First Day on the Allotment!

[Jackbb]

Spent the whole day on my new plot today - boy, what hard work that was.

A lot of clearing up, cutting back and also managed to start one of the beds. Took a lot longer than i anticipated but satisfying to finally get things underway.

Soil looks to be clay and some patches of soil stuck to my fork and was extremely difficult to break up. Is there something is can do or add to the soil to break down that claggy clay and ensure that it becomes a finer soil? I will definitely be installing a raised bed for carrots as they just wont thrive in that clay.

Having said that the soil doesn't appear to be in bad nick and does look like its been well worked previously.

interesting day of finds; i have attached some pictures. Turned over a patch and seemed to disturb what looked like some small snake like creatures - anybody any idea what they are - see picture 2?

All in all a satisfying day but its brought home just what a huge undertaking it is taking on a large plot thats been neglected.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Spent the whole day on my new plot today - boy, what hard work that was.

A lot of clearing up, cutting back and also managed to start one of the beds. Took a lot longer than i anticipated but satisfying to finally get things underway.

Soil looks to be clay and some patches of soil stuck to my fork and was extremely difficult to break up. Is there something is can do or add to the soil to break down that claggy clay and ensure that it becomes a finer soil? I will definitely be installing a raised bed for carrots as they just wont thrive in that clay.

Having said that the soil doesn't appear to be in bad nick and does look like its been well worked previously.

interesting day of finds; i have attached some pictures. Turned over a patch and seemed to disturb what looked like some small snake like creatures - anybody any idea what they are - see picture 2?

All in all a satisfying day but its brought home just what a huge undertaking it is taking on a large plot thats been neglected.

Well done, Jackbb, look how brilliant that is in the last pic! Bet you ache tomorrow!

Not sure what your big worms are - except, big worms?

Add as much organic matter to your plot as poss to turn the clay into something more manageable (hops by the lorryload in your neck of the woods?) - mind you, it's been so wet that even our lighter soil at the Hill has been hard going.

[shepp726]

pic 3 seems to be a common lizard

good bit of work considering the weather

[veggiechicken]

You've done a lot in one day. Pic 2 looks like a slow worm. Lovely little creatures

[Jackbb]

You've done a lot in one day. Pic 2 looks like a slow worm. Lovely little creatures

THATS IT! Slow Worm. Thank you. loads of them in one area, nest?

Thanks for all your advice and encouragement, means a lot.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Thanks for all your advice and encouragement, means a lot.

You keep doing the hard digging, we'll keep sitting here with a glass of red saying 'well done'.

We've got the tricky end of the stick I think. *nods

[veggiechicken]

Try not to disturb them they're just waking up They're really good to have around - eating slugs and other pests.
Slow-worm - Anguis fragilis

EDIT By "them" I mean the slow worms - not Hazel who snook in while my back was turned

[darcyvuqua]

defo a slow worm loads of them round here lovely little things

[Bigmallly]

I was going to suggest These but as I have never seen either, I will bow to VC & Darcy's better knowledge.

[veggiechicken]

I hope its not NZ Flatworms New Zealand flatworms - should we worry? - Telegraph I've never seen them either.
The Slow worms that I know personally, are used to being handled, are quite round and dry, wrap themselves around your fingers - and, despite being called slow, are actually quite fast movers.
Have another look at them Jack, see if you can get a better photo.

[green fingered]

Well done on your productive day at your allotment. Never seen a slow worm or common lizard. I just get a load of frogs mainly. Think it's too cold here for anything exciting lol

[Bigmallly]

I thought slow worms were more like a mini snake in appearance but I'm only going by pics I've seen.

[veggiechicken]

They do look like small snakes - but they're really legless lizards They can be up to a foot long but they're slim, like worms, except the pregnant females who have a bulge
The first few times I had to catch and handle them I was quite wary, now, I find them so beautiful, when you look at them up close, little tongues flicking out, blue lines along the sides of the males, and they just entwine themselves around your fingers. They're not at all slimy .I bet you have them on your allotments.

[Bigmallly]

Have never seen one, but I don't like the look of that thing in Pic 2 either.

[veggiechicken]

Its pic 2 I'm on about - not the fat worm in pic 1