January round up part 2 - Major post (internet & computer problems)

This is the Gnome that Buddy my dog found on the plot ages ago - He normally lives in my shed but I thought he might like a little winter sunshine, although Buddy was eyeing him up -I think with the view of making off with him!

All this area had loads of bramble roots in it - I have managed to hack them out with my azada with relative ease - much much better than trying to get them out with a spade. I was dreading starting on the roots, thinking that it would take me ages, but it was amazing how much I achieved in a relative short space of time.

This is a view down the plot - It is looking decidedly better that it was in December.....still quite a long way to go though to get it into a state where I can grow veg in the beds!

A view of the bottom of the plot - I have removed all the bramble roots from the area covered with carpet, and have about the same area again to clear. Once this is done I need to see which fruit bushes are worth moving. I know that there are 2 black currant and 3 gooseberry bushes that are so old they are past their best and are completely in the wrong place so will get rid of them, but there are also some new bushes that I have planted since I had the plot, so I want to see if they can be saved.

As a final flourish before I took the dog for a walk round the site, I gave the shed a bit of a tidy up, brushed off my chair and sorted out all my bits & bobs, so I could check what I actually have stashed in there.

This is the last area I have left to clear of bramble roots, the two piles are the roots I have dug up so far. I also need to cut back the hedge by the fence as it is now about 5 foot deep & taking up too much room. If I cut it back hopefully it will thicken up a bit.

January round up part 1 - Major post (internet & computer problems)

Finally received the garlic that I ordered from DT Brown - I think it got stuck in a snowdrift - My husband could not believe that I had sent over 7 pounds on it - he said I could have got from Sainsbury's - Doh...

All the garlic that I have now sown into pots and modules. My plan is that as I did not get them planted out before Christmas, they will get a bit of a head start in the greenhouse, then I can plant them out later.

I have covered up the bed that the garlic is going into - to make it a bit warmer as I am starting the garlic off in the greenhouse and I am assuming that this will help the process of moving it from the slightly warm greenhouse to the decidedly cold open bed.

This is a view of my plot from the right - a view that was previously obscured by the shed & brambles that have now been removed from the neighbouring plot

This is the plot to the right of mine. It was over grown and there was a rickety shed made out of doors just by my manure enclosure which as been taken down. It is amazing how bright & light my plot feels.

I rough dug this bed - it was quite hard going and too wet to get any of the weeds out.

Once I rough dug the bed I covered it in black plastic, hopefully so that it dries out enough to dig again & get out as much of the bindweed & couch grass as I can. I will also put some manure & compost in here as it is where my sweetcorn, courgettes & pumpkins will go.

This is the Bed beyond the one I dug, which I have covered with 2 layers of cardboard ready for a layer of well rotted manure & then a layer of topsoil. I am planning to put potatoes into this bed, planting through weed membrane. As you can see it was almost dark when I finished - time to go home!

Bed time reading

I have been re-reading a book called Digger's Diary, which is the account of a man's allotment over the period of a year. It is a pleasure to read as it portrays the richness of life on allotment sites, but also it has loads of tips for gardening, which is why I am re-reading it so that I can write down all the tips into my notebook and then will hopefully be able to find them again a little easier than trawling through a reading book. What's great is that the author is not a 'perfect' plot holder but very normal - makes me feel that there is hope for me yet!