Hobbit Allotment!

[horticultural_hobbit]

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

is the current state of play.

I didn't know that it could be as little six months. Would explain the beautiful mound that I found from last year. As it stands, there are four builders bags.

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

From the first picture, you can see the two that are full. All are full, at the moment. Someone told grandad mike that they needed to be covered, so he very dutifully turned the sides down and weighed it down with bricks. I, however, hear that you need rain; and last years one builders bag was open and exposed. We will change that shortly.

So there are the four builders bags. The twelve raised beds, are now being filled with leaves in addition to these. Between Grandad Mike and Dad, all the leaves that deign to fall on our two drives get swept up. They perform some sort of military like operation stacking the bags up for me. On my day off, I then take these, collecting about 13 bags before the bin men arrive and dump into the beds. I am very lucky to have Pops and Mike help. Mike will sometimes take the bags down for me. Considering he's 73, a former marathon runner and had a double hernia repair, he's a dynamo!

Last year, I didn't start collecting til late november; so I already have more than this time last year. As I have learned lessons! All bar two raised beds are full. Rightly or wrongly, leaves are put in with newspaper layered in between. Not sure if this is of any use; I'm trying to apply composting laws to the process. Then, next year, I won't have to add as much MPC. I will of course, stir the stuff between now and then.

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

There are a few beds out of shot here. There are 12 all in all. I will possibly invest in a few more, should I find the appropriate amount of buttons. That's a castle in the sky at the moment.

It's all right making plans! Just have to keep tweaking them

[snohare]

Rightly or wrongly, leaves are put in with newspaper layered in between. Not sure if this is of any use; I'm trying to apply composting laws to the process.

I always try to mix as many different leaves as possible, and make sure that they are damp at least; I go out of my way to get leaves that are going mushy from lying around in drifts, as well as leaves that are sprinkled on grass. (I have a theory that these ones collect soil bacteria or whatever which helps speed up the composting.) Then I stick in as much soil and/or green stuff as possible, cover (having ensured that they are damp enough) and leave to build up heat. It is composting really, and what you are aiming for is nitrogen in the green of fresher leaves, as well as the carbon of the cellular skeleton of the leaf; if you only get totally dead, dried leaves, then you miss out on the nitrogen. Adding newspaper adds extra cellulose (carbon) but is a good way to add moisture which will help feed fungi etc. That moisture is best as rain, not tapwater. Well, that is my theory...don't take it as gospel.
Me, I go out and sweep the pavements here in the village, and rake the grass in the park; stamp it all down into the fertiliser sacks and take them in to the lottie; and there, I go out into the local streets and rake up builder's bags full of leaves, which I then must drag (uphill) along the pavement to the lottie. Nobody ever says what am I doing, they can see and don't care, or totally approve ! After all, even in the park it's hardly theft - to establish that, you would have to prove who the leaves belonged to...try that one in a court of law.

[Two_Sheds]

I, however, hear that you need rain

You need moist leaves, you don't necessarily need rain.
I make my leafmould in black sacks: water the leaves inside the sack if they aren't damp already, then tie the top and punch a few holes for drainage. Leave in an out-of-the-way place for 6-18 months

Rightly or wrongly, leaves are put in with newspaper layered in between.

Leaves are carbon.
Newspaper is also carbon.

You want some nitrogen (grass clippings) in there really, to speed things up.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Have been channelling Aunty Two_sheds. The raised beds do have layers of grass clippings in there some place.

When you wander around thinkin' is this Aunty would do? And uncle Sno, actually, amongst others.

[horticultural_hobbit]

I know uncle Sno did volunteer some....

okay, advice please. Raspberries. two possible companies to order from. 20 pence difference per cane. Continuity croppers. One has clay remember...I would like to just plug and play.

Plus, how do I prune my falstaff hobbit tree?

[snohare]

As far as rasps are concerned, clay may be good. They are gross feeders - need loads of nutrients, really big amounts - at Glentanar one of the jobs each year was barrowing loads of horse manure to spread in a layer six inches deep round each plant. The results showed that this really paid off. So, since clay has lots of nutrients, and you are going to have to feed them with manure (for the moisture retention properties as well as nutrients) - having clay is not a problem. (I'd say.)
As to which, there you have me. Maybe do an online search - type in the variety and add "reviews" or "problems" etc, see what pops up in the forums etc. I know Autumn Bliss does well up here, cropping until December in some places, but as to which company to choose - I think it is pot luck. When I was a tree nurseryman, an order taken from one field might include poor plants because we lowered our usual standards in order to make up the final few plants; a day later, in another field, the same variety of plants would be flourishing and the customer would end up delighted.
Personally I always try to get cuttings locally, so that I know they are hardy etc. My friend and gardening mentor John, who always buys, has dreadful luck sometimes. (But still gets more fruit, because I am lousy at cuttings.)
Tree pruning, you need to go to the Feeling Fruity section, or try the likes of Hessayon's books. Me, I am still learning - pruning at Craigievar Castle recently I was told, prune in summer for fruit, prune in winter for growth. Or was it the other way around ? I know you want to leave spurs of this year's wood, for fruit bearing shoots to appear on next year. Well, I think it was this year's wood... Best to consult Auntie TwoSheds I think !

[Two_Sheds]

Not me, I know nada about fruit pruning.

(I don't feed my raspberries either ... apart from a mulch of comfrey leaves)

[horticultural_hobbit]

Hmm. Hello Aunty!

have my fingers crossed. saw one green shoot today, may have been an onion, or some garlic. Really don't want too much rain. Else it really will be good night vienna.

Me and Aunty Tish are splitting some some raspberry canes. And I also anticipate a pot grown blackberry thing.

[snohare]

Else it really will be good night vienna

You mean the canes will waltz off into the sunset ?

I hope you do better with your pot grown bramble than I have done with my Black Satin. The only full-price soft fruit plant I have ever splashed out on, and in 2 years I have not had a single fruit ! It's enough to break an Aberdonian's heart...

[Two_Sheds]

2 years is young ... I think mine fruited at 3

[snohare]

Oh, mine was fruiting like crazy this year. But nary a single one ripened from green !

[horticultural_hobbit]

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There you go, Uncle Sno. What Aunty two sheds said.

[horticultural_hobbit]

Not doing as I'm told....I don't want to.

Keep being told that I should move plots as I've got diddly squat this year.

I don't want to move. I don't like the sharp inhalation of breath and grimaces. It's doing my head in. I want to make the plot work, and this year really could have been a bogey year.

Making me really cross. It's my project, and it does have it's perks.

[rustylady]

Who is telling you to move plots HH?

This year has been terrible. Even here in East Anglia (the driest part of the country we are told) everything has been sodden for most of the year.

[Two_Sheds]

I want to make the plot work

How about a Grapes Day at yours? A get together, meeting of minds, plot party?