Taking shape

The plot is now taking shape, and there is a plan. I've based it roughly round 12 3x3 metre beds. I say roughly, because 3m depth would make it 18 meters long not allowing for paths, the shed space and compost. It is only 19 metres in total. Beds 9 to 12 are probably nearer 2m depth, as are 4 and 5.
Bed 9/12a have the broad beans in. I guess about half have survived the winter, so I might in fill with some new sowings. 9/12b have onions in. Similarly, less than half have survived winter, birds etc.

Bed 11 has the tree in it, as well as rhubarb. It will be interesting to see if the tree re-grows after its severe pruning.

Today, after a hard frost I still managed a few hours digging. I broke the surface of plot 1, and marked out plots 2 and 3. Plots 4/5 are joined to make the potato patch.





This is the overall plan for the year: it will be interesting to see how it evolves.

• Bed 1: Beans
• Bed 2: Sprouts, Cauliflowers, Chard
• Bed 3: A pottager plot
• Bed 4/5: Potatoes
• Bed 6: Cabbages
• Bed 7: Carrots, Parsnips, Beetroot
• Bed 8: Peas
• Bed9/12b: Onions
• Bed 9/12a: Broad Beans
• Bed 10: Sweetcorn/Sunflowers
• Bed: 11: Rhubarb.

I also want to find space for a few herbs, stawberries, borrage, comfrey and holyhocks. Possibly a few complementary flowers as well!

Progress

With reference to previous posts, I really have finished the "Potato Patch". It has been cleared, dug, and dug again with leaf mould added. Finally it has been leveled off and roughly raked. All that is needed now is for it to stay weed free until the potatoes are to go in.

The potato patch is probably a bit bigger than I need, but I'll sort this out later.

It's quite clear now that I've cleared an area a bit wider than my plot. I hope this won't cause allotment rage, but I haven't seen my neigbours in four months, so I hope it's OK.

The owner of the front half of my plot also turned up today. He hasn't been since October. He only came to measure the plot, and it seems that I may have bitten more than half lengthwise as well. I think it's OK with him, or is he just too polite? At least I have been working on the ground.

One plot holder who has been there for 30 years stopped to talk today. He was telling me that the allotments have suffered from potato blight for the last three years. I hope its OK this year after all the effort!

January Dig.

Today, having booked a day off work, I managed to spend three hours just digging!

I've nearly finished preparing what I now call the potato plot, but then I've said that before.

Vitamin D levels are suitably boosted. :-)



I'm looking forward to posting photos that look as if there really is progress.

Too much snow

We haven't even attempted to go to the allotment this weekend. It is the coldest prolonged spell for (some say) 30 years. The snow isn't shifting and more is due.

Still, it means that other things can get done, including some kite aerial photography. Here is me in the park:


I hope to do some aerial photos of the allotment at some pont!

In the Bleak Mid Winter..

In the Bleak Mid Winter
Frosty winds made moan.
Earth stood hard as iron
Water like a stone.
Snow had fallen snow on snow
Snow on snow.
In the Bleak Mid Winter
Long Ago.

Quite an apt description for the allotment today: the first visit of the new year. The snow may have mostly gone, but the earth was certainly hard as iron. All we could really do was clear away a few weed heaps left from before Christmas.

The forecast for the next week or two is very cold as well.