Long time since last entry !!

Yesterday we had the allotment open day - what a scorching hot day for it.   Thought I was abroad. 

I got all my classes in that I wanted to put in:

• arrangement of flowers in unususal container
• Red potatoes- put 5 in - wasn't aware they were supposed to be all the same size - mine were baking size - no wins here.  
• photographs - put in 2 digitially enhanced ones - both won 1st and 2nd place :-) my wildlife one didn't win (shock) but that cos I think they didn't want to give me all the photograph prizes ;-o
• bunch of herbs - got more than I thought and again won 1st prize - put in some curry plant, parsley, mint (different varieties), chives and tied with piece of string
•  marrow (big one!) - didn't come anywhere - i thought mine was a whopper but ......
• 6 raspberries - again no prize here but they tasted nice !   The bush seems to have started producing them all of a sudden which is great
• large one - not quite as large as the others !
• basket of veg (me and Janice did this together).   We put in a squash (pumpkin) we're not sure what it is. onion, potatoes, chard.  We got third prize. 

Plenty of photos below and lots of wins too!!




flower arrangement in unusual container which was my recently broken kettle - 1st Prize



Giant Marrow



Birds of Prey (not an entry in the competition but just on show) - I stroked this one at the front



The winners table (mine all mine - well the top left one is shared as it's the scarecrow made of junk)




Proof !!




End of the Day with my winning stash !   



7

14th June

Didn't realise it had been so long since last entry.   What's happened in that time?    Lettuces and F1 spinach have shot up and started being eaten (by me and the bugs).   Have been given strawberry plants and gooseberry by Pauline at the plot.  The best news is that Jan has moved in next door !   The plot next door was available and she got it.   So we're now sharing a shed and have big plans to renovate it.

potatoes are still shooting up, tadpoles are all gone (maurice took the last 4) so the birds now a have a luxury pond to bathe in. 

The Belfast sink is now planted up and ready for the competition.   Jana and I went to a plant fare and picked up some bargains so just waiting for them to blossom out a bit more to fill the sink.    Got some cosmos plants from the plant fare and they are planted in my flower garden although there aren't any flowers in it yet, just seeds and starter plants..... next year...

Raspberries plant is absolutely bursting with fruit some ripe and eaten and other just ripening.   Had a couple of strawberries as well from the plot next door which have grown onto my plot - absolutely delicious. 

Peas definately dead.  Cabbages and collies eaten by ?slugs?   They now have comfry around their base as apparently slugs don't like that.....

Parsnips planted (seeds) but not showing any signs of life yet......

It's very much maintenance now and sitting in the chair in the sun marvelling at my hard work

Friday 27th May - pay day !!

Just been to allottment for a bit a weeding - first time in about 5 days which was weird as i'd been going every other day but i suppose that's because it's up and running now.

Things are shooting up and filling out.   Lettuces, potatoes and spinach.  The peas are very sad :-( They're really not doing well and I suspect it's the contains I put them in.   But I may get at least 20 peas from the few pods that are there.

I have my first raspberry - it's not ready for eating yet but it's good to see it.

Think all but one tadpole has been eaten :-(  the water is so muddy that i couldn't see any so I scooped out some gunk and brought a tadpole with me !!   Put him back and gave him some fresh water.   Who knows, he may be the one to turn into the frog..... and if I snog him he may turn into my prince.....

Gave everything a good old water as though it's been raining soil look bone dry.

Saturday 21st May 2011

Been down the allotment briefly to water and show Fran around.   Potoates are coming up even more.   One of the pea plants is virtually dead - I think it might be because I put the tin straight on the soil so the drainage holes were ineffective really.  Put it on bricks but think it was too late..... have left it in tin though as it may resurrect itself

Need to get the weeds off the raspberry bush - a job for tomorrow.    Lots of tiny weeds appearing in the beds now so will do them as well tomorrow

The lettuce and spinach are looking healthier as well so should be ok for salads in summer 

Photographs

Tomatoes from Stuart



My adopted Cabbages and Collies from Fran



Potatoes coming up

Photographs

Jan helping plant the chard

Planted chard and my shadow !!



My pea pod and it's peas



Peas growing ni the tomato tins

freecycled Belfast sink

flower on the strawberries

Parsley which was already on the plot

Day 11 onwards ......

chard from Steve



close up of chard - notice the red on the leaves and stems - rainbow chard to follow even more colourful !

 I have been down various times since last entry but have not been able to update blog.  Computer at home not working and computers in college can't handle the blog.

I have gained a belfast sink courtesy of sue and freecyle.  Sue rang last Saturday to say she'd won a ceramic sink but two other ladies had been and couldn't lift it.    So Sue came to pick me up and in Doublebert we went to Waterside and were taken into a back garden to view it.   A fabulous belfast sink was awaiting us.   I was helped into the car with it by the owner and we took it straight down to the allotment, borrowed a wheel barrow and tipped it sideways out of the barrow onto my carpeted patio !   Haven't decided yet whether to plant it with flowers or use it as a pond - am leaning towards planting it up.   Did also have the idea though of having a "beach bed" - i have 2 beds left in front of the patio area - going to use one for parsnips and the other ????   I thought sand, buckets, deck chair, sink filled with water for dipping in the toes !!   .....

