Projects for spring

[Sian Bunney]

Good morning,

It's that time again - I'm looking for your comments to feature in the Allotment Inspiration pages of our April issue.

I'd like to know:
What gardening projects are you planning for April?

Let me know your thoughts!


Best wishes,
Sian

[Cadalot]

April is the prime month to sow all my hardy crops, but this year I'm making an investment for the future and have an Asparagus bed to prepare and 15 asparagus crowns 5 of three different varieties to plant that should hopefully extend the harvesting period when I can actually harvest some next year and if I do it right and last that long for another 20 - 25 years.

[Penellype]

My project this year is to extend my growing space upwards.

I had a large leylandii hedge in my front garden which had to be cut down as it was dying (like many hedges around here). I replaced it with a fence with horizontal slats of 1 inch thick timber, on which I intend to hang various pots and troughs of flowers and vegetables. Plans are to include dwarf runner and french beans, dwarf peas, strawberries, herbs and possibly trailing tomatoes alongside the flowers. I've been looking out for solutions to the most obvious problem of watering and I've found a couple of "self watering" pots suitable for hanging on fences. Looking forward to playing with this to get a nice balance of productivity and colour.

[Bigmallly]

Due to many unwanted pets, yes pets ( Moles & Voles), My project this year is to do a bed v bucket experiment so today I identified a 6'x3' bed, Took 18 pre-drilled MFB's to the plot & decanted the soil from the bed into the buckets. The remaining bed soil was leveled off & the buckets put in place on top of the soil. I will then compare crops between Bed & Buckets.

[Snadger]

My major project for 2017 has to be my Yin Yang wildlife pond.

Problem is, I've got to finish all my other part completed projects before I can make a start on it!

[Bigmallly]

Best get a move on then lad......................

[Snadger]

Best get a move on then lad......................

Cheeky monkey!

[Cadalot]

Big Guy - I see you have your Yin Yang sorted

[forgetmenot]

Last year I was given lots of strawberry runners which now fill 2 of my raised beds, taking up valuable growing space. Now I have finished my greenhouse shelving I can move on to the next project; making hanging strawberry planters. I have the end parts of pallets which have been lined with plastic to retain moisture and I will drill holes through the thick wooden blocks before threading rope through and hanging them from a scaffolding frame the previous owner left me. I'll wack some compost and strawbs in each planter and job done!

[Sian Bunney]

Thanks for your replies everyone! Your projects sound great and I'm sure your plots will be super productive!

[BUFFS]

my aim is to get more areas suitable for use without bending/stooping, and making the garden an easier place to be, as mobility gets worse, its half done, and 2 more dwarf fruit trees are being delivered today, so I can then sit there and pick fruit from the tree and munch away, simple pleasures..

[BUFFS]

Just back in from potting up the trees, it looks like a 2yr old @ 2ft tall and a 3yr old @ 3ft, both have really good branches for young trees, I shall start training them in the summer to get the strong branch structure needed for a good crop..