Scrapheap Challenge

[Snadger]

Back at the scapheap today. As usual,I was the only one on site.

I wonder whether more allotment Secretaries were on site at other Associations, or is being an allotment Secetary not synonomous with being a dedicated allotmenteer?

Anyway, finished off the digging on the bed I was working on. Decided to hand weed my Japanese onion bed. A few sets had disappeared, whether they had rotted or birds had nicked them, I have no idea. Luckily I had just enough sets left in the packet to stick in where they were missing.

Moved into the summerhouse with the intention of tidying my pots and trays. Before that I checked my seed packets throwing out the ones from 2012,2013,2014 & 2015! Managed to get all that were left into a single plastic box the size of a shoe box. Memorised what I could knock off my seed list held in Moreveg basket online.

I found the easisest and neatest way to store my numerous seed trays was to add the module inserts thens stack up one on top of the other. The pots i stacked seperately and its about as neat as I can get it.

When entering my Moreveg basket online on my return I found it to be empty. I can only assume that baskets are emptied at the beginning of a new year, so I will have to start again!

[Thelma Sanders]

When entering my Moreveg basket online on my return I found it to be empty. I can only assume that baskets are emptied at the beginning of a new year, so I will have to start again!

Will you remember which ones you actually need now, or will the brain work have to start again?

[Snadger]

Will you remember which ones you actually need now, or will the brain work have to start again?

Nice little project for me! probably come up with a completely different list to what was in the shopping basket though!

[Snadger]

Noticed on my walk along the allotment path that the overnight storm had caused a bit of devastation. One poor guy spent a lot of money on a new ploytunnel only to have the cover blown off and ripped and the framework bent and twisted irripairably by the lok of it.
No damage at the scrapheap I am pleased to say. Lit the woodburner then used the loppers (Can't find my secatuers) to cut off the growth of my chrysanths. Took all the ones that were in pots into the summerhouse.
Had a look through my seed box with the intention of sowing red torpedo onions and leeks. I thought I had leek seeds but apparently not. I sowed some torpedo onions in a 4 inch pot that were from 2011. I would really like these to germinate as I got them from Hungary and other red onions just aren't the same, both in taste and size. Even if I get only a few that I can collect seed from I will be happy.

[Snadger]

Planted out some spring cabbage and PSB that were left in modules. Put one of my frames over them to keep the pigeons off. Lifted one of my wire cages and weeded and took leaves up that were threatening to smother some more advanced spring cabbage. Noticed even though my mooli is still growing the above ground portion has been turned to mush with the recent frosts. I will pullthem out in the near future.

Dug a huge parsip and gathered half a dozen eggs before heading for home, just as it started to rain!

[Snadger]

Back at The Church of Snadge today.......................at least that's what it felt like after I had finished hanging the stained glass windows up in the summerhouse.



It was too frosted to do anything outside so I lit the wood burner and had a bit of a potter indoors. Don't know whether I'll leave them there but t gets them out of the way for the time being and will allow the wood to dry out.

I have another seven frames at home in the garage which I will have to find room for..............I can feel a bit of a sculpture coming on!

[Snadger]

Put in shift at the scrapheap today. Working in the sunshine I:-

• Pulled up the last of my Mooli which had succumbed to the frost.
• Raked leaves and debri and added to compost heap along with spent mooli.
• Tickled over soil where mooli had been, ready for sowing or planting I know not what.
• Took frame off spring cabbage and hoed area around cabbages then returned frame.
• Lit the woodburner and burned a pile of damp books which had been left at the allotment gates.
• Shifted stuff around in summerhouse to make way for hexagonal table.
• Collapsed outdoor hexagonal table and re-erected it in summerhouse.
• Set up other table and put my potted chrysanths on it.
• Swept out summerhouse.
• Collected eggs and added dry leaves to nest boxes as i had ran out of straw.

Headed for home with plans in my head for extending the chicken run onto a dry area that I can't grow much on.

[Snadger]

Had a bit of a boring day at the scrapheap today. Decided to try and fix the leaks in my summerhouse roof by applying silicone to the joints. Up and down steps all day with my silicone gun. Time will tell whether its worked or not.

The chooks run was looking a bit muddy with the snow we've had. Dug part of it over and was suprised to see it was bone dry underneath. Chooks had a good old time scratching around on dug area pulling out worms etc.

