Grand Designs

[Baldy]

Baldy Mcloud here...
Not much sowing, planting or harvesting for a while - so I'll be setting to a few building tasks over the next few months - with n'arly a right angle nor straight line in sight.
My main sensible task is to put in another couple of raised beds, fill the existing ones with compost, cover and forget for a few months.
My less serious project will involve re-doing my grape pergola to add a rainproof section and rebuild the support with some better timber. Probably needs some pictures to best explain that...
Anyhow - what are other grapes up to on the construction front or does everyone abandon their plot / veg patch till March?

[Chestnut]

I am planning a couple more raised/terraced beds, a second pallet compost bin, some soil beds in the gh, a double depth raised bed at the top of the plot to use as a hotbed (ie where a tip up truck can drop manure right on to my plot to save barrowing ), a coldframe for some early salad crops, and a couple of wire netting cages for soft fruits.

Not sure if I will do all these this year though, as there’s the small issue of carpets to be dug out from the last 300 square feet of the plot before raised beds and compost bin can be installed.....

Grand ideas at least !

[Jay-ell]

I plan on hibernating - with the odd sortee out when I need a leek.

[Cadalot]

I have a huge to do list from now until next sowing season

Collect a load of horse muck we can't find anyone to deliver

Finish harvesting and tuck up all the beds for winter



I need to create as much infrastructure as possible on my new plot which is at the bottom of the photo which includes:-

Weeding and leveling to the right of the shed and erecting the greenhouse and laying slabs





Cutting up to bed dimensions and treating all the timber joist I got from the building site behind my plot.



Uncover, dig weed and install the beds and weed membrane paths. Plot 1 is on the left of the drawing and the photo was taken from the bottom left corner of the plan.

Arrange woodchips to be dropped off then barrow woodchips from the car park/ drop off and pick up area to the plot to cover the weed membrane paths. An ideal task for cold but dry weather.

Create flower beds and plant a 100 ish Tulips & 100 Dafs as I have decided to have flowers that I can cut and bring back from the Allotment for the good lady wife next year. I would welcome suggestions for other varieties that are good for cut flowers, as up to now if I can't eat it I haven't been growing it and know nothing about flowers.

Cut down remove and burn the Hawthorn trees along the wall, then plant the new fruit trees along the wall.

Burn all the saved wood and debris as not allowed during summer, can only do that once they turn the water off

There is a whole lot more, but if you want to see what I actually manage to get up to over the winter months then keep an eye on Man Vs Slug

[Lumpy]

I'm planning a new and exciting excercise routine that not even the daft as a doo dah 'guru's have turned into books and earned a fortune with.

I suppose I better share my routine with you Balders but please don't tell anyone else.

I shall start at the end of the month with a 4 week practice of digging and then when I feel fit enough spend the winter trying to dug up my monster rhubarb crown.
If I managed it at least next year I won't be hearing it growl 'Feed Me' (Ta Little Shop of Horrors) each time I walk into the garden.

[Small pumpkin]

I think grand designs might be pushing it slightly. But I might give something a go.

[Bren In Pots]

I'm happy how I've got my back garden plot so nothing apart from harvesting and keeping my eye on things.

[Snoop Puss]

I'm going to fence in what I call my winter huerto (more or less pronounced where-toe) so I can plant in it all the stuff the dogs might eat. I'll have to change the name, as they'll eat almost anything except onions and the like and broad beans, so it'll become my all-year-round huerto. The other good thing is that I'll be able to put netting up at the appropriate height to stop the chickens getting in. Might deter the cats from using my nicely prepared beds as a giant toilet. All told, it's a great idea.

I was going to abandon what is currently my main patch, but Mr Snoop thinks that would be a bad idea as it's where I've focused most of my efforts so far, so the soil is in reasonable condition. So onions, cabbages and roots will go there. The dogs love carrots, but so far haven't felt the need to dig them up. Just hope this continues.

It's been an odd year this year, as I've hardly grown anything. Just as well I am my own allotment committee. On the plus side, with any luck there will be fewer pests like grey mealy aphids after this year's break.

[bario1]

I've had my allotment for five years now, and there's still nowhere to sit and drink a cuppa, so that's my project for Winter - to level off and prepare a flat area of ground in the far corner of my plot for a small lawn where I can put a couple of deck chairs in Summer.

[Cadalot]

Ummm forgot to say that I have already done the side and rear extension to the new shed



I used the side extension to dry my onions

[Lumpy]

Ere Cad......................do you like digging? Would you like an excercise routine you actually enjoy? Are you fond of rhubarb?

Just asking in case.....................

[veggiechicken]

Grand designs??? Plans????
Theses are words I don't understand but I will be moving a few fruity things around ............
Don't know where,
Don't know when,
But I'll know they'll move again
Some sunny day.

[Cadalot]

Ere Cad......................do you like digging? Would you like an excercise routine you actually enjoy? Are you fond of rhubarb?

Just asking in case.....................

I have a whole plot to dig but I have some toys to play with and evaluate / review



A KiKka Digga Kikka Digga Gardening Digging Tool for Forks & Spades - Kikka Digga Garden Fork/Spade Tool




and three Power Planters Alans Allotment: Power Planter

I also have a Rhubarb to split and relocate

[Lumpy]

You have a very shapely calf Cadders just right for digging monster rhubarb.

[Snadger]

My construction plans are to add some glass to the greenhouse,repair and felt the shed roof. Hook up the IBC to both shed and greenhouse by installing guttering.Explore what lies buried and bagged up below a wild bramble patch in the corner. I have a feeling they are bags of rock taken from the plot. If they are I will try to utilise them in some paths.