Hobbit Allotment!

[horticultural_hobbit]

Happy thoughts...

Thanking you all kindly.

Double digging is probably a good idea and would most likely benefinicial. I just don't fancy keeling over and or snapping in half having done it. Horses for
Courses, I guess ::shrugs:: some like it, some don't.

I could have thrown a Tevez-like tantrum though today. Waggling the dibber into the most unforgiving clay ground. which isn't too bad when it had been watered, actually. So I would like some rain to fall.

As it stands, 7 3/4 beds out of 8 have been dug up. The soil varies from what granddad mike terms beautiful, to that which has a serious attitude problem and does nothing without a moan or a groan. Today, I've sown some broadbeans, and put in some spring flowering thingies. Anemones and hyacinths.those are going be the Borders between beds. I'll get around to some winter lettuces and perhaps some mustard. I am still waiting for my onions, shallots and garlic

[Fruit&2veg]

Hi Hobbit
Sounds like your well on the way!! Just a thought on the drainage issue, but Im a bit old fashioned, and if I were you I would seriously consider Double Digging/Trenching th plot as breaking up the lower levels will make a tremendous difference to drainage. Hard work I know but the long term benefits are well worth it, just concentrate on the worst areas to start with ,as and when you have time through the winter. Maybe target a quarter of the plot each year to double dig and m,ake do with the rest as is for now.
Just a thought and best of luck whatever you decide!

[horticultural_hobbit]

Well, I won't say anything if you don't, Two Sheds!

[Two_Sheds]

Ma is adamant to have 'Indian' spinach, the sort you see in Bollywood shops.

Ah, that's easy then. Buy some of the authentic stuff, make a big show of taking "cuttings" from it. Then when she's not looking, sow some leaf beet in the same pots that you've put the "cuttings" into.
Hey presto, Bollywood spinach that will grow in Britain

[snohare]

However, this is another situation where one does not argue with mother.

Another ?? You mean there are others !!
(Just kidding. A son has no better friend than his mother.)

I'll bet you there is a fair bit of difference genetically between Bollywood spinach and normal British spinach. I'll bet Bollywood spinach is picked by sari-twirling, singing sirens with moustachioed lotharios chasing them across the plot to the sound of zithers.(With nary a thought for where their size ten feet go. I've seen the films.)
Whereas obviously British spinach is picked in the frying-bacon rain, with alfresco snail lobbing and slug-hurling contests as a sideshow.

[horticultural_hobbit]

It is spinach, yes. Only Ma is adamant to have 'Indian' spinach, the sort you see in Bollywood shops. I personal don't see the difference between that and the spinach you find in the supermarket. However, this is another situation where one does not argue with mother.

[Two_Sheds]

Whatever "saag" is

Spinach, isn't it?

[Two_Sheds]

I am choosing to wig wam broadies

Well I hope they oblige you ~ mine have never got above 2ft tall

[snohare]

I spent the afternoon clod smashing, so my shoulders feel as though they will part company with my trunk.

Sounds like you are saaging a little bit...

(Whatever "saag" is - latin name will suffice.)

[horticultural_hobbit]

Early stages still

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater

Hopefully, onions, shallot and garlic will be with me soon. I am choosing to wig wam broadies, my plot, my plan Will be sowing some winter lettuce. Trying to source sarson de saag-mustard leaves/greens, for Ma. I have perpetual spinach and some other Medina (?) stuff. Might even throw in some feungreek and mustard having raided Ma's stash in the pantry.

Have had a proper faffing day, with a list of to do items.

(Pops on seeing my shopping list: "Don't spend too much money on your...er...allotment)

I spent the afternoon clod smashing, so my shoulders feel as though they will part company with my trunk.

Had a hose pipe crisis in wanting to fill the old water butt, but I over came that(eventually). Two hoses(one acquired, one bought), both too short. Did a carry on style jobby involving gaffer tape belong to Pops. Naturally, that didn't work, hilarity and wetness ensued. I learned a lesson, went to a well known DIY store, got a connector (with various charade like gesticulation) and then did a small jig when water flowed.