Also this week, I visited on Monday and did a bit of weeding.  I discovered my potatoes were starting to come through - or weeds !!  but as they're in the potato bed where I planted the potatoes there's a good chance it's the spuds !!   I covered them up and watered everything.   Whilst there, Fran rang asking if wanted to adopt some cabbages and collies.  She had read the instruction leaflet and it said plant 12 inches apart but she was putting them in pots so not quite enough room....

I have peas in the pods fattening up each time I go.   

Flowers on the strawberries.....

Tadpoles still in the pond..... Jan visited the plot on Tuesday though as she wanted some tadpoles which she duly went and got.  Whilst there, she was visited by Maurice who she thought was going to tell her off for being on my plot.  However he was after some tadpoles for his pond and in return I can have some beans !  Good swap, although I can't place Maurice's face yet.... Need to track him down when I next visit.   Have seen his pond but not him....  Jan was also visited by Stuart (Lady's dad) who was giving me 4 tomato plants.  

I went down on Wednesday evening after collecting the cabbages and collies from Fran.   Just me and Steve down there tonight.   I planted the tomatoe plants from Stuart in with the salad bed.  In a separate bed I forked it over and put the cabbages and collies.    Everything was watered, tadpoles given a bit of fresh water.     Pictures to follow.....

Day 10 - Plenty of Rain

I went down to the allotment as I knew my helpers were due to be there but it was more of an effort to go with no sun out ! 

It started raining not long after I arrived, light at first but it lasted a good while and i was soaked through to my knickers.  I didn't want to stop though and eventually the rain stopped and the sun peeped through so off came the kagool and soaking wet sun hat...

It was all worthwhile though as my lovelly helpers finished off the path and now it is all chipped.   Fantastic.  It would've taken me weeks to do what they've done.   So grateful to them.  

Sue text on Friday and said she was at the RSPCA and they had some heart shaped ponds for three quid.  I asked her to pick me on up which she kindly did even though she had left there half an hour before and she then dropped it off for me (thank you Sue).   So yesterday my younger helper and I dug a hole and planted the pond !    It appears it's not actually a pond but a water feature but I think it's fab for what I want it for which is for the wildlife to go in.   I have some tadpoles awaiting collection from Helen at work so pretty soon should have soom frogs leaping around.    I put rocks and stones around the pond to stop the soil sliding into it. 

I also planted the peas into the tomato tins courtesy of Jan's friend who lived about the pizza place .....   Had to rummage for more canes and infact couldn't find enough so used what I could find.    I also dug over one more bed getting it ready for planting.

Jan rang today (Sunday) and is in town !   She's coming to help tomorrow to plant the rest of the veg.  Then I can just sit back and wait for it all to grow.   Still have lots of seeds but not sure if I will do them all immediately.

Also want to get some flowering plants on the plot.  Specifically a hydrangea, some water lillies which i think Jan has one spare..?, some poppies and wild garden looking stuff. 

I also have to get a container ready for the Trent & Dove competition which I decided to enter a few months ago.   Am on the look out for a belfast sink as I could plant this up outside the flat and hopefully it woudn't get removed as it's too heavy....  Otherwise it's just a recycle large tub of some kind whatever I can find.  Might pop down the tip....

I found the list of herbs I have put in .... Achillea ageratum, Allium schoenoprasum (chives), curry plant,
The veg i have put in are Avola Peas, White Lisbon Onion, Bedfordshire Champion Onion, F1 Tetona Spinach (speedy veg hence the F1), Cambridge strawberries, Moneymaker tomatoes...

The fabulous path (so springy to walk on)

path and bed ready to be forked over and planted (this one's for Jan to dig...!)

Peas

Pond

The wildlife area (awaiting tadpoles)

Day 9 - the decorative visit

Today I decided was herb garden day.   I had about 6 plants as previously mentioned.   I used a big chunk of wood and some logs as decoration and border.   I planted the herbs and then put bark around the whole area.   Very pleased with this and went to work and showed everyone the pictures on the phone !    There are loads of stones which i gathered up and put to the rear of the strawberry dog bed, togethe with a piece of large bark.  A small pond is also going in this area.    I have been offered some tadpoles for the pond so need to get it as soon as possible - I now have one as Sue text from RSPCA saying they had some for three pounds so she kindly got me one and delivered to my door which was very kind.    Watered and watered some more.    Also watered Tony's plot. 

Day 8 - put some spuds, lettuce and onions in

I had prepared 1 1/2 beds previously so I felt ready to get some potatoes in.   I put two packets of the Rooster ones from Wilkies.  I measured the spaces in between as directed on the packet (left 2 foot between each spud and 1 foot between each row).    I put string up to show the rows as it looks like nothing is there until they start shooting up (hopefully!!).

In bed 2 I put some lettuces (kept the red ones in one row and the green in the other 2 rows!).   I finished the bed off with onions.  

