Winter Projects

[1Bee]

What have you got planned for the down season?

I'm trying not to over-do with mine. Last year I was moving the entrance to the plot, laying a large area of membrane and woodchip and setting out four new raised beds and two builder's bags.

This year I plan to create a new willow arch at the entrance, using the overgrowth I've deliberately left to grow from the willow den. Other plot holders have been giving it the side-eye all year, thinking I've left it to grow out of control. But I have a plan in mind. Looking forward to the reaction.

I'm hoping I'll also be erecting a shed (how many years have I been saying this?!?) but that depends how far over budget the bathroom goes.... sighs. I'm going to lay the base anyway, and use it as a working area even if I have to save some more for the shed. I've cleared, measured and leveled the space, and have membrane, edging boards and flags. Just need some sand and some time.

I also need to move some fruit bushes.

Hmmm. Maybe I'm over-doing again...

[Thelma Sanders]

I'm hoping to finally fix the greenhouse frame together. It was an old one found dismantled and unclaimed when clearing unused ground on the plots.
Trouble was some of the boltholes were broken through and on one corner the bottom was a bit twisted. I've got it bolted together where I could, and wired the frame together where the boltholes were broken, but the slightest breeze knocked it skew-whiff so couldn't use it this year.
I've ordered a selection of brackets and more bolts, and collected enough fenceposts for it to sit on, so hopefully I'll be able to get it up and running for spring planting.

Wish me luck!

[MillieBee2]

I'll be building two cold frames, some raised beds, and fixing up my shed, with a new porch I'll be building from a mix of new and reclaimed wood.

I'd like a willow arch....

[1Bee]

Good luck Thelma! So hard getting them square and true sometimes.

I like the idea of the porch, Millie....

We'll have to share pics when we're done.

[ameno]

I've still got quite a lot of work down my new allotment.
I still have a large bed to clear and dig (didn't have time in the summer, since I only got my allotment in May).
I also need to remove the cardoons, remove one of the comfreys, and clear some grass for plant a loganberry and blackcurrant transferred from my garden, and new pear and plum trees.

In my garden, I need to lift and split the rhubarb (half will go down the allotment).
I need to lift a paving slab on my patio and make a mini-raised bed, where I shall be planting my new persimmon tree.
I need to dig out my old apricot tree, dig out a lot of the soil and swap it with soil from the vegetable patch, then plant my new apricot.

[Chestnut]

Lots of ideas, but how much I’ll actually get done is questionable.
Lifting paths and patio area to dig out couch grass roots, fix bench, build new compost bin, weeding, sort out paths and replace a bit of timber edging along main shared path which adjoins my plot. Making paper pots ready for next spring.

[ESBkevin]

Last week I gave the shed a second coat of creosote (the real stuff), so thats two coats in five years. It was very dry timber and soaked it up, it'll out last us now. I need to screw back on the barge boards etc. around the top, then after another weeks rains, I can reconnect the downpipe to the water butts.
Other than that the main task revolves around gathering several trailer loads of fallen leaves to make mulch and anything else that will compost down.

I need to remake our very first raised bad because it was made of untreated pallet/stillage wood and is now severly rotted. Now I know the benefits I shall use pressure treated 2x6. I think I can do that without disturbing the few parsnips growing there. I might also replace the second raised bed at the same time because thats only a year younger and showing bad signs already.

I'm going to fork throgh the hugalkutler to remove the bind weed (again), and also lift the row of 5 goosberry bushes beside it that are similarly infested. Once the roots are cleaned I will probably only replant 3 bushes in a better space.

Finally after the winter fruit tree pruning, I'm going to lift one of the two rows of raspberry canes to extend the bed beside them a little. We get enough raspberries so the extra growing space will be useful.

I'm sure I'll think of more (if not Carol will), but thats the start list.

[Urban]

New shed/workshop. Then move all my tools and stuff from the summer house into the new shed Then set summer house up properly as it should be. the pond needs some work. I May even build another pond as well. A more formal one. And have a waterfall linking them together

[nickdub]

turning the two 1000L IBC's I bought in to a working rainwater storage system - probability of completion 50% 'ish

[SimpleSimon]

I only got our plot August 2018 and spent a solid year of back breaking labour sorting it out. I'm just gonna sit and look at it .

Well, and maybe work out how to fix guttering to my tunnel. And maybe fix the shed roof. And gather a cubic meter of leaf mold. And redo the main path.

And...and...and.

Yeah maybe not so much sitting and looking

[veggiechicken]

What have you got planned for the down season?

What's the "down season"?
I just do much the same all year round except the days are shorter so there's not so much time to spend mooching around.

[Small pumpkin]

Don’t think I’ve got any winter projects planned, apart from learning how to build a house

[Greenleaves]

Like VC it's an all year round approach for me but with added digging. The 3rd plot I took on needs lots and I mean lots of work doing so it will occupy me during the cold months.

[greenishfing]

I would, for the first time ever, like to be up to date on jobs and ready next Spring instead of playing catch up as usual. Lots of the allotments on our site are already bare and dug over. Mine is still quite full with leeks, lots of varieties of brassicas, carrots, parsnips, beetroot, swedes and newly planted onions and the garlic mountain to plant shortly. The greenhouses are still giving melons, grapes, tomatoes, peppers,chillies and the odd aubergine so they can't be cleared out. The trouble is I tend to hibernate when it's really cold/miserable/wet and am then never organised for next Spring.

[Can the Man]

Now that I have my poly tunnel I’m experimenting with what will grow in it over the winter. I also need to set up my after butt on the garage and end of the house, then pipe it over to the poly tunnel.