What I did today - 2019

[Scarlet]

Weeded out one bed. Cleared some ivy and bagged up tree prunings for the fire. Had coffee with my neighbour

[Logunner]

Found a forgetten pack of winter onions, so planted them this morning... nothing to lose.

Created 3 beds, set up holders for the ‘hoops’ and cut the hoops to size.

[Small pumpkin]

Potting up more chilli babies (it's a daily event at the moment).
Filled more pots. They're now warming in the propagator.
Pulled the last of the carrots, weeded and covered the bed.
Weeded all the tubs and pots in the little tunnel.

[Small pumpkin]

I planted some garlic as well.

[veggiechicken]

Planted a lot of Elephant Garlic, saved from last year's crop. Some were huge, some were tiddly, but they'll all grow. I say that with confidence because they all had green shoots and should have been planted a few weeks back.
I planted them in the E bed alongside some I planted last year. Hoping to have a permanent Ellie-garlic bed here.
Lots of earthworms in the soil - so I put my helpers, the chooks, into the raspberry run as I didn't want them to eat the worms.

[Logunner]

Dismantled a shed I’ve bought and moved it to my plot, ready to erect tomorrow.

Put 30 Rocket variety spuds out to chit in the summerhouse, frost free and SE facing so hoping for the best

[stella]

Weeded and raked the soil, felt surprisingly warm to the touch. My garlic has not sprouted yet and it has been in a week??

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Took Granddaughter up to the stables early doors; had her mucking out, re-bedding, clearing up and restacking the muck heap, she's not falling out with any it anytime yet!





Then went and picked up 2 water butts and 3 composting darleks somebody was throwing away!

One mans trash is another's mans treasure and all that!

[Small pumpkin]

Horrible weather today. So did a planting plan for the year.

[bario1]

Planted my ultra chitted spud monsters in a couple of last years final chilli pots (with some bfb forked through) in the tunnel. Dug up and composted last year’s entire crop of carrots - rubbish.
Cut back the raspberry canes to ground level, pulling up any that had strayed from the ‘row’, and digging out any roots that were making a bid for world domination.
Got some mushroom tubs of compost warming for onion and leek sowings tomorrow.

[Baldy]

removed an almighty roofbox from man-shed that was just getting in the way - its only been used once but might be used over the summer ,can't bin it... though if Mrs B spots where I've put it I may be in trouble (yet again) - cleared out much other junk - have decided that my Slayer photos that were 2017 Xmas gift will have to go in the shed rather than the threatened (and agreed due to some gambling / drink thing that Mrs B lost) on the wall going up the stairs next to the pictures of the family - I'm thinking it might be quite a good place (for an old(ish) bloke(into thrash/punk/ska/gardening)) - happydaze

[Baldy]

Compostables taken to the plot.
Shed kicked into shape - well, a bit of shape. Its not quite dark at 7 minutes to 5 - that's cheered me up a chunk....

[SarrissUK]

I've been to the allotment today and lifted more carpets, and some more carpets after that. One piece was so large I couldn't drag it in one piece, but had to pull at each corner, one at a time. Now left in a heap and I might have to get help to shift it, or tie it to the van somehow.

I managed to get the most of the large bed that I wanted alongside the growing tunnel, held up by the enormous amount of bindweed roots that had spread under the carpet. I laid down loads of cardboard, leaves, coffee grounds and horse manure, then compost on top. About a third left to do. I ran out of daylight

Bloody lovely to be up there until 4.30 and enjoyed some sunshine too!

[bario1]

At the plot I did some weeding, and cut out the dead summer raspberry canes (will use for pea supports).
Back at home sowed leeks, onions and red onions in the heated prop.

[MyWifesBrassicas]

Today i started a huge wood chip hotbed inspired by VC's thread from last year.

https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...bed_95046.html

I've had about 5 ton of wood chip delivered, built a frame out of ten palets and started to fill it, only one problem, I've not enough manure!
Do you think I can get a similar result by using an alternative nitrogen source?
Given the time of year and limited access to manure, I'm thinking that if i add lawn feed to the pile, the bacteria/fungi will use this as there nitrogen source and get nice and warm.
Anyone else with any thoughts would be gratefully welcome please