Author Topic: What have you done on the plot today?  (Read 249409 times)

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1000 on: 19 November, 2018, 09:09:28 am »
figs, figs and more figs, it's a bumber year both in size and number this year.  Looks like there may even be a few second crop that reach ripeness if the weather remains warm.
I've just noticed this (from August, sorry) - we had two, yes 2, figs this year. Normally - here in Leicester - we have so many we don't know what to do with them. I think it was the dreadful Monty Don that said that the hot dry summer (I think I remember that) made the fig trees think they were in the tropics, and they lost the main crop and produced a huge number of buds for a later crop. I spend a happy hour or two removing bucket loads of thumb sized figs off the tree over the last couple of weeks to try and encourage next year's crop.
We missed out on our poached figs in Cassis this year.
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1001 on: 19 November, 2018, 09:18:41 am »
I've spent an inordinate amount of time at the allotment plots this weekend.
I've constructed a small wildlife habitat out of a couple of old boots I found in shed number 3, bricks with holes in, bits of old bamboo cane, roofing tiles and hazel cuttings. It looks a bit pathetic at the moment, but hopefully it'll become home to a few bugs/ mammals.
I've managed to get a few new 'semi raised beds' made that will be at a  height that Mrs M can get to to weed - unfortunately they are in the area where she has been planting flower bulbs for the last few years, so as much as I construct the beds I'm digging up perfectly salveagable bulbs that need to be replanted in the new beds - but the new beds aren't as big as the old patches ('cos of paths between them) so I may have to find a way of repurposing the old bulbs, possibly just dumping them in a trench in plot #2. And more importantly I need to stop Mrs M from buying new flower bulbs for at least 12 months.
Plus I've been able to do a fair bit of weeding / hoeing done - it's astonishing how well the weeds are growing at the moment!
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1002 on: 21 December, 2018, 05:03:07 pm »
  The sprouts are already boiling so I thought it was time to lift a few parsnips for roasting on Christmas day.
This year I thinned them quite hard as in previous years I have had lots of small roots.

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1003 on: 21 December, 2018, 06:22:09 pm »
I've managed to get out into the garden for the first time in what feels like months. Only for half an hour or so before it got dark, but I did manage to get the Braeburn apple (which has cropped wonderfully this year) upright again. It has been gradually leaning over all year and once the fruit started to swell the extra weight got it nearly horizontal. It now has a fairly hefty stake holding it up.
"No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everybody on the couch."

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1004 on: 31 December, 2018, 10:46:48 pm »
Not done anything for a while, but last week I, Mrs B & Mrs B mere were walking beside the river near where my mother in law lives, in a suburb of Tokyo, & passed some allotments, which I (but oddly, not Mrs B) had seen before. We paused to look, & a woman who was there greeted us. Turned out she was the administrator (an unpaid voluntary post), & she showed us round. Very well organised. Very neat. They have a little office in a shed. Oh, & no fence around the site. Wide open.

They have a scheme to donate vegetables to a local special school, for cheap meals for the kids.
"A woman on a bicycle has all the world before her where to choose; she can go where she will, no man hindering." The Type-Writer Girl, 1897

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1005 on: 29 January, 2019, 01:22:26 pm »
Sunday, too windy to be out on the bike, so went with one of my son's carers plus son to the garden centre to buy seeds for this year's veggies. 

Today, cleared the veg plots and greenhouse of the remnants of last years crops adn weed in preparation, put the cold frame over the remaining pak choi in the hope that they'll give a spring crop.  It was good to get out there, both from a horticultural and injury recovery POV
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1006 on: 02 February, 2019, 04:19:56 pm »
We have a very vigorous almond-leaved wild pear, given to us as an engagement present. When it arrived, it was basically a twig. Sixteen or more years later and it's now getting towards 20 feet. It is also very spiky. Today's job, weather permitting was to prune it. Which I have done. I've not finished sorting all the bits which have come off as my hernia is grumbling which means it's time to sit down for a decent interval, but I am pleased to get that 'winter' job done.
"No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everybody on the couch."

