Snadgers Penultimate Plot

[Snadger]

Flying visit to plot this morning. Took woodash and topped up areas already treated. It looks like pigeons have been at my spring cabbage so will have to get a cover on them.

Something else has been pulling out and grasing on my Japanese onions. I replaced what I could but the roots had dried out on some of them.

Added household waste to compost heap and turned it over with a fork.

[Snadger]

Called at the plot this morning with the debri-netting and 3 foot long pins I had blagged from my old plot
Covered my row of spring cabbage with netting about 3 feet wide. Pegged down the corners then put a peg in the centre of each end and strung a clothes line along length at a higher height to make a netting cloche..
I also dropped off from my clear out at home two strap hinges for my allotment gate and a bag of net pegs which should come in useful.

[bikermike]

Something has been chopping off the tops of my Japanese onion sets greenery and even munching at some of the sets? Same thing, I presume has decapitated all my broad beans. Its like cut worm damage I 've had on lettuce before but the munching of the onion sets is something else entirely.

How neat is the cut? Could it be deer?

Mike

[Snadger]

How neat is the cut? Could it be deer?

Mike

I don't think so Mike, as I would have seen the tracks in the soft earth.

[Snadger]

Visited the plot mainly to dump off some kitchen waste for the compost bin and some ash from the woodburner.

Decided to spread the full ash bucket on a single bed that I intend using for strawberries.

The cover I put over the spring cabbage seems to be keeping the pigeons off. they were slowly decimating my crop.




Eventually the Brussel Sprouts I sowed on 25th November in a cold frame (ish) have germinated. The old packet of All Year Round Cauli's haven't performed so well but I think at least a few are there?

[Snadger]

It was a nice morning this morning so popped to the plot to see how things were doing. When I left my previous plot I brought some rhubarb roots and some comfrey roots with me. They have been lying on the new plot all winter and I didn't have much hope for them. When I looked at each there were shoots appearing so I thought I would give them a chance today and planted them.
While I was there I hoed down the sides of my remaining Japanese onions, but quite a few have succumbed to predation by I-know-not-what?

Collected four large pots I had in my greenhouse. I will use these at home to plant up my dwarf pear, plum and cherry. I am still awaiting my Mullberry delivery.

[Snadger]

Back to the plot yesterday as it was quite pleasant out and here were a few things I needed to do. Firstly I dropped off a big box of kitchen waste onto my compost bin, along with a large bucketful of woodash.


I then tidied up my garlic bed and gave it a dose of cow muck pellets. Next on the agenda was to plant out my strawberry plants which were bought bare rooted and potted up into 4 inch pots.


I planted four earlies and four lates into one bed and five medium and one late into the second smaller bed. Out of the fifteen plants purchased I have only lost one early strawberry, which I don't think is bad going.

The rose feed pictured I got from Poundlnd which hopefully will give the stuff a boost.

[Snadger]

Early start today and over to my old plot early to pick up some greenhouse glass. Got enough to finish my present greenhouse, hopefully, and only broke one pane in transport. I have had to order edge clips and joint clips off ebay.


Also harvested some leeks and picked up some seed trays along with a pot of garlic chives. Didn't have enough room for my greenhouse bench but will be back at my old site next Saturday for the AGM so will get it then.

[Snadger]

Yesterday I dug out a gooseberry bush from my home garden and transplanted it in the corner of the plot.

Another flying visit to the plot this morning .One of the allotment guys had been trying to flog bags of softwood log's (mainly scrap 4 inch by 2 inch softwood timber sawn up into logs)People didn't want them because they had nails in them so I said I would take them off his hands for nowt! It was the equivalent of about 8 bags full so I will give him summat for them. I was just returning the bags and boxes he had them in.

I now have my greenhouse glass clips so did intend finishing the glazing on the greenhouse but the weather was carp and I had other things to do.

[Snadger]

Got the majority of the greenhouse glazed today. The numpty that had it before me had the base set up like a parallelogram and consequently the glass wouldn't fit!
I had to break the screws he had in the base and heft the whole greenhouse corner around with a shovel.

Its as near as dammit now but is not a pretty picture where its been bodged up with silicon and odd bits of plastic and glass.

Once completed, it will do though. the next job is to sort out guttering from it and the shed to the IBC.

[Snadger]

Attended AGM at my old site then transported a folding table and some staging for the greenhouse to my new plot. Also brought a big bucket of chicken manure pellets that I was given by someone giving up there plot to be used at my new plot

On the way, I called in at a Garden Centre and bought three Conover's Colossal asparagus crowns,(�2.99) four Oca tubers (�2.99) and a large bag of loose Centurion onion sets for just over two squid.

Now I have the glass in the greenhouse and a bench assembled I can start sowing seeds in earnest.

[mrbadexample]

I can start sowing seeds in earnest.

It's nice that you've given your greenhouse a name.

[bikermike]

It's nice that you've given your greenhouse a name.

It's very important - ask Oscar Wilde...

[Snadger]

Decided to pop along to my plot for an hour as I arrived at the Post Office just after 1.00pm to post some parcels. I didn't realise the PO was closed from 1.00 to 2.00
My plot is close to the PO so wandered down to kill some time.
I had a pile of shallots that were originally for eating purposes and had sprouted, so after a clean up of rotten bits I planted a full raised bed with them. I gave them and my Japanese onions and fruit bushes a few handfuls of chicken poo pellets while I was there.
My chrysanthemums stools have started to sprout so I put half a dozen pots of different coloured ones (unfortunately I lost the labels) on to the greenhouse bench in readiness for taking cuttings.
In total I was at the plot for only 45 minutes but I am pleased with progress made

[Snadger]

Another flying visit to plot. This time to drop off a load of cardboard from my daughters new bed packaging. It was too windy to lay it down so just chucked it into shed until weather picks up.

Also dropped off 2 pots of leek seedling which had been on the window sill at home and will stay in the cold greenhouse for a while to harden off.
Unfortunately the storm has blown another pane out of the greenhouse and dislodged the sliding door. With no time or inclination to repair I just wedged the door shut for the time being.