New Allotment

[Hazel at the Hill]

17 lavender plants put in daughter's allotment, (8 left for Linda who loves all flowers)

Lavender is a brilliant idea on the plots - the bees just love 'em. I spent some time this afternoon trying (an failing!) to take a decent pic of one of the dozens of bees (three difference sorts) on my plants at the front of the plot.

[Sheneval]

Hazel,

Apologies I missed your last post - I love the smell of lavender and hope to get more next year - good pic.

Spent 5 hours at the allotment yesterday digging up all but a few potatoes and clearing the pea bed and weeds from both. One of the plot holders sweet corn had been stolen the previous night so I harvested all of mine just in case. Had harvested the remainder of my beetroot two days ago when I cleared the bed that will take the potatoes next year and put 6 barrow loads of manure on top ready for digging in. Had another hour on the plot today carrying out a bit more weeding and collecting those that had been left yesterday for disposal. Noticed Blight has arrived on the site but my foliage seems not to have been affected.

Had a visit from a robin today whilst I was weeding - it got as close as a foot away and remained there for some time but as soon as I got the camera out it took the huff and skipped off behind some fencing and presumably then took off for other parts - think it will rain tomorrow but will see if it returns on Sunday

[Sheneval]

A couple of hours spent at the allotment this afternoon strimming the path on the northern side of my plot until the battery strimmer ran out of power just before I was completely finished Battery on the charger at the moment and I will finish the job tomorrow.

A bit more weeding of this year's pea bed and picked the remainder of the broad beans.

I will finish this tomorrow and put the broad bean foliage on the compost bin

[Hazel at the Hill]

A bit more weeding of this year's pea bed and picked the remainder of the broad beans.

I will finish this tomorrow and put the broad bean foliage on the compost bin

Did you save some for seed? My broad beans were finished a month or so back, but I left a couple of dozen pods on the plants.

I chopped all the rest of the plants/foliage back (except where the seed pods are) and left them to go black and crispy, and I'll pick them this week, and they can finish drying on newspaper in the attic room, then I can pod them when I get sick and tired of tripping over them.

[veggiechicken]

My broadies are coming into flower again.....just saying

[Hazel at the Hill]

My broadies are coming into flower again.....just saying

Funnily enough, a couple of my crimson flowered jobbies have sprouted and flowered again from the bottom where I've cut them right back. Talking of which, I didn't manage to get any packets of these (my very very favourite broad beans) when I went to the 50p seed sale last weekend. Looks like I'll be raiding the VSP again...

[veggiechicken]

Sorry Hazel - the VSP has been drained dry of Crimson Flowered Broadies. You may have to speak nicely to me

[Hazel at the Hill]

Sorry Hazel - the VSP has been drained dry of Crimson Flowered Broadies. You may have to speak nicely to me

*sob

Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease, VC, may I have some more?

[veggiechicken]

Next year I'll buy 2 x 50p packets I'll split mine with you, Hazel, since you ask so nicely When do you sow them?

[Hazel at the Hill]

Next year I'll buy 2 x 50p packets I'll split mine with you, Hazel, since you ask so nicely When do you sow them?

Aww, you're kind.

I don't put them in till the Spring - no point in risking losses by trying to overwinter them.

[veggiechicken]

I'm sure you'll have thought of something you want from the VSP by then so I'll hang on til then

[Hazel at the Hill]

I'm sure you'll have thought of something you want from the VSP by then so I'll hang on til then

I will have my wish list and postage all lined up to forward to you towards the end of the year VC - thank you for putting a few of yours on one side for me.

[Sheneval]

Hazel,

I was thinking of doing just that along with my onions which did really well last year - I would protect them with debris netting and if they don't do well, I can always say I tried

[Hazel at the Hill]

Hazel,

I was thinking of doing just that along with my onions which did really well last year - I would protect them with debris netting and if they don't do well, I can always say I tried

Good experiment - and if you put some Spring sown ones in too in the same conditions, it will be interested to see how much you 'win' in terms of earlier harvest by overwintering. Choose your variety carefully too - some are more hardy than others; and can get a bit nippy in your parts!

[Sheneval]

Hazel,

When I was clearing the plot last year maximum ice in the ground was 1" and these conditions lasted just over a week - I covered ground with either tarp or fleece and was able to dig it over next morning no problem - Since I live on the coast we usually get snow only on one or two days in winter and it lies for 1 day or less. Last year it did lie for two days on one occasion but that was a rarity.

I have a fair collection of black pods from my Broad Beans but I don't know if these were suitable variety for overwintering - the onions last winter were Troy and I picked them by end of July.

The Spring planted ones were uplifted in mid August so not a lot of difference - I could possibly have lifted the overwintering ones a week or so earlier?

This coming year I intend to put 5g of Biochar under half of them and 5g of rock dust under the other half.