What I did today - 2016

[Small pumpkin]

Hunted through the sheds for some net for someone else.


Picked some kale, sprouts, chard, leeks.

Started to move my pumpkins inside -managed to get all but the big one in as carrying the second largest done my back in.

Hopefully we won't have a frost tonight and after a hot bath and a nights rest my back will be up to it.

You take it easy young man don't go damaging yourself !
I'm considering running out and picking my pumpkins now, it's a very clear evening & it's been flipping cold today.

[Small pumpkin]

Got the frame of my new shed up today. It's a start

[hamamelis]

(Yesterday)
Spend a while getting on with the general pre-winter clear up at the plot. Planted out the bargain climbing rose I bought a few months back, up by the back fence. Hopefully it should climb up through the overhanging trees and at least make them look pretty for a week or so of the year.

Also noted while checking round that it looks like the back shed needs a little fixin' up before winter. Went to a well known DIY store, got annoyed with said well known DIY store's gardening section, got bewildered by wood selection, left without wood. Going to try and scavenge instead.

Picked up a car boot full of hoss muck, in various stages of decomposition, and dropped it off at the plot in the gathering gloom. Figured I'd get it in before the clocks change and eat the remaining evenings.

[Martin H]

Today I played golf.

Then I settled down to sow sweet peas for next year. 14 varieties, 4 rootrainers for each variety, two seeds in each rootrainer. I cut a bit of the coat off each seed because that worked well for my January sowings, but it's a fiddly process. Took me a couple of hours all told. Hopefully they will germinate on the greenhouse bench and set me up for a good display next year. If not (like last year) I'll re-do them in early spring

[Snadger]

Hunted through the sheds for some net for someone else.


Picked some kale, sprouts, chard, leeks.

Started to move my pumpkins inside -managed to get all but the big one in as carrying the second largest done my back in.

Hopefully we won't have a frost tonight and after a hot bath and a nights rest my back will be up to it.

I'll carry your prize pumpkin for you! If I happen to trip and fall with it spalttering it into pieces, of course I will say "Oop's...........sorry!"

[Snadger]

You take it easy young man don't go damaging yourself !
I'm considering running out and picking my pumpkins now, it's a very clear evening & it's been flipping cold today.

Got mine inside! It would be a shame if the frost got Jay-el's larger than my pumpkin, wouldn't it

[Jay-ell]

Got mine inside! It would be a shame if the frost got Jay-el's wouldn't it

as snadger heads nonchalantly to the allotment carrying a CO2 fire extinguisher.

[Snadger]

as snadger heads nonchalantly to the allotment carrying a CO2 fire extinguisher.

Never thought of that!

[Small pumpkin]

put blocks down and levelled them, then put the shed frame on it. Ripped up my pumpkin & courgette plants ( except one ). Put 5 barrow loads of manure on the beds. Ran out of light, so will have to spread it and cover it tomorrow.

[Jay-ell]

Moved the big pumpkin to the thread in case of frost - must be about 20kg

[veggiechicken]

Moved the big pumpkin to the thread in case of frost - must be about 20kg

..........to the thread

[Jay-ell]

Was supposed to be greenhouse but for some reason autocorrect had different ideas.

[Cadalot]

Installed the modified the second shoe rack to sit next to the first and used as a butternut squash and onion drying rack in the shed

[bario1]

Saturday -dug out and leveled a patch of ground where my new pallet compost bin is going. Managed to fill a large black bin bag with plastic bags, old weed membrane and bindweed/dock/nettle roots from said patch. Got the pallets in place and loosely wired them together until i find the time to fix them permanently. Laid another section of clay drainage pipe in the big trench.
Sunday - collected about 20 rocks that someone had advertised on Gumtree. I'm going to make a blueberry rock garden in the circular central bed of my keyhole plot.
This morning - started fixing the pallet compost bin together properly, but ran out of time.

[Small pumpkin]

Finished covering the pumpkin bed with manure and weed fabric. Then did the same with another bed, apart from the top corner where my last 3 red cabbages are still growing nicely. Covered the rhubarb with a nice thick layer of manure. Just hope the black bird doesn't uncover it again while she's looking for worms. For the first time ever, I've sown a winter crop! Lettuce valdor.