Scrapheap Challenge

[Snadger]

Back at the scrapheap this evening. Lit the woodburner, not that it was particularly cold just I had a lot odf rubbish to burn!Took three different types of leeks that i had started in propagator, moved to window sill and now under glass of the summerhouse.
After sorting the chooks (Laying seven eggs a day now!) I decided to pot on some plants I and OH had bought cheaply as bare tooted plants. Potted on a red rose, a Phyladelphus, a Deuitzia and a hibiscus.

Dug up and washed a few carrots and did a bit of digging, finishing off where my parsnips were.
Watered anything that needed it and headed for home.

[Snadger]

Planted a dozen shallots this evening after work.



Summerhouse is filling up!



Pleased to see this little fella. He's from TPS I grew last year and planted as a tuber the size of a pea this year.



Chooks are now laying nine eggs a day!

[Snadger]

Even though I am at the Scrapheap nearly every evening after work,It is hardly worthwhile listing the tiny bit of progress.
This evening i finished digging over a bed I intend using for alliums this year. Raked the soil reasonably level and will get my onion sets planted out when it dries out a bit and gets another rake.
The area should be well nourished as the other day I took all the solids, stalks etc out of my comfrey barrel and my nettle barrel. Both have been tickled into the surface on this area. I couldn't do it straight away as the stench was horrendous but i now have a barrel of concentrated comfrey tea and a barrel of concentrated nettle tea, both of which should adequately supply my feeding program for the summer.

[Snadger]

I am itching to get cracking at the scrapheap but I have a lot going on in my life just now, so the scrapheap has to take a back seat for the time being.
Even though I am moving out of the area I have lived in for the last 35 years I have taken the allotment secretaries post on again because no one would take it.
I've managed to wangle the scrap heap free of charge though so will still be there, concentrating on perennial veg mainly, but not as often as i am now.
I am chasing an allotment close to my new home but the plots are very basic, no water and no chooks!
Had hoped to get some spuds in this week but instead have been laying a bathroom floor!

[bikermike]

I am chasing an allotment close to my new home but the plots are very basic, no water and no chooks!
Had hoped to get some spuds in this week but instead have been laying a bathroom floor!

I think you may need to dial back your expectations of chickens... ?

Good luck with everything - been really enjoying your updates

[Snadger]

I think you may need to dial back your expectations of chickens... ?

Good luck with everything - been really enjoying your updates

All is not lost. My new house had a large garden( wonder who picked that?) and ample room for a few chooks! I'll just need to trim the flock down from 20 to 4 and get rid of my cockerels!

[Penellype]

Best of luck with the move, Snadger - must be difficult after being in one place so long.

[Snadger]

Best of luck with the move, Snadger - must be difficult after being in one place so long.

Thanks Penellype. It will rather strange going back into a street environment after living in the sticks for the last 30 odd year. No doubt my noisy dog will cause a bit of a stir I have been renovating the house for the last seven years and I get on really well with my new neighbours to be. At least they won't have to put up with the noise of renovation if I can get it finished in time for the move.

[Snadger]

Managed to get 38 spuds planted after work this afternoon.

[Snadger]

Onion sets now planted! I still have a lot of the sets left so may plant some more. You just can't have enough onions.

[Snadger]

More tatties to plant after work this evening and I need to meet a prospective plot holder to let her a plot if I can.
I just let the worst plots first if i can and only invite one prospective plotholder at a time or else you get them fighting over who gets which plot! Only three available this year so this is the first of three.

[Snadger]

One down , two to go!

[Snadger]

Productive day at the scrapheap today!

Let two more allotment plots. Only two plots left to let, still six people on the waiting list and two plotholders who are prepared to take on extra plots if they can't be let.

Did a bit of weeding, a bit of digging, a bit of planting of spuds and sorted chooks. Also potted on my Ailsa Craig tomatoes and put some leek seedling and shallot seedlings into clumps on plot to grow on prior to planting.
Put my potted chrysanths out.

Sowed a pinch of cabbage,calabrese and sprouts in a seed bed under a parrot cage!



Here's a couple of piccies of the plot just now taken from both ends.

[Snadger]

Potted on some TPS grown last year. This is a Russian variety and seems to be quick growing and quite cold tolerant. I am potting them on in stages as they grow upping the pot size each time. Next stage will be into there final position in a Morrisons bucket.
I'm using Poundland compost which I think is really good.

Also planted some all in one pocket thingies i got from Homebase. Tried Coriander,Butternut squash, yellow tomato and A N Other!

[Snadger]

Just a brief visit to the scrapheap today but received a phone call to say there is a plot available for me at a site close to my retirement house.
Looking forward to going to see it at noon tomorrow. Apparently its got a greenhouse and a shed!
I'll take my camera with me as it could be Scrapheap part deux!

Luckily I've still got loads of stuff I can plant it up with but I may need to enlist my sisters help with keeping the greenhouse watered as I can only get over there one day a week at present.