Chicken poo-like the wormery, worth it, just to see the funny face pulled by Ma. Sprinkled across the four beds that would need it. Just stay down wind of it...

Clod smashing, my thanks to Zazen for the advice. Strangely therapeutic! But now quite painful. And some clay breaker added (yes, I can hear the boo hisses in the back.)

Didn't get as far as sowing claudia aqua dulce or lettuce, but I will. And if I don't sow that saag, I'm toast. Us junior hobbits might not like Saag, but ma and pops do. The plus point of saag. Onions bhajis, and we don't mind thems!

[snohare]

Sounds like impressive progress. Compost bins on order, yet ? There's posh, now ! And mushrooms ! You are indeedly advancing at a goodly rate, young hobbit, zipping past arthritic old tortoises such as I.
Squirrels, eh ? You might want to invest in some wire mesh (the stiff, fine mesh stuff that the garden centres sell in small, expensive rectangles of about 80cm x 50cm) to stop the little blighters digging up your lovely seedlings in your raised beds. I've never had the problem myself, but I gather the little darlings can wreak havoc once they start thinking of your area as a fast food outlet. If you can only get chicken netting, try folding it over so that you decrease the size of the holes, but be warned - they will use it as a climbing frame, and find any gaps pdq.
The secret to not getting scunnert (as we Scots say) is to allow yourself some wriggle room. Some things will fail; the weather will screw things up, as will lack of materiels, time or energy.
In my mind I always have a mental timeline for each job and goal, and as it progresses I imagine a green line going from step to step, inching along to 100%. There are of course many jobs and goals, if I can't progress on one I usually do something connected with another, that cuts back on frustration and leaves me with a feeling of achievement. I swap priorities as much as possible, this makes things flexible. (And chaotic ! )
Of course I have never been organised enough to actually put this on an impressive chart a la wallplanner, but you might be differently inclined...

[horticultural_hobbit]

Yep just trying to have an organised approach.

[Two_Sheds]

Potatoes, will be ordered soon and will only take up one bed.

You know they can't go in till spring don't you? What with being tender an' all

[horticultural_hobbit]

Progress report

Evening, my lovelies,

As it stands, with the end of week two, 6/8 beds have been dug over. All as suggested, were outlined with coloured string. Have had to do that three times, as squirrels keep chewing clean through it. Luckily, grandad mike got wise, and used some strong stuff. Havent had any broken yet.

Wormery arrived, and was set up. Having to keep an eye on the inhabitants with the current heatwave. They won't be fed properly for another three weeks.

Composting bins ordered and anticipated.

I'm hoping to go play tomorrow, I have a long list of things to do. Have to clod bash, as two beds have loads of them. Will be putting in some chicken poo, I think. There are some broad beans I'd like to sow, with some lettuce and mustard. Onions, garlic and shallots are awaited and anticipated. Onions meant to arrive in a week. Then I'm just waiting for garlic. Potatoes, will be ordered soon and will only take up one bed.

Have set up the mushrooms at home, so waiting to see.

Will be trying to get the final 1 1/2 beds dug up, before letting the winter frosts break down any nobbly bits. At least three out of the eight beds (each one is 4 x3m) will be cultivated by the end of the year. There is a plan, and im am continually playing it.

It is hard work, and I'm trying to keep going whilst being positive. I really don't want to get overwhelmed and have that get the better of me.


Happy thoughts, my lovelies.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Although the spuds don't in themselves clean the ground, as my good friend Sno Hare says, the growing of them does. By the time you dig the ground, then set up the ridges, plant the spuds and then rake the soil back over, then earth them up as they came through the ground and again and a again as they come through further, you can see that the soil is constantly being kept on the move which is sufficient to sort out the most resillient of weeds and by the time you disturb the soil finally by lifting the spuds, you should have a nice clean bed to plant next years crops in. I advocate that anyone taking on a new plot which is very weedy should grow spuds in the first year.