Off to look at an allotment...

[Everything Mac]

That looks pretty decent bud. Though I guess it'll need mains power.

I've just realised this is a perfect excuse to buy a clearing axe! MWAHHAHAH

Now all I need is a handle for the digging hoe I know is kicking around at my folks place. Don't you just hate waiting around until you can get cracking!

Andy

 

[Nomad]

Got a chance of moving from my half plot to a full plot today, and decided to take it. The new plot is in pretty good condition (recently vacated), and comes with a somewhat ramshackle 12x8 foot 'greenshed' (a greenhouse with the north half turned into a shed - still one big space inside). Also has 11 beds, some good paving (main path is 3' wide), and an enormous compost area.

Here it is as received...

Stuff in the background has been faded to show my bit more clearly. It's 10m wide. The fence on the right is 17m, and the one on the left is 21m. Square at the top, and the triangular/askew section is at the near end - I'm in the actute-angled corner. There's a slight slope down towards the camera (maybe 1m fall). The bottom area has no beds - just covered/mulched in pine needles.

Got a month to get my stuff shifted from the half plot about 50m away.

 

[British Red]

Not much wrong with that!

Interesting to note that VERY tender plants that I would not expect to see putting on growth until May were showing in the greenhouse today

 

[Nomad]

Not much wrong with that!

That's exactly what I thought. Well, it was more like "this is in good nick, it's got loads more bed space than mine, the composter is huge, there are still big empty bits, and it has one greenhouse more than I have at present...". Aside from the size (about 2.5x the area), the balance was favourable between the work of moving things (the shed and my little patio are the big jobs) compared to the work of getting things going in the new plot. Got usable shed space for now, beds that are just about ready to use, and plenty of space to store the proper shed and other stuff while I work out where things will go.

Interesting to note that VERY tender plants that I would not expect to see putting on growth until May were showing in the greenhouse today

Yeah, very mild up here. The bed behind the red tubs is full of onion-leeky things that I didn't really look at.

 

[Everything Mac]

Back ashore. Just got the key to the allotment.

 

[Everything Mac]

Went down to get some proper photos today. It seems the plot has had some of the boards that formed the raised beds taken already!
As luck would have it I had a pad lock in the car so I've locked it up.

A quick scan round the plot. Surrounded by hedge all the way around and a large tree to the south...

Looking towards the gate

The barrel will come in handy. And the seat has seen better days but seems sturdy enough.

Evidence of onions and potatoes

This lot might come in handy too

The remnants of a composting corner

30-40m to the water seen right at the back here.

The cursed tree

It has a fairly solid door

small lock keeping it secure now. Hopefully this will at least put off whoever pinched the scaffold boards...

Not it the best overall plot ever. As it stands I can see the hedge is going to need to be cut to reduce its height by just under half to let what light there is get in.

Plenty of wood on the plot for a project or two but I don't think there's enough for a shed but oh well.
I'll need to dig out and tidy up the raised beds and go from there.

Cheers
Andy

 

[British Red]

It'll be fine if you work with the plot not against it. I tried for years to grow acid loving plants in alkali soil. I learned in the end!

Have fun and enjoy it. If its a chore, stop doing it!

 

[Flav]

Break it up into bits, and as you clear it plant something or get some black plastic down or you'll be forever going round in circles and as br said enjoy it

 

[shack]

Break it up into bits, and as you clear it plant something or get some black plastic down or you'll be forever going round in circles and as br said enjoy it

instead of black plastic you could try recycling some old hessian backed carpet for same effect (not rubber as that will break up and blow around.

In one of my schools were developing an allotment on a corner of the grounds.

Happy Days

 

[HillBill]

Just remember not to grow the same crops on the same piece of land each year... if there is evidence of onions and potatos on one bit....... grow beans or brassicas or some such on the same patch. My rule of thumb is root crops one year, fruiting crops the next,leafy crops year after.... or any variation of that system. remember... the most important thing on an allotment is soil husbandry... that means making sure the soil has everything it needs to remain fertile and productive. Find a guy who has pigs, and every year around early winter, get some manure and fdig it in... same for a guy with chickens........ save all your left over bits of plants...ie... organic material and make a compost heap, compost is made on a 2 year cycle... research it. Its the most important thing you will ever learn,

 

[Everything Mac]

Spent a day cutting back the hedge today. In hindsight probably should have just left it as I now have hoards of trimmings to deal with. It also turns out the (not green) hedge is a spikey plant from hell!

It does actually get a good bit of light but that bloomin' tree doesn't help. I've piled all the cuttings on the far side and started going through all that wood. Some might be useful for rebuilding the compost bins but most of it needs to just get burned.

I found a tiny wee rhubarb plant on one side so that was a pleasant surprise.

All the best
Andy

 

[British Red]

Always great just to be out and doing at this time of year Andy!

Your Rhubarb might surprise you - I have some showing small leaves at this time of year that will be over a metre wide in a couple of months

Shady trees are a pain the nethers for gardening - I have now felled out all of ours on the South side - I was glad to see the back of the light robbers!

 

[Everything Mac]

It is indeed. 'Twas a lovely sunny day and it felt good to be outside doing something for a change, though my hands are sore from scratches!

I was was quite glad to see the rhubarb there, together with what looks like raspberrys. Hopefully it will do well.

Andy

 

[Everything Mac]

Cut the tree in the corner down and cut the far hedge back today, don't let the naff photos fool you... It feels significantly lighter in the plot now. I'd like to cut the trees across the path down too.

My lopers and hultafors axe really earned their way today.

I managed to to get a decent fire going in the barrel so burned a good portion of the spikey plant! The swine was punching straight through my gloves causing a great deal of swearing.

I'm due back offshore soon. Might be able to get back on Tuesday for a bit. But that may well be a day of shipping cuttings to the dump. :/

all the best
Andy

 

[British Red]

Good progress there Andy - looks tidier already

 

[Flav]

Looks like your getting their with it, it will get better and better with time

 

[HillBill]

Looking better mate.

I've been down at ours today. 3 hours of digging, hoeing, and raking to prepare the onion beds, 200 onion sets planted, and a pack of shallot seeds sown. That'll do me for today... bit knackered now

Lots of planting to do this month, which means lots of digging. It'll all be worth it later in the year.

 

[British Red]

We were harvesting Spring Onions yesterday Mark

 

[Everything Mac]

Good progress there Andy - looks tidier already

Cheers bud. Back at it tomorrow for a bit then it's back offshore for a couple of weeks.

Andy

 

[HillBill]

When did you get those in?

We were harvesting Spring Onions yesterday Mark