Hobbit Allotment!

[horticultural_hobbit]

Early stages still

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Hopefully, onions, shallot and garlic will be with me soon. I am choosing to wig wam broadies, my plot, my plan Will be sowing some winter lettuce. Trying to source sarson de saag-mustard leaves/greens, for Ma. I have perpetual spinach and some other Medina (?) stuff. Might even throw in some feungreek and mustard having raided Ma's stash in the pantry.

Have had a proper faffing day, with a list of to do items.

(Pops on seeing my shopping list: "Don't spend too much money on your...er...allotment)

I spent the afternoon clod smashing, so my shoulders feel as though they will part company with my trunk.

Had a hose pipe crisis in wanting to fill the old water butt, but I over came that(eventually). Two hoses(one acquired, one bought), both too short. Did a carry on style jobby involving gaffer tape belong to Pops. Naturally, that didn't work, hilarity and wetness ensued. I learned a lesson, went to a well known DIY store, got a connector (with various charade like gesticulation) and then did a small jig when water flowed.

Chicken poo-like the wormery, worth it, just to see the funny face pulled by Ma. Sprinkled across the four beds that would need it. Just stay down wind of it...

Clod smashing, my thanks to Zazen for the advice. Strangely therapeutic! But now quite painful. And some clay breaker added (yes, I can hear the boo hisses in the back.)

Didn't get as far as sowing claudia aqua dulce or lettuce, but I will. And if I don't sow that saag, I'm toast. Us junior hobbits might not like Saag, but ma and pops do. The plus point of saag. Onions bhajis, and we don't mind thems!

[snohare]

I spent the afternoon clod smashing, so my shoulders feel as though they will part company with my trunk.

Sounds like you are saaging a little bit...

(Whatever "saag" is - latin name will suffice.)

[Two_Sheds]

I am choosing to wig wam broadies

Well I hope they oblige you ~ mine have never got above 2ft tall

[Two_Sheds]

Whatever "saag" is

Spinach, isn't it?

[horticultural_hobbit]

It is spinach, yes. Only Ma is adamant to have 'Indian' spinach, the sort you see in Bollywood shops. I personal don't see the difference between that and the spinach you find in the supermarket. However, this is another situation where one does not argue with mother.

[snohare]

However, this is another situation where one does not argue with mother.

Another ?? You mean there are others !!
(Just kidding. A son has no better friend than his mother.)

I'll bet you there is a fair bit of difference genetically between Bollywood spinach and normal British spinach. I'll bet Bollywood spinach is picked by sari-twirling, singing sirens with moustachioed lotharios chasing them across the plot to the sound of zithers.(With nary a thought for where their size ten feet go. I've seen the films.)
Whereas obviously British spinach is picked in the frying-bacon rain, with alfresco snail lobbing and slug-hurling contests as a sideshow.

[Two_Sheds]

Ma is adamant to have 'Indian' spinach, the sort you see in Bollywood shops.

Ah, that's easy then. Buy some of the authentic stuff, make a big show of taking "cuttings" from it. Then when she's not looking, sow some leaf beet in the same pots that you've put the "cuttings" into.
Hey presto, Bollywood spinach that will grow in Britain

[horticultural_hobbit]

Well, I won't say anything if you don't, Two Sheds!

[Fruit&2veg]

Hi Hobbit
Sounds like your well on the way!! Just a thought on the drainage issue, but Im a bit old fashioned, and if I were you I would seriously consider Double Digging/Trenching th plot as breaking up the lower levels will make a tremendous difference to drainage. Hard work I know but the long term benefits are well worth it, just concentrate on the worst areas to start with ,as and when you have time through the winter. Maybe target a quarter of the plot each year to double dig and m,ake do with the rest as is for now.
Just a thought and best of luck whatever you decide!

[horticultural_hobbit]

Happy thoughts...

Thanking you all kindly.

Double digging is probably a good idea and would most likely benefinicial. I just don't fancy keeling over and or snapping in half having done it. Horses for
Courses, I guess ::shrugs:: some like it, some don't.

I could have thrown a Tevez-like tantrum though today. Waggling the dibber into the most unforgiving clay ground. which isn't too bad when it had been watered, actually. So I would like some rain to fall.