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1007 on: 03 February, 2019, 08:06:46 am »
I have a lot of pruning still to do, including a still very vigorous fifteen year old fig, a large buddliea, and need to remove a couple of espaliered pear trees that I want to replace with heritage varieties.
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1008 on: 14 February, 2019, 06:57:02 pm »
The last of the allotment parsnips are out, and the first of the allotment daffodils have been brought home.
Too many angry people - breathe & relax.

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1009 on: 18 February, 2019, 08:45:32 am »
Two 14 year old pear trees out - wood drying for use in barbecueueueues later in the year.   The replacement trees were delivered much quicker than I expected, two new heritage variety pears and two new heritage variety apples from the East Anglia Apples and Orchards Project. The pears are from Norfolk and Suffolk as they had no pears from Cambridge, but that's the bordering counties, so close enough.

Ground prepped and canes up for the new trees.  I have one remaining cox's apple as an espalier, I'll plant the new ones as cordons either side that, apple in the middle, pears either side and apples outside of those.  Looking at the new trees, some already have the bigger furry buds on them so if lucky may get a few fruit this year
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

offcumden

  • Oh, no!
Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1010 on: 18 February, 2019, 07:44:10 pm »
Although I must admit to being a bit of a fairweather gardener, I love the early days of spring (OK, we can kid ourselves!) when I can get out and prepare the raised beds for the year ahead.

Dug over four beds - pretty easy, as they'd mostly been under cardboard for the winter. I'll uncover the others as I dig them.
Moved the framework for the brassica 'cage' to follow the rotation; the netting (scaffolding net) goes up when the plants go in.
Broke some new ground for a couple of long narrow beds to be used for raspberries and runner beans. Off to the woodyard later to buy timber for framing and supports.

The sap is rising!

offcumden

  • Oh, no!
Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1011 on: 09 March, 2019, 09:15:02 pm »
Balmy February having given way to wet, cool and windy March, my progress has slowed somewhat.

Long beds for raspberries and runners now almost ready, just need to fix the uprights and support frames.  Inspired by Monty 'The Don' on Gardeners' World last night, I pushed in 5 short rows of broad beans across the raised beds. Potatoes now chitting ready for planting next month. Will be sowing salad stuff, leeks soon, and am itching to get the onion sets in. Finished pruning apple tree and gave grass its second trim of the year.

Followed by a quick burst on the turbo - but that's another plot altogether.

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1012 on: 17 March, 2019, 03:39:53 pm »
On the allotment:

Checked polytunnel pegs and guylines (again). Gave the grass on the pathway around the plot the first cut of the year. Put some peas and dwarf French beans into a space in the polytunnel. Picked some purple sprouting broccoli, watered the polytunnel beds (carrots, winter radishes, onions, various winter greens) from the water butt, trimmed the flowers off the bolted Pak Choi (bolted thanks to the unseasonal warm spell). Planted a nicely-sprouted comfrey cutting.

At home:

Sorted out my propagator, cleaned the trays, made up a compost/vermiculite mix and sowed tomato and chilli seeds, put them on the windowsill on the heated propagator. Cleaned up the "indoor garden" units that I use to bring on the seedlings so they are ready once the tomato/chilli seedlings are up.


I have rationalised this year to planting stuff I really like and that does OK. Tomatoes- you cannot have too many tomatoes, eating them sun-warmed straight off the bush is best. All the varieties I am planting this year are indoor/outdoor, and I am including the variety that was my Most Favourite last year (a yellow cherry "Galina").

This years "new thing" is Oca tubers, currently they are in the salad drawer in the fridge, will plant them in a couple of weeks. Other "new things" to try this year are amaranth (leaves and grain variety) and Calloo.

GC

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1013 on: 17 March, 2019, 04:01:21 pm »
One row of broad beans into the ground midweek

This morning with my son, got all the squash and courgette seeds into 4" pots, tomatoes and chillies also into same size pots to propagate and prick out later.

Into 24-cell seed tray inserts, various flowers for the borders lettuces, pak-choi and cavolo nero.

