What I did today - 2017

[the big lebowski]

today i mulched my fruit bushes ,tied up my grape vine (and got some great tips from a mate on the plot about what to do with it for the rest of the year) ,dug over my onion bed to put my sets in and on the way home i collected a carrier bag full of nettle tops and made a gallon of nettle beer when i got home .cheers

[Jay-ell]

Went shopping - bought plant pots and gravel trays

Potted up 30+ dahlias.

Rooted out some Christmas decorations for the plot.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Due to the fact that I used rather aged seed when I sowed tomatoes, sweet peas, lettuce, brassicas and peppers last month, the success rate has not been what you might call phenomenal. In fact, although the lettuce and brassicas have all come good, only one batch of three lots of sweetpeas are up, and none of the tomatoes or peppers.

So I had a seed clearout (most were dated about 2010), and bought some fresh from W1lko. The varieties might be a bit 'everyday', but at least they should actually grow.

Last night I sowed the new tomato seeds, climbing and dwarf beans, runner beans, squash and courgette. Then I had a grand sweep up - my ability to cast far and wide whatever I am working with at time is not confined to emulsion, it would appear. On a side note, the bathroom ceiling looks brilliant - an astonishing accomplishment. Perhaps decorating is one on my life-skills after all. Being neat whilst working is most definitely not.

[Small pumpkin]

Rooted out some Christmas decorations for the plot.

Have I missed something (probably) or do you need to start explaining yourself young man ?

Started potting on all my runner beans, pea beans and mangetout.
And sold some plants , plant sales seem to be going well this year and I haven't got my barrow at the end of the drive yet, it needs attention ( again waiting for him )

[Cadalot]

Shelving for the extension to the shed screwed together last night and painted this morning, I'm hoping it's going to dry before the rain comes

[Jay-ell]

Have I missed something (probably) or do you need to start explaining yourself young man ?

It's to confuse the birds. If they think it's Christmas they'll leave the summer fruit alone. See totally logical.

Actually I'm going to hang these in red currant like strings around the bushes so that the birds will start checking them out now. Hopefully they'll get so used to these that they'll give up checking and leave the red currants alone.



No idea if it will work - but nothing works if you don't try it.

[Small pumpkin]

Brilliant Jay-ell, great idea

Off out to fill spud bags and fish boxes

[Cadalot]

No idea if it will work - but nothing works if you don't try it.

I tried it with red coke bottle lids on my strawberries, it don't help a lot !

[ldsau93]

Dug 10 sq metres of soil on my new plot - took me about hour.

Took me 3 weeks of effort (on and off) prior to that to remove all of the cr*p, such as self-seeded trees, plus geotextile and carpet with all sorts growing either on or through it...

Courgette plants will be planted there, once they have the good manners to germinate!

[bario1]

No idea if it will work - but nothing works if you don't try it.

Watch you don't forget later in the season or you'll end up with nae teeth!

[Jay-ell]

Watch you don't forget later in the season or you'll end up with nae teeth!

Or have jars of the worst tasting jam ever

[Snadger]

It's to confuse the birds. If they think it's Christmas they'll leave the summer fruit alone. See totally logical.

Actually I'm going to hang these in red currant like strings around the bushes so that the birds will start checking them out now. Hopefully they'll get so used to these that they'll give up checking and leave the red currants alone.

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No idea if it will work - but nothing works if you don't try it.

Has Poundland had another 1/2 price sale of Christmas decorations!

[Jay-ell]

B&M actually

Imitation string made up (red & green - don't they look festive)


And placed around the red currants


As I was walking away a family of blackbirds came down and started edging towards them - but they were scared away when someone came through the gate.

I also topped up some of the spuds, cleared glass from around the old green houses, put up another pea wigwam (need to put the string on it the next time) and sowed some Lord Leicester and Champion of England peas.

Also spent a bit of time planting some Garlic Chives - one chive every inch with the rows 1 inch apart. These are going along the other side of the path to the regular chives. Once they've spread out a bit I can split the clumps up a bit and edge more of the path.

Found another 6 more rogue elephants - that’s 30 of them this year, who knows how many I'll get next year. I'll make a permanent spot for them next year and continue to move the stragglers into that.

Had the Robin following me round today. I'd do a bit of raking/hoeing/digging then stop and it'd pop down, peck up the bugs and fly off to the shed. I'd do a bit more and it would fly back, chirp a bit to let me know it was there and I'd stop again.

[Cadalot]

Two very large sacks of grass cutting taken to the allotment and used in alternating layers of shredded paper to fill Dalek 1 to the Brim.

[1Bee]

Grumpiness got to the plot at 6am in drizzle. Set up some strings for the peas. Ate a choccy biccy ando left to go to work.