New Allotment

[veggiechicken]

Now I wonder whose big hat he's wearing

[Sheneval]

Yes he wore it back to front and sideways too - the nursery school teachers describe him as a real cutie

[Sheneval]

Successful 4 hours at the allotment today - took up 2 large tubs & 1 hanging basket used for this year's flowers and incorporated most of the contents on 1 bed of the plot plus added a mulch with what was left over.

Levelled off the area for 1st path between the first two beds; put down weed supressant and topped up with a good bed of woodchips - still to finish along the edges of the two beds but looking good.

Forgot my camera but in any case it was dark when I finished but pics now added.

[Sheneval]

After a rain sodden yesterday and most of this morning had a couple of hours at the allotment this afternoon and put in the compost from another couple of this year's hanging baskets and created a second path with a layer of wood chip. see pics

[Aberdeenplotter]

looking really good matey

[Sheneval]

Thanks AP - think I will have it all ready for spring

[Sheneval]

Just an hour or so up the allotment today where I added the contents from 3 hanging baskets and 1 tub to bed 2 and put some wood chip down on the path dividing my lottie from the one next door, as I had removed the weeds and earth covering it during my earlier lottie excavations - hope my neighbour does not object too strenuously see pics

[chris]

I did the same, as I was sick of cutting the grass, and weeding it - he'd weed his border only

Looks great - haven't read your whole thread but are you able to reach the middle of your beds without stepping onto the beds? Just a thought

[Sheneval]

Chris,

I should be ok - beds are 1.2m wide and I already have a similar one on my grandkid's plot/s planted with onion sets which was easy to plant up.

[Bigmallly]

Coming on nicely Shen, it reminds me of when I first got my plot. Wish I could put the pics in order.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...++40+days.html

[Sheneval]

Thanks - I had a good look at your pics when I first started and liked what I saw so I borrowed some of your ideas

I have still to get the wood to finish off the bed edges and still got some weeding and layout to do on the other half of the plot although most of it has been cleared.

I am gradually taking up all the compost from this year's flower tubs and hanging baskets and have two compost bins that I think will be ready to be spread over the beds - quite difficult to get cow manure here that can be trusted so I may have to buy from the garden centres - if so I'll confine it to part of the plot.

Also need to check ph and possibly lime some areas.

So still a bit to do but but think I should be ready for planting in the spring.

[Bigmallly]

It's a perfect time for preparation Shen, unless like some unfortunate grapes you are flooded...........I consider myself very lucky that I don't have that problem.

[Sheneval]

No - very fortunate here although the wet soil is difficult to work on, other than incorporating some compost, I have sufficient other small jobs to occupy an hour or two.

However am hoping the frosty weather will return soon to enable me to get back with bed preparation on the other half of the plot.

Have a Happy Christmas.

[Sheneval]

New Allotment

Went shopping today to get a cordless drill/driver and because of the special offers bought 400 litres of Organic compost which cost about £6 instead of £24 when allthe discounts were added together.

Went up to the allotment and used 150 litres on the 1st bed and 50 on the blackcurrant bushes on the smaller 3rd bed.

Also measured up the remaining part of the plot to ascertain the width of the 2 middle beds and put the canes and string in for the middle path.

Used the ph metre to determine the ph of te soil which turns out to be slightly acidic so I will only have to lime one bed for the brassicas.

All together a pleasant couple of hours even if it did rain slightly for part of the time

[Sheneval]

New Alloment

Spent another 2 hours at the allotment today after lunch till rain restarted, accompanied by eldest grandson who performed mighty deeds.

We created the third path between the two middle smalller beds using most of the wood chips previously collected and collected another large bag from the heap dumped at the allotment entrance by the Council workmen in to be used on the remaining two paths still to be formed.

Based on amount used previously, I suspect we will need at least another 2 bags to complete this work. Started to dig up the 5th bed and got rid of quite a few docks in the process