As it stands, 7 3/4 beds out of 8 have been dug up. The soil varies from what granddad mike terms beautiful, to that which has a serious attitude problem and does nothing without a moan or a groan. Today, I've sown some broadbeans, and put in some spring flowering thingies. Anemones and hyacinths.those are going be the Borders between beds. I'll get around to some winter lettuces and perhaps some mustard. I am still waiting for my onions, shallots and garlic

[horticultural_hobbit]

I think we're on week 3

Evening my lovelies.

Have spent this last week hobbling like an old lady. I was sore anyway having done some clod smashing, but pottering around, doing bits and pieces; I must have been bad as I felt as though I was about to snap I half. Lots of painkillers, hot soaking, even deep heat.Tis getting better, else tiger balm is the last resort.

Anyways, the 'lotment.

Dug up again, the bed that will be the onion bed. Because the clay is stupidly hard. So that was fun, what with aches and pains. That spade as recommended by two sheds, is earning it's keep. Having a fight with clay, but doing a good job. I finally received my onions and shallots. Got a free bag of senshyu as dobbies had qualms about the size and quality. Not going to complain, the more the Merritt. I
Even shared some with my plot neighbour( the 17 year old baby of the plot, who is also a neighbour. Has the other half plot, is like me shiny and new to this. Pays to be nice really).

Yesterday, whilst feeling as though my trunk was about to part company with my legs, the shenshyu and shallots went in after the red electric onions. I have left space for garlic. Then one bed will have been cultivated.

The real highlight of this week, has been getting some free timber. I was going to
Create pathways. But I'm going to now semi raise the beds, and box them up, if that makes any sense. The wood is free from Ma's school, and is broken slats from pallets used to transport fixtures and fittings. Ma rescued something like forty planks, each a metre long.

So no pathways, but there will be some spring flowering bulbs around the borders. I've gone for some cheapy pound stretcher ones. No doubt, folks might think they will be problematic. Probably, might do. I'll find out! Lots of hyacinths(I want to shout BUCKET!) anemones, and various tulips.

That's the next phase, sink timbers, plant bulbs. Have emptied a jar of Ma's fenugreek across a whole bed. I did have her permission! Was labelled mustard...

Today, feeling sorry for myself, sown some herbs to sit in the greenhouse to take over in spring.

Question, for you. I've got some
Thyme, that I had in a pot. Have harvested it, and the pot now is mostly stubble. Will that survive and be viable for next year?

Have ordered aloos. Middle sister has requested Maris piper. Didnt fancy king eds.

So I haven't given up. I am still trying to pace myself. Else I will do myself a further mischief.

Happy thoughts, my lovelies.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Don't pretend your poo don't smell...

Had a nice play in the dirt today. Got some more fenugreek, mustard and coriander and threw it in ad hoc fashion. Dug up the would be cabbage patch. Has beautiful friable soil, might have to put rootie veg there instead as that bed is seriously clod-dy.

Then I got some comments about smelly chicken poo and how it hung around for days. (to be fair, i was following the box instructions where by Poo is Spread on dry weather. It was, and a bit hot-remember that heatwave). I said nothing about the equine faeces being brought in. Just went and paced.

[Glutton4...]

Take a bag of pegs, and hand them round tomorrow - tell 'em they're nose pegs! Silly s*ds!

[snohare]

Have ordered aloos

Is this a typo ? Are you looking for a way to reduce dependence on chickens and horses ? Is it a twinseat, or are you going to be posh and have his and hers ?
Or do you know of a plant, of which I know nothing ?
FYI, I just put some chicken poo on my plot, it didn't smell that much. It depends on what it's mixed with, how old it is and what they ate - but mainly, how old. 'Tis the ammonia.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Is this a typo ? Are you looking for a way to reduce dependence on chickens and horses ? Is it a twinseat, or are you going to be posh and have his and hers ?
Or do you know of a plant, of which I know nothing ?
FYI, I just put some chicken poo on my plot, it didn't smell that much. It depends on what it's mixed with, how old it is and what they ate - but mainly, how old. 'Tis the ammonia.

Spuds, snohare, aloos, potato. We're becoming polyglots here...

Chicken poo was in a box from the garden centre. Not so brave as to source the first hand stuff. Poo is poo, as far as I'm concerned. Getting sniffy about it is, well, sniffy.