Blitzing phase 1

Ventured up to the plot today to have a play with my new toy and start tidying up the plot. I have to say I now think that the task is a bit of a mammoth one.

The brambles are a nightmare......so if anyone has any bright ideas as to how to get rid if them they would gratefully received!

The 'before' photo

The after photos

I need to get some more glass cut for the greenhouse. I do have some spare glass but the sides of the greenhouse are shaped, so if any get broken I need to get new ones cut specially.

It's not that easy to see on the photos but I have strimmed around all the beds so at least I can see them all now & know where to walk!

Buddy posing

My greenhouse & shed with my neighbour's strawberries in the foreground.

I also gave the greenhouse a bit of a clear up.

This is the plot immediately to the left of mine - It was mine but I gave it up as I was struggling with one let alone two plots.

The plot opposite mine - practically completely covered in black plastic...Definitely the way to kill the weeds & clear a plot.

This plot is next door but one to mine, to the right. It's good to see that someone has taken it on.

This chap took on his plot last year - there are photos of it early on this year on the blog.

I chatted with him today about manure, clay soil, free council compost & he said that he had got loads of produce from it this year.

This beautifully dug plot is further round the site.

Someone has taken this lot on this year and it looks to have been very productive.

I like this dinky fruit garden!

There are blackberries growing on this structure - I like it because it is not only functional, it also looks great.

This is their whole lot - another one favouring raised beds.

Raised beds are becoming more & more common over the site - I do say I find it much less daunting contemplating digging one bed rather than a vast expanse of ground, plus it doesn't mean that I am compacting the earth by walking on it.

Someone has just taken this plot on & he has a big pile of rubbish to take to the dump.

Changes

When I went to the lot I had a walk round so that Buddy could partake of his favourite past time - sniffing - and it seems that a few more plots have been taken up by new tenants, which is good news, but there are still a few more that have been left to go to pot. Our site must be one of the only ones in Cambridge that cannot seem to let all it's plots.

So if you know anyone in the Cambridge area who would like a plot or a half plot there are some available.

The site is nice - not too big and everyone is friendly & helpful.

It would be great to have all the plots being worked particularly as the council are putting pressure on all the allotment associations to ensure that their sites are being utilised properly.

Am thinking of offering my services for PR etc... What do you think?

Any way am now off to the lot to play with my new brushcutter (before it snows)....will also take some photos of the site so you can see the changes.

More round the site...

A few more photos of plots around the site...

As you can see my plot neighbour is making great inroads into getting the base ready for his new shed.

These are Ron & his son's plots.
Planting in raised beds is becoming more common - I was the first on the site to use raised beds but more & more people are now doing the same.

This plot has only just been taken on & they are slowly getting it cleared.

This plot is always immaculate - even in the middle of winter.

This is the first plot that you come to upon entering the site from Ancaster Way. They have used every possible container in which to grow things - some of which I can't fathom what they were originally.

Well that's all for now;

I will take some more photos of the site when the weather warms up a little & hopefully more people are around.

Around the Site

Once I had finished removing the bramble roots I went for a walk around the site and took a few photos....

This plot belongs to a chap who has only just taken it on - The pile of wood on the left was a shed & when it was actually standing it leant over at a 45 degree angle.
This plot is always very neat and tidy - something to aspire to.... The dog also looks impressed!

I'm not entirely sure what other animals are on this plot but it definitely looks like a menagerie.

In what was a very over grown area covered in brambles this enclosure has been built....

on closer inspection you can see it is full of bee hives - the fox used to live here and I did wonder where it had gone to but saw it running acroos the site when I left at 3pm this afternoon.

This is a close up of one of the hives with bees to-ing and fro-ing. They are modern style hives - not the lovely sort that you always think of.