Cucumbers and french beans will get done in a couple of weeks
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1014 on: 17 March, 2019, 04:03:16 pm »
With the only spare day out of this weekend and the next two, I've pruned the hydrangea (which is one of those season critical jobs), sowed some more seeds, pricked out the indoor tomatoes, and weeded, and weeded, and weeded. And MrsC weeded. And it still doesn't really look like anything has been done.
I am now looking forward to the end of the month, when the clocks go back and I will be allowed to lift heavy things again (and incidentally get back on the bike, seeing this is a cycling forum). Then I will be able to mow the lawns (I may need to borrow a goat the way things are growing), move compost bags around, start sorting our dying fence out, and various other heavier jobs.
"No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everybody on the couch."

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1015 on: 18 March, 2019, 03:04:57 pm »
Spent an hour or so on Saturday afternoon, while Jr Jr was having his nap, cutting down the plum tree next to our oil tank and outbuilding.  Said tree had developed a nice 2' split down its trunk from a fork, and was twisting threateningly in the wind.  So I had to stand on the oil tank in 40mph wind, taking off the branches that I could, before we felled the bugger.

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1016 on: 12 April, 2019, 02:21:49 pm »
Repotting a patio peach, I rescued a shaggy old thyme from the pot, and did this

“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1017 on: 13 April, 2019, 10:31:12 pm »
Enjoying the bonsai, though not much left for the pot :)

The last two days, I’ve taken up our rotting decking, and it’s even more sponge like bearers. Then we abandoned the idea of putting in new decking, and instead I levelled and turfed the patch.
I also put up a piece of pergola to replace a bit of fence that had fallen apart.

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1018 on: 14 April, 2019, 08:19:22 pm »
Planted potatoes.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1019 on: 14 April, 2019, 09:37:33 pm »
Fairly savage hedge pruning to keep it under control (the green wheelie bin is now stuffed - I had to jump up and down on it a few times).

Planted the hanging baskets with ivy-leaved geraniums pelargoniums.  They can sit in the conservatory until May.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1020 on: 19 April, 2019, 05:24:16 pm »
Sowed a couple of rows of radish over the potatoes as a catch crop, plus a row of parsley in another bed. Cleared the winter cabbage and planted out the sprouted onion sets. Other jobs for the weekend include pruning the armandii, plus adding wires to train it. Repotting a small acer. Clearing (and cooking for the freezer) The chard before it bolts. Planting sweet corn seeds in the greenhouse. And finding a home for a revived Rosa mundi somewhere.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

ElyDave

  • Royal and Ancient Polar Bear Society member 263583
Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1021 on: 23 April, 2019, 05:05:05 pm »
Managed quite a bit over the weekend.

- weeding a few patches
- planted out impulse bought marigolds and verbenas - tray of ten for £2
- cuttings from and planted out a few Cape Daisies
- plated out courgettes and squash that were getting a bit lanky in the greenhouse
- direct sowed some lettuces adn beetroot
- sowed some more flower seeds in modules, and some chard as well
- couple of bits of prunings
- sewed soem kumquat seeds for No1 son to look after

Beans and cucumbers are coming on well, tomatoes OK but need to pull their socks up, chillies doing OK.  Some of the tray-sown veg are looking a bit spindly and may need redoing as direct sow. They have this week to sort themselves out
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1022 on: 26 April, 2019, 11:26:22 am »
This afternoon and weekend I'll hopefully get a couple more rows of radish sown on the potato bed as the first two are nicely sprouting. I'll need to get the sprinkler out too as the garden's getting quite dry and the promised rain hasn't materialised. Put rose feed around all the roses before the watering, and some blood, fish and bone on the sweet peas, clematis and wisteria, which are all getting into their stride. Plus water the potted acers before our water butt runs out of rainwater.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1023 on: 28 April, 2019, 01:51:45 pm »
Yesterday I had an emergency trip over to the plot to repair my polytunnel before the wind took it. (Another allotmenter was over there, saw it and phoned me- got there just in time to stop the torn cover turning into shredded cover). Taped up the damage with a roll of black tape. Saved it (just).

Off back over there now to do a bettter repair which includes a clear tarp to cover the damaged area and a roll of clear polytunnel repair tape to hold it all down.

GC

Re: What have you done on the plot today?
« Reply #1024 on: 28 April, 2019, 06:06:23 pm »
Weeded and mulched the raspberries, dug over the fallow bed and planted some bedding plants for summer colour. I still need to sort out the bed on the other side of the garden.