel (aubergine) and soya bean.

Have you got any new things you are planting this year??

Storm Ciara comes to visit

Let me start by saying...I HATE THE WIND!! We all have those things that bother us and the wind is mine....It's an irrational fear...I know that but not one I can control unfortunately.

It's the possible destruction that comes with it that bothers me I think...I spend my time listening to it howl around thinking 'This, that and the other' could happen...silly really...its not going until it decides it's had enough but that doesn't stop the way I feel....I think I should live in a bubble where the wind cant penetrate and I can feel safe and secure....a fantasy I know....but hey ho.

I suppose it could be so much worse...living in the midlands when storms finally reach us they have lessened in strength greatly....for that I am grateful!!

I didn't always used to be this way....I think it started after I spent half an hours one year about 15 years ago when I had to spend half an hour hanging onto the carport roof....one of the end struts had rotted through at the bottom and it kept lifting...thinking about it logically I think nothing was really going to happen and me hanging from it probably didn't stop anything...but it was attached to electric cables so there I was....hanging waiting for the winds to ease....which of course they did....and the carport is still there now...all these years later....steadfastly attached to the ground.

Next doors fence (dividing out two gardens)
making a bid for freedom!

So right now...I'm sat at home...trying to ignore the howls outside...knowing that the winds will ease....my solar panels won't rip my roof off and my conservatory wont end up in Oz....at least I don't think that will happen....but irrationality does unfortunately not play nice with common sense!!

A little bit of temporary stability...
it has two chances of working??

The radio has told of trees down and fence panels going....fence panels both sides of me are an issue.....one side has gone completely....the other side the neighbour and I have tried to give some support too but when I last looked the middle stay had sheared through so I'm not confident it's going to hold.

Next door the other side haven't been
quite so lucky...this isn't the fence that
connects our gardens but the next one
over...eek!!

Oh well....I'm sure I'll still be here tomorrow....and you ...I live in the UK so I don't really have too much to grumble about when I listen about much of what is happening with the weather around the world.

Oh....I forgot in my temporary insanity....this is an allotment blog....took a stroll by the allotment this morning whilst battling the winds with the dog and everything there looks fine....Beehives


were still standing....shed still standing....greenhouse intact. I never leave stuff lying around so providing everyone else has got everything weighed down and shut down well things there should be good....but as the winds aren't supposed to ease until this evening I suppose tomorrow will be the best time to check it over again....for now I have done one I can done and I now sit the storm out and hope.

Stay safe everyone.

Polytunnel Ponderings

Well it's been a while since I posted but I feel I really want to get back into keeping up with my blog this year...Life happens...it doesn't get in the way but it's important and so at times things need to take a back seat whilst you get back on track and unfortunately my blog (along with my allotment much of the time!) was one of them.

This year I want to really get back into it...I love the outdoors....I love growing and I love writing so I'm hoping that I can bring everything back together this year and make 2020 positive for myself.

Beautiful Sunrise

The days are slowly getting longer and with sunrises like the one above how can we not appreciate what we have!!
Anyway...my big thing for this year is that I am going to get a polytunnel....I have always liked the idea of one and the thought that it would extend my growing period...but not only that ...it will allow me to spend productive time on the allotment even when the weather isn't great.

           

Firstly I am checking that I am okay to get one...I don't see why not as there are already several plot holders with tunnels...secondly check the size...I have measured the space and can comfortably have an 18ft by 30ft tunnel. I have a whole plot but on two separate halves...I'm okay with this though as it will make it easy to have in and outdoor veg.

By going 30ft long I can still keep my greenhouse space where it is and give my fruit trees plenty of growing room....I will also have some space each side of the tunnel to plant out, this means that in years to come if I decide I don't want so much planting space I will still have some outside planting space.

So that's all the boring stuff sorted...now I just need to decide where to purchase from...I have been having a look on the internet and it seems that if you go up to 18ft wide they fall into the 'commercial' category and so the price jumps up tremendously....if that is the case then I think I may just got for 16ft wide...I have found one 18ft wide but it isn't straight sided so I don't actually gain the two foot inside planting space so there doesn't seem much point to that.

I still have time to keep looking around but if anybody has any useful places for me to look then I would really appreciate the help.