New Allotment Diary, March 6th

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New Allotment Diary, March 6th

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cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 05 7:32 pm Post subject: New Allotment Diary, March 6th

Been a bit of a hectic weekend. My better half has been terribly ill with a flu, my left hand is still only so-so after the operation, so I didn't know whether I'd even get to the plot. Thankfully, I did this afternoon, and the digging continued...

All that I plan to dig, barring a few patches, is now dug. One of the rotation beds (I've divided into three, may divide into four instead) is raked to a nice tilth. The ash pile from the bonfire is spread onto a second bed.

Prize achievement for the day is my new pond. Little thing, lined with two layers of nasty old carpet and another two of thick black plastic. Bricks around it to keep everything in place. Now I need to work out what to do to stock it with frogs, plants and other useful stuff. Watermint is a must, and very easy to take cuttings of from the wild. It's sited at the shed end of the allotment, in the patch (something less than a fifth, I'd say) that hasn't been dug over, between the trench sitting waiting for the raspberries to go into and the double compost piles (or pallets nailed together, to be more honest). Speaking of which, one of them is already half full.

Met another plot holder, two down from me today. Very friendly lady, enjoying a nice break on Mothers day while her kids cooked dinner. More local knowledge (and talkative!) than my other immediate neighbours; I have a better idea of what is or isn't a problem on our site now.

The only downers are that the previous tenant still hasn't come to collect her stuff from the shed, and that my muck hasn't arrived yet. I even seem to have survived the four hours of hard graft with minimal pain...

I have a small patch that is still left unclaimed. Might put in more fruit bushes, might also re-assemble the old kitchen table and benches to take down there.

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 05 7:39 pm Post subject:
If you have any room left you could try a hop. I wouldn't worry about stocking the pond with frogs, they'll make their own mind up. If you can get hold of a scoop of mud from an established pond that should add life to yours.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 05 8:03 pm Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

If you have any room left you could try a hop.

I wouldn't worry about stocking the pond with frogs, they'll make their own mind up. If you can get hold of a scoop of mud from an established pond that should add life to yours.

I think I can find a pond to raid. That's certainly the plan.

As for hops, I'd love one, but she'd NEVER let me brew beer properly.

sean
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 05 8:07 pm Post subject:
Why do you think allotments have sheds?

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 05 8:11 pm Post subject:

sean wrote:

Why do you think allotments have sheds?

I don't know, why do allotments have sheds?

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 05 8:12 pm Post subject:
If you have a greenhouse then the carbon dioxide from beer brewing helps the plants grow.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 05 8:14 pm Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

If you have a greenhouse then the carbon dioxide from beer brewing helps the plants grow.

Brilliant, now I have an excuse to get a greenhouse AND hops. How am I going to sell her the idea that we need a bacon slicer?

sean
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 05 8:15 pm Post subject:

Cab wrote:

sean wrote:

Why do you think allotments have sheds?

I don't know, why do allotments have sheds?

So that you can do things like brewing beer as well as growing stuff.

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 05 8:21 pm Post subject: Re: New Allotment Diary, March 6th

Cab wrote:

It's sited at the shed end of the allotment, in the patch (something less than a fifth, I'd say) that hasn't been dug over, between the trench sitting waiting for the raspberries to go into and the double compost piles (or pallets nailed together, to be more honest).

Brilliant .... any chance of some photos of your plot? This would be inspiration indeed.

S

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 05 8:24 pm Post subject: Re: New Allotment Diary, March 6th

simon wrote:

Brilliant .... any chance of some photos of your plot? This would be inspiration indeed.

S

I haven't taken any yet, but I really should. I should also get a working scanner

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 05 8:25 pm Post subject:

sean wrote:

I don't know, why do allotments have sheds?

So that you can do things like brewing beer as well as growing stuff.[/quote]

Hmmm... Cunning. And there'd be a steady supply of refreshment on site too

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 05 8:25 pm Post subject:

Cab wrote:

Treacodactyl wrote:

If you have a greenhouse then the carbon dioxide from beer brewing helps the plants grow.

Brilliant, now I have an excuse to get a greenhouse AND hops. How am I going to sell her the idea that we need a bacon slicer?

First get a couple of pigs...

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 05 8:26 pm Post subject:
Oh yes, I'm planning a big shed for my allotment.

Blue Sky

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 7658
Location: France

Posted: Sun Mar 06, 05 8:29 pm Post subject: Re: New Allotment Diary, March 6th
[[/quote] I haven't taken any yet, but I really should. I should also get a working scanner [/quote] Yes or a "digi-camera" then you don't need to bother with the scanner - best thing I ever bought ..... we hardly need to keep a diary of our "growings on" now 'cos we just look at last years piccies.

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