The Spuds Have Arrived...........

Its been a busy week down the allotment, and after filling six rubble bags full of cooch grass roots and Docks I finally finished digging the bed I started last week. There is still a lot of virgin ground at the rear of the plot to be dug but that can wait for a bit.
Took delivery of my seed potatoes and onion sets during the week, Pentland Javelin, Kestral, Carra, Desiree, and Pink Fir Apple. I have started to chit the Pentland Javelin as they will be the first to be planted. As well as the main crop onions and golden shallots. I also have a few Banana Shallots to try out as well.
Picked up a pack of three Raspberry canes from Lidle on Wednesday for £2.49 or there abouts, not sure if they will be any good, but for that money they are worth a go.

I went to an old fashioned garden centre on Friday. When I say old fashioned I mean a family run garden centre that just sells plants, seeds, compost, loose fertilizers etc at a good price as apposed to ones you get around the country that stocks every thing from clothing, furniture, hot tubs, sun houses and sheds large enough to home a family of refugees, has a restaurant selling over priced teas and coffees, home made cakes, the "Daily Roast Dinner" with a vegetarian option of course, but that's only if you can get a table because they are normally full with the couple of coach party's that came for a day out. Anyway I got a real bargain, a large Red Currant bush which is full of buds and three Autumn Fruiting Raspberry canes for less than nine pounds. Quids In !!!!!!
I managed to dig over and lime two of the front beds today, and hope to get the third one done next week.

The Big Dig Continues....................

Popped down the plot this afternoon for an hour to do some more digging. My progress is so slow as I am hampered by the amount of perennial weed that needs to come out. While digging out a very large dock and trying desperately not to leave any root in, I had dug down about two foot and came across a bed of clay, this is the reason the ground is so wet and is obviously not allowing the rain water to seep away.

I was told that next autunm I will need to double dig down to the clay loosen it as much as possible then add lime , this should start to break it down. By all accounts this is a big job and may well need to be done over a couple of years due to the size of area involved. Great!!!!!!!!!!!!

Before And After

My back is killing me !

I started to dig the rear of the plot today, "blimey"! its been hard work. The ground has been covered with plastic sheeting for a few months and although the grass has died on the surface, when you dig down the cooch grass roots tell a different story. There is loads of the stuff as well as hundreds of docks. This ground has never been dug before so I will have to spend extra time and effort and try and get as much of the stuff out as I can. If my back is up to it tomorrow I will have another go.

Rhubarb Rhubarb Rhurbarb !

Had a good go today, started off by planting a couple of rhubarb crowns, I think the variety is called "Timperley Early". These were given to me not long ago by someone from another allotment who had surplus . They fitted in nicely along the fruit bed.

The Broad beans that I had started off in pots were ready, so they were planted out in the small bed I had prepared. I covered them with a cloche just in case we were to get a frost.

Things a starting to happen in the greenhouse, the Early Peas and the Sweet Peas are both doing well.

Early Peas

Sweet Peas

Managed to get a few other seeds going today Chili Peppers,

Tomatoes, Cauliflower, Webbs Lettuce, Aubergine.

One side of the greenhouse is full already, will have to look at putting up some shelves or something because when the season really starts I'm going to be pushed for space especially if her indoors wants to start off some flowers for home.

Finally finished wood chipping all the paths this morning, the plot looks a lot better now. Its been a bit of a ball breaker, back and forth with the wheelbarrow to the wood chip pile, I lost count how many barrow loads it took.

Steve from the next plot was putting the final touches to the chicken coop he's been building, so hopefully it wont be long before I am having fresh eggs for breakfast .

Wood Chippings

The local tree felling company dropped off a lorry load of wood chip on the allotment yesterday and as my paths were a bit worse for wear after all the wet weather we have had recently I thought I would grab some before it all disappeared. I talked the wife into helping me with this task, so with the help of an additional loaned wheelbarrow we managed to re chip the rear area around the shed and greenhouse and the main path. We hope to complete the remaining paths tomorrow.
Again time was lost by standing chatting with fellow plot holders and drinking coffee, but Hey! at least I got more done today than I did yesterday.

Wasted morning!

Went up to the plot this morning with the intentions to get a few jobs done, but instead spent most of the morning chatting and drinking coffee with some fellow plot holders. I must get my act together and get my finger out.... Wasted morning!

What have I been up to ?

Here are a few pics of my plot, showing the progress made up to the present day.

The first 4 beds dug and edged

Wood chip was laid for the paths

The smaller beds intended for floral display

Things are really moving now, Cabbage, Cauliflower growing well.

Runner Bean bed complete, canes ready, just need the Beans!

Welcome to my abode, This Chalet , I mean shed was given to me by another plot holder, originally it was a kids Wendy house, but after a few alterations and repairs it serves its purpose, and it cost nowt!

Next came the Greenhouse, It was advertised on the Internet only £10 BARGAIN!

Think me over done it with the Tomatoes.

Spuds coming on well, but made a mistake by planting a few onions in the same bed. Oh well will know better next time.

The first cabbage I have ever grown, not bad for my first attempt, even if I say so myself.

The Begining

It was the last Sunday in March 2008, I decided that morning to have a ride out and have a look at an allotment. I knew someone who had a plot there and he had told me that a couple of plots were available and to go and talk to the chap who ran the site. I had a look around the site and chatted to a couple of plot holders while I waited for the contact to turn up. I was told that the site had problems with vandals which accounted for the absence of any sheds or greenhouses. After about an hour the guy had still not turned up so I left and went home. I was not to bothered because the allotment was such a dump even if the guy had turned up I don't think I would have taken on a plot there.
When I got home the wife told me to have a look at another allotment which to be honest I didn't know existed even though I must have drove past the thing a hundred times.I drove into the site and was greeted by a chap who turned out to be the secretary who told me that there were 3 plots available and took me around to view them.
This allotment was so much better, sheds greenhouses and pollytunnels in abundance. I made my choice signed the paperwork and that was it , plot 36 was mine.

Where do I start?

So much to do!

Whats the best way to approach this

I know!

Get the wife to dig it