What I did today 2012-2014

[Aberdeenplotter]

I had quite an industrious day. First of all, took the net off the top of my fruit cage. Read there was the possibility of snow and as my fruit cage is made from slim aluminium tubes thought it best not to risk it being damaged. Managed to get that net and all my others dried and inside. It was like a summers day here

Harvested the last of the blueberries but also left a few for the birds. Had intended to hoe off the weeds around the blueberry bushes but will do that another day. There were quite a few berries on the ground which the birds will eat and a few more days won't make any difference.

Finished the session by starting to tidy up the strawberry bed. It was newly planted in the springtime with plants started off in pots last October and we had a super crop of large berries. (variety = maxim so large berries are expected). However there are a huge number of rooted runners. I'm home with some to pot up to take on another couple of rows and have already given a couple of dozen away down at t'allotments.

I would normally be culling a couple of rows at the same time as taking on new but not necessary this time around or next year because it's a new bed.

Some days just aren't long enough.

[marcofez]

Clearing up!

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

Bit of GH admin (tidying up, picking toms, clearing dead bits of plants), put door brace bars on just in case it gets very windy.

[Feral007]

Too late David, it's already windy here

Not a lot of gardening done atm, farm work and housework take precedence in spring and before daughters bday party w/e.

[bario1]

Two of my giant sunflowers had blown over onto my neighbour's plot, so i cleared them up and cut the heads off to dry out the seeds. Picked what will probably be my penultimate crop of cherry tomatoes - haven't bought a supermarket tom for over four months!

[Tomatoe]

The window blew off mine yesterday, had to chase it down the road

If that flimsy metal frame had popped off I dare say the window pane would have been lethal if it hit anyone. Ill be bracing mine tonight as its meant to be incredibly windy this evening.

[hamamelis]

Nipped down the plot to check it hadn't blown away- even the bean poles are still up, which is surprising, given that they're in a very exposed spot.

Planted out some garlic, and made a start on re-digging out one of the paths, but the weather started swooping in, so I scarpered, and just beat the hailstorm home.

Sowed a few broadies in modules to plant out later (the ratbag magpies pulled them all up last year when germinated at the plot). I never do well with overwintered ones, but I may as well try the last of the aquadulche now, as I've got three other varieties to plant in spring- one that did well last year and 2 new experimental varieties to try.

Hope the wind dies down soon so I can finish the path, it was 'orrible out there.

[bussinspain]

Actually yesterday - I thinned my carrots and planted some lettuces that were screaming to be let out of their pots! The soil was beautiful to dig and the sun was shinning - what else could I ask for?

[Mumbles]

Lost my shed (should have been able to see it from the main gates)

Found my shed - It had fallen to pieces and some very kind fellow allotmenters had put it back together in a more sheltered area of my plot - and fitted it with a little patio

Also more digging

[Bigmallly]

Spent some of the day getting soaked whilst preparing & leveling the ground for a greenhouse. Tomorrow I'll get the timber base in place.

[Greenleaves]

Potted up 60 strawberry roots, will keep them in the cold greenhouse until the new soft fruit cage is erected

[skeggijon]

How kind of them. I made my first visit to the allotment in a few days, fully expecting to find the shed upside down and the smaller of my polytunnels in orbit, but relieved to find all structures relatively intact!

The climbing FB hadn't fared so well though and were levelled, along with most of the Calabrese. The large polytunnel had been hit by some flying debris, which had caused minor damage and Bright Lights Chard leaves were scattered across the plot.

Tidied up a bit and harvested some ripe chillies and peppers, plus a few carrots.

[hamamelis]

Received an exciting box of goodies from Norfolkgrey, and ran out to the greenhouse- still in my dressing gown and jammies- to pot up some lovely cuttings and other surprises asap!

Collected some old tiles this afternoon, so I can build proper raised beds on the lottie- it's a Northeast slope, but not very steep, so I might be able to bring the lower beds up to the same height as the upper ones. Stuff just doesn't grow well there unless it's tall enough to stick above the mini terrace in the middle. It started getting dark though, and that's going to be a big job, so I just did a bit of weeding and picked the last of the achocha. I'm impressed that it's still going!

[Guest]

Planted my new arrivals - saffron crocuses (fingers crossed)

[Bigmallly]

Managed to get the timber frame & greenhouse base in place, got soaked to the core in the proceedings........5 mins after finishing, the bladdy sun came out..........