I went to Homebase to see if they had a cheap owl like cads. Got them to price check it and it was 20 squid so left it with them Bought a pack of wild flower seeds for the bees for 50p, two pairs of secatuers for £4.00 and six lavendar plants reduced from £8.00 to £2.00 which io thjought was a bargain. Shame I've already ordered lavendar seed. Never muind, you can't have too much lavendar.

[veggiechicken]

I went to Homebase couple of days ago - no cheap owls, seeds or plants, but I'm still wondering whether I should have bought the metal raised bed thingy reduced from £50 to £10. I'm sure it would have a use - other than as a raised bed!!

[Snadger]

I went to Homebase couple of days ago - no cheap owls, seeds or plants, but I'm still wondering whether I should have bought the metal raised bed thingy reduced from £50 to £10. I'm sure it would have a use - other than as a raised bed!!

Still fancy that £115 metal shed, but by the time I get round to making my mind up they will have probably sold out!

[Snadger]

Couple of pleasant hours spent at the scrapheap today. Starting to get 4 eggs a day from my chooks so the in-laws will start hiding again when i pay them a visit laden with eggs.

Managed to get the five inserts for my seed tray at the local GC. Expensive at £1.09 each but will last forever. Got some fresh seed compost when i was there but I can't say I am impressed with Levingtons lumpy stuff.

I sowed Bulgarian Long Leek which is not supposedly fully hardy,Shallot Zebrune,Cape Gooseberry, Stevia and Tibetan Blue poppies.

Burnt loads of rubbish from my project house in the woodburner. Quite a pleasant day and I was able to potter about in just my Tee shirt...................and yes VC I DID have trousers on as well!

My two cloves of elephant garlic which I planted in a large pot apiece have now broke the surface, along with my ordinary garlic planted outdoors.

When I got home I put the seed tray with the five lots of sown seeds in the propagator in the garage. Just ben down to the garage to check and the perspex cover is misted up completely so it appears its still working after umpteen years use.

[Snadger]

I've been burning quite a lot of wooden branches and old books in the woodburner lately.
Tonight after work I cleaned all the ash out and spread it on various areas on the plot. Anybody seeing it would think I had been adding limeas it is very white.

All my seed tatties are now set up for chitting on the bench of my summerhouse. I bought some Charlotte from the Garden Centre (Not bad at £3.80 for a netted bag) I also have some Elfe from Lidl and quite a few of my own spuds from last year (Kestrel I think?)

I have five little spuds not much bigger than a pea that I grew from True Potato Seed last year. I think I may plant these and put them somewhere warm to give them an early start. They would be lost in a Morrisons Flower Bucket but any small container wouldn't give a big enough crop. I think I may set them away individually in 3 inch pots and put them somewhere warm. Once they grow a bit I could probably transfer them into a bigger pot.

Has anyone on here had successful dealings with second year TPS and what did you do?

[Snadger]

Chooks decided they would like there photographs taken, so who was I to disagree.

I had hoped to include my Cream Legbars who have grown up to be pretty birds but they were a bit camera shy.

[Snadger]

Cracked on with clearing part of the plot for a chook run extension to give them a bit more sunlight. Scrounged a lump of rigid squared mesh which will become one side. I will make the size of extension to fit the mesh, roughly 6 foot high and eight foot wide.

Still need to find an alternative spot for some pantiles which are stored thee. Maybe it will give me the push I need to actually use them along the borders of my plot.

[Snadger]

Someone decided to break into the scrapheap last night! Hammered the lock of the gate, which was a strange thing to do because it wasn't even locked! Gate was left open and summerhouse was left open. After I had checked the chooks which were my main concern I don't think they had been near them (hopefully the cockerels scared them away!)
I had a small gas stove in a plastic carrier case which had been thrown across the floor, a couple of eggs had been broken on the floor and my bale of straw had been moved so they could check the drawers which had naff all in them anyway.

All in all I got away lightly!

It pays to keep all your good stuff like stainless steel tools at home, so i wasn't too worried as the vandalism could have been a lot worse.

With checking everything over I didn't have time to shift the rest of the pantiles as I had planned.

My leeks and Zebrune shallots have germinated at home and are in my light box on the spare bed room window sill.