What are you doing this weekend?

[alldigging]

I think I might pick some rhubarb and turn it into crumble, add custard and then eat it!

[MarkHackwell]

I think I might pick some rhubarb and turn it into crumble, add custard and then eat it!

sounds a painful experience for that rhubarb :P

I will be out in the Greenhouse i think because still too cold on the allotment and the ground still too cold and wet to put the potatoes in :/ they will eventually go out but seems like it will be june by the way things are going

[Tomato Head]

Sowing seeds. I can't wait any longer. I've already done a few but have been holding off with the rest because of the weather. But I am missing the sight of seedlings in the kitchen It's also my birthday on Monday - maybe I'll celebrate by sowing seeds

[Peppermint]

I'm working tomorrow but OH isn't. He's collecting more shed building materials so this weekend I'll be:

Assisting the shed build where required .. 'hold this', 'pass that over'

Continuing to dig new beds

Turning over the old beds

Planting the tayberries that arrived yesterday

Checking over my seedlings and potting on those that need it

Cutting back the one year old willows to encourage more growth at the bottom (wind breaks)

Going round with a big grin on my face because I'm out in the garden (we have sunshine forecast ... and very little wind!)

[rita1]

i am going to be making some more cloches as i am starting to think we are going to be getting this sort of weather more often so i can start warming up my garden, i am going to put butterfly net on first and then a fleece over the top, so when my plants start to grow i will have them protected from the butter flies.

[Samurailord]

Ok, so the long weekend is over and it's time to reflect on what I actually did, compared to my list.

What did actually get done:

At the Allotment

Assist with the plot H&S inspection on Friday morning.

Digging drainage channel to divert runoff from the communal area next to me away from my plot.

Deepening the existing drainage channel to allow the backlog of water to actually run and not pool in the middle of the channel.

Harvest the last of the winter cabbage and kale.

Bash up some rubble to back-fill the section of the drainage trench on my plot.

Fill the first soft fruit/herb bed with a mix of compost, soil and manure, then plant out some bare-root strawbs (if I dont get them out they will die anyway, so I might as well take a chance)

I also rotivated the area where I am planning to put a working/seating area, plus the area where my poly tunnel and shed will eventually go as all of this space is very uneven and regularly floods with a few cm of standing water - hopefully the breaking up of the surface will allow rain to drain down to the lower levels.

I managed to get the frame for my decked seating area made and in place on Sunday with the first few top boards fixed.

And what didn't get done

Finishing off the digging of raised bed no. 12.

Building and digging raised bed no 13.

Fix Willow/Hazel hoops between beds 12 and 13 ready for Runner Beans and climbing French Beans

Digging over the area I am hoping to plant my Jerusalem Artichokes to try and improve the drainage.

Building hooped frames to cover beds 1, 3, 5 and 6. (netting to go on later)

String up three 5' x 10' beds to be used for square foot gardening.

At home

Plant my shallots into modules.

Plant the last of my onion sets into modules.

Plant up 7 varieties of chili into jiffys.

Plant a selection of salad leaves and herbs into modules

Plant a second batch of broad beans (the first have gone a bit leggy and may not do well outside)

Plant a second batch of leeks (a lot of the first have been affected by damping off)

Plant a few brassicas into modules

Outside of all this I am going to be spending time with my new Grandson and also putting on a 5 gallon batch of Apple Wine, 5 gallons of Pinot Grigio and 21 litres of IPA.

In my defence, I must say that I spent the best part of Saturday with my new grandson which was by far better than any amount of time spent on the plot.

The potting up at home will be happening tonight, along with one of the batches of wine so I won't be that far behind schedule.....

Andy

[Likac66]

To be fair, Samurairlord, it was a pretty big list!

[shona_b]

This weekend I think it will still be too cold to plant spuds but I won't be allowed to be lazy as there is a "task force" to plant some prickly stuff at one of the fences where our vandals keep coming over and smashing up sheds and greenhouses. Then Sunday its our monthly bacon buttie morning at the allotment shop so I'll be slaving over a hot pan for a couple of hours! Never a dull moment even if it is freezing!

[Sheneval]

there is a "task force" to plant some prickly stuff at one of the fences where our vandals keep coming over and smashing up sheds and greenhouses. !

Take it this is for the long term solution? Our problem is less severe than yours but is mainly nuisance - we are considering putting up some narrow boards along the top of the fence and painting with anti vandal paint or even painting the top part of the fence itself. Anyone have any idea whether this might work?

[Hazel at the Hill]

Take it this is for the long term solution? Our problem is less severe than yours but is mainly nuisance - we are considering putting up some narrow boards along the top of the fence and painting with anti vandal paint or even painting the top part of the fence itself. Anyone have any idea whether this might work?

We have recently (end of last year) put anti-vandal paint on the fence/gate tops at the Hill - we don't have a huge problem anyway, but it does seem to have improved site security.

Mind you, I did overhear a conversation the other which implied that the lack of incursions at the site might be down to the 'known troublemaker' in the area being sent for a spell in the nick!

It's worth it, I'd say, as the paint isn't that expensive (but deffo put a notice up that you've used it), and it might deter the kids, assuming that's where the problem lies.

[Linzy]

Oohi have lots of plans for the weekend. I get fridays off work (cause im jammy) so its lottie time and hopefully its going to involve planting my jerusalem artichokes and broadbean plants out anbd the sowing of carrots, parsnip, beetroot and kohl rabi. Then my friends over on saturday so it will be a dog walk down the beach and a chinese for tea and then sunday im visiting my nan in hospital and then off for dinner with my mum. ery m uch looking forward to it!

[Likac66]

I'm going to plant my potatoes this weekend. I've covered the area with fleece in preparation.

Anti-vandal paint? I've seen signs for it but never really understood what it does.

The back of my plot backs on to a residential area. It was full of brambles when I took it over but we've chopped those back, but the allotment secretary was a bit concerned about security. At the moment all the apple tree branches and brambles we chopped down are piled up there so it's still a deterrent but once I clear those we will plant some holly bushes.

[MartinRSharpe]

Anti-vandal paint? I've seen signs for it but never really understood what it does.

Basically very sticky paint, if you touch it is stays on your hands/clothes and is a major task to get off.