Spuds are in

Lettuces and onions

I dug a bit of a trough, filled with water and then planted and covered.   It felt like a proper allotment once these were planted !!

Watered everything again before I left as the heat was intense and drying out the soil quickly.  

Day 6 - Brief visit - my third tour around with a friend !

Anita came over to visit today.  I cooked lunch and we visited the allotment after the meeting.   Tony the plot next door neighbour was there.   He was saying he hadn't managed to get down much due to work so I offered to water his beds whilst I was down there during the week as I would be going down after work.   He said yes please.     Very windy down there today so glad I didn't do any work.

Day 7 - Bank Holiday Monday

Planted the tomatoes today: 4 in the grow bag i had bought and 2 in old water pipes I had got from the recycled area.   I dug a hole, put the pipe in about a couple of inches and then put soil around it.  I then filled the pipe with soil and compost and put the tommy plants at the top with a stake in each one.   I gave them a good watering before I left.

Day 5 - Saturday 30th April

Another hot sunny day - we are blessed at the moment as i'm sure it wouldn't be as much fun without this beautiful weather !

One of the chaps on the allotment asked me if i needed any help and I said yes and he offered the services of the community payback team.   He told me to go speak to the Supervisor which I duly did.   I got the help of 2 of the chaps and they transformed my pathway!    They put stakes in so the wood was standing up and they are coming back thsi weekend to put some bark chippings down to cover the black plastic.   It was soo good to have some help again.

I forked over 1 1/2 beds today and put compost in and mixed the two together and then watered.   I water all the plants I had bought from the Greenhouse and was concerned that I wasn't getting them in the ground quickly enough but they are ok so far.  

Day 4 - 29th April - Wedding Day (not mine)

Sue came round to the watch the wedding whilst we munched on a big fry up.  I packed up my shopping trolley with string, scissors, tape measure, plenty of water, toilet roll..... and loaded it up into Dougalbert.

After that we headed off to town to get some compost, canes, potatoes.   We also ended up at the RSPCA where she bought me a dog bed!   Not for a dog but for plants.  

Sue and Dougalbert dropped me off at the allotment where I gave Sue a tour of the facilities !   She was now the 2nd friend I had taken around the site.   

I worked on the plot finishing off the path as best I could place bricks and planks of wood on the sides of the black plastic.     I left hte plot now having divided it roughly into 6 beds.  

Day 3 - Thursday 28th April

Today is pay day and the day when I am going to the Greenhouse to buy some plants.   Another hot day and I had a good mooch around all the plants.   They only have edible ones.  I bought about 8 herb plants including 2 curry,

I also bought 2 strawberry plants, a tray of moneymaker tomatoes, some spinach, lettuce, onions (both spring and normal).   Jan met me at the Greenhouse and we took them down to the allotment where they were watered and stayed until my next visit.  

Friday 22nd April 2011

Up early today excited as wanted to get the allotment.   I arrived with my trolley loaded up a spade and fork, endless bottles of water, sausage sandwich, trainers and socks, union jack chair, pad and paper.    I open up the chair and though now what !   I didn't know where to start so I sat down and started planning on paper .   I decided the carpeted area I was sitting on would be my decked  area, made with old pallets.  I had forgotten the most important item to be able to plan properly - the tape measure.   So i guessed and thought it was about 25 foot by 15 foot.  

The phone rang with Jan asking "where are you".  She was at my flat but she soon arrived at the allotment.  I was so relieved to see her as I knew she would be able to help me the planning as we had done her garden last year.  

We planned for a while, and decided a path to divide up the plot into small beds was the first job.   We rumaged in the recycling and piled up a pallet and other pieces of wood.   We then tried to lift it but someone's bum got stuck and we were rescued by a very tall man who said he would put it on his barrow.   He then proceeded to give us a ice lolly !   It was boiling hot so very welcome.    This man whose name I had forgotten was so helpful. 

We worked for an hour or so before the scorching heat beat us.   I started to feel sick with the heat and said this to Jan and she too was feeling the same way so we stopped.   We had though produced part of the path. 

 

Saturday 16th April 2011

  I wandered down to the allotment and was introduced to my plot.   It was more than I could ask for.   A manageable size, freshly rotivated, it's own water supply, carpeted patio area with built in raspberry bush and white currant bush.  Also it has it's own recycling area where anything is yours if it's there, a place to powder your nose and a communal shed to make a brew.

The cost was a whopping twenty five pounds for the year !   15 rent and 10 water.   I met a few of the other allotment keepers: Stuart and beautiful Lady, his aging Spaniel who throws herself to the ground after shaking with excitement; Toni,  and many people whose names I can't remember.  



White Currant Bush



Raspberry Bush



I told Geoff I wanted the plot but didn't get paid for another couple of weeks.  That's ok he said, come down and start working on it.   

I met the man next door to my plot and had a chat to him.   Everyone I had met on the site was friendly and welcoming and helpful.   I know I am meant to be here.   Tony (my plot neighbour) asked me if I had a shed and I said i didn't really need one at the moment.  He proceeded to give me a key to his and said I could keep my things in there.    I was very touched by this kindness.