Hobbit Allotment!

[Two_Sheds]

So much to chop down, pull up.

Crack on then

I'm chopping all my (non-seeding) weeds with secateurs and leaving the bits on the soil as a mulch. It soon disappears and is improving the soil no end

[horticultural_hobbit]

Am trying, Aunt two_sheds, to not be demoralised. I am waiting for a dry window, to do some weedkilling. I went today, and pulled up some seeding docs. Need to borrow grandad mikes shears and chop stuff. The sheer volume of weeds, does my head in. You'd think I'd done nothing.

Have built all my raised beds and transplanted. So have eight down there now.

[rustylady]

I know the feeling Hobbit. The weeds seem to grow faster than the plants that are supposed to be there. Took the strimmer to the plot yesterday and managed to cut down lots of grass and nettles. Also managed to strim my leg

[horticultural_hobbit]

oh, I only use the fork and the shears. Even then, I try to be careful. Froggies tend to jump out of the grass at me, and as much I like them, and I do, I don't want to shish kebab the creatures. That would be my worst fear, and I wouldn't forgive myself.

[horticultural_hobbit]

I got fruit!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

No pears but this will do! From the hobbit orchard. Just bitten into one of the smaller victoria plums >_< sweet and sour....

Still happy, though.

In other news, four and half beds out of eight are newpaper mulched.

[rustylady]

Your plums don't look quite ripe Hobbit. Well done on the progress on the allotment.

[horticultural_hobbit]

I don't think they are, RL. Going to stick them onto the window sill and see what happens. Tis all a learning experience. I'm overjoyed by the simple fact of getting some!

[Pinfold Plotter]

I bought a raised bed from green fingers after reading your post - really pleased with it, can't wait to plant it up in the spring when the FYM has stopped cooking

[horticultural_hobbit]

I bought a raised bed from green fingers after reading your post - really pleased with it, can't wait to plant it up in the spring when the FYM has stopped cooking

They are a bit nifty aren't they! I shall point out that I am not endorsing here

Have just shared a falstaff apple with the family whilst visiting Ma. Rather juicy thing. Perhaps not as ripe as it should be. Devoured anyway. A bit salty, actually but all right. Went brown a bit quick as I cut it.

[rustylady]

I'm glad you got some plums HH. My Victoria usually produces pounds and pounds of them but this year I have ONE plum. The weather was so bad when the blossom opened that there were no buzzies to pollinate. Looking forward to better next year.

[horticultural_hobbit]

I'm not sure about how productive these cordon trees are. They did take a while to take off. They are also in pots. There was a frost several times too; I only wrapped them up in fleece the once. The concorde pear has nothing. Leaves, but nothing. Yet that was later still in getting leaves. So I'm glad despite the small number of fruit.

Apple was proper salty tasting...

[rustylady]

Looked up Falstaff apples and found this link Apple - Falstaff - tasting notes, where to buy fruit and trees Seems it is a late ripening apple so again you may have picked a bit early. Keep them indoors a week or so and they may sweeten up a bit. I don't have any trained fruit trees (I live in a rented cottage which has in the back garden a HUGE apple tree - variety unknown but produces large cooking apples - and a Victoria plum tree)

[horticultural_hobbit]

Tried that site earlier, but it didn't work. Yeah, I have the tendency to do things before I should they are all sat on the window sill, in the hope they do.

Now I'm window shopping-and shouldn't-raspberry canes, as I managed to kill the ones I had.

[snohare]

I'm sooo tempted to make jokes about teachers and caning...
Funnily enough, I just got a load of fine healthy, and above all, free rasp runners off Freegle - PM me if you want some Hobbit, I certainly have more than I need. ('Twas a case of take them all or not at all, then find homes.) Variety is unknown, but disease resistant with a long cropping season.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Very kind offer, uncle sno, I shall have a think ^_^

Postman has just left me the first batch winter pansies and polyanthus. Should be okay to be planted through the newspaper, shouldn't they? Temporarily sat in the wendy house in dad's garden. Looked all right, green and a bit wet.