One giant leap

[HeyWayne]

Finally got to the plot this morning and took some photos in the frost. Anyone got any clues as to what the tree might be?





You like? Needs a bit of work, but I'll get there!

[JennieAtkinson]

Great pics! and a lovely spot Haywayne. Good luck.

Did you have a frost last night? Still no sign of any frost here (just one night this winter so far) and today its a dizzying 12 degrees!

[HeyWayne]

Well I spent a couple of hours there today, just tidying up and getting my head round what I've let myself in for. Anyway, I've discovered that the tree is possibly a crab apple, there is a huge area (approx 10ft sq) covered in what look like strawberry plants and whilst turning some of the earth over I discovered one or two potatoes - pinkish in colour and quite small. There are an abundance of what I can only guess to be potato roots. I think I'll have to start each area over from scratch rather than leave it and see what comes up - exciting as that may seem, I get the feeling that I'll end up even further behind than I am already.

The ground seems fairly good, nice and soft and a good dark colour - I've just got to get myself organised now and get a plan together.

Found a load of canes in a stack, some chicken wire and a few bricks and rocks which I'm sure will come in handy at some point.

I've even got a boot scraper at the end of my plot - how posh am I!?

Might pop to B&Q next weekend, get myself some boards and start making my raised beds, then I can get things in some semblence of order.

[seasprout]

Hey Wayne, according to this months GYO mag, (Last Page) it looks like next month (April issue) they are going to show you how to beat the thieves with a tool store.

It might be one of those under ground jobbie's, you know like a coffin, might be just the ticket for your site if your not allowed a shed.

Just a thought.

[HeyWayne]

See that nice green field in the background of the last pic, that's a cemetary that is, I might get arrested if I have a coffin for a tool shed! Certainly be some awkward questions asked of me, especially if I get prize-winning veg on my plot!

I'm thinking of having one of those tool storage things, a bit like this: http://www.greenfingers.com/supersto...&pf_id=LS1128D and putting it under the tree, behind all that corrugated stuff - which I have also made a compost heap out of today.

I might subscribe the GYO mag, could do with all the help I can get. Pottering about on my plot earlier today and I realised just how little I know - especially once I started digging up the potatoes..

I did identify a huge patch of strawberries though - if I keep them going I'll have strawberries coming out of my ears!!

[nick the grief]

Finally got to the plot this morning and took some photos in the frost. Anyone got any clues as to what the tree might be?

You like? Needs a bit of work, but I'll get there!

Well it's not a conifer

If it's on a lotty I would guess that it's an apple or maybe a plum (more likely to be an apple though) But you'll have the excitement of waiting to see.

[HeyWayne]

Got home last night and waiting for me on my drive was a plastic Dalek. On closer inspection I realised it was in fact my new composter (ordered free from lovely lady at local council). Anyhoo, being new to all this I'm after a few hints and tips for a good compost.

The Dalek has no bottom (which I guess is how they get in), should I just plonk it down on the ground, or on something? Also, there is a huge pile of free manure at the allotment, should I put some of this in the composter to get it going?

Questions questions...

[madderbat]

Hi there HeyWayne
Lucky you. We got a plastic dalek two years ago, then put it on our allotment when we got that. Have now got a second for the house 'yard'
Our suppliers kindly gave us stickers for the fridge and the bin which helped to remind us waht to put in. Have got a spare if you would like one.

They should go on soil (to allow worms to get in!) and basically you can throw any compostable kitchen stuff in - raw fruit/veg, eggshells, cardboard/paper (we put our shredded stuff in there for secure disposal) as well as cuttings/clippings from the lottie. Don't put grass roots or bramble cuttings/seeds in unless you want a crop of them!

Mr MB went a bit mad and put lots of soil in our lottie one, so it filled up very quickly and has actually composted beautifully, but he won't use it for seedlings until it's been sterilised (by cooking it on a low heat I've been told)
The dear boy also bought some brandling worms from the fishing shop and put them in the one at home. Don't know how they are doing yet, but the compost isn't piling up, so I guess they are eating it.

Good luck, you'll soon get the hang of it.

[HeyWayne]

Ah, I'll be removing the bramble clippings I put in there last weekend then...

Thanks for the tips, I'll get it set this weekend (weather permitting).

Teabags can go in too if I remember correctly? I'll be putting my shredded paper in there too I guess - my shredder cuts it into little pieces, not just strips so I can't use it on me tatties like I thought.

Whoever knew there was so much too it!

[nick the grief]

Ah, I'll be removing the bramble clippings I put in there last weekend then...

Thanks for the tips, I'll get it set this weekend (weather permitting).

Teabags can go in too if I remember correctly? I'll be putting my shredded paper in there too I guess - my shredder cuts it into little pieces, not just strips so I can't use it on me tatties like I thought.

Whoever knew there was so much too it!

Hi HW,

If you PM me with you e-mail address I'll send you the stuff off the HDRA website re composting - it's too big to get posted here! Although I may try and split it up.

[HeyWayne]

Hi HW,

If you PM me with you e-mail address I'll send you the stuff off the HDRA website re composting - it's too big to get posted here! Although I may try and split it up.

E-mail received, many ta's!

[Muddy Sarah]

Hi HW

When you put the dalek on the plot, put it onto a piece of chicken-wire or similar that's a bit bigger than the bottom of the bin. This will stop any rodents getting in and eating your lovely compost, but will still allow the worms in. And in the early days, you might need to put some rocks/bricks/weighty things on the bottom of the bin to stop it tipping over in high winds - I learned that the hard way, and spent a fair bit of time trying to clear up a load of stuff that had been spread all over the place when my dalek fell over.

HTH

Sarah

[HeyWayne]

Hi HW

When you put the dalek on the plot, put it onto a piece of chicken-wire or similar that's a bit bigger than the bottom of the bin. This will stop any rodents getting in and eating your lovely compost, but will still allow the worms in. And in the early days, you might need to put some rocks/bricks/weighty things on the bottom of the bin to stop it tipping over in high winds - I learned that the hard way, and spent a fair bit of time trying to clear up a load of stuff that had been spread all over the place when my dalek fell over.

HTH

Sarah

Now that's good advice! There are plenty of bits of chicken wire that were left on the plot, so I'll use one of them. There are also a few bits of corrugated sheeting (not the metal, the other stuff) that I can build a "wall" around teh Dalek.

Thanks for the tip though, I'd of not thought about the chicken wire idea!

[HeyWayne]

Ahhh, back in the day. My first ever post.

Gets a little dewy eyed.