Finally, I'm done with the stupid potato patch. There better be some darn fine potatoes coming out of that thing. I'm in two minds about carrying on further towards the shed. The soil is getting thinner and it's very shady, so probably not that productive. I'll need a small patch for my Jerusalem artichokes, whenever they arrive, and one for one lot of sweetcorn, since I don't want the Red Strawberry cross pollinating with the Applause F1, but I'll probably leave it at that for this year. Looking at my patch, I'm pretty proud of what I've achieved. Before and after photos to follow.
At the moment I'm back down at the other end, clearing the last of the nettles from under the apple tree. I was going to sow the whole area with wild flower seeds, but I think I'll use part of it for courgettes or squash. I need to be careful - there are a lot of budding leaves, and it's very easy to knock them off. The birds have cut back on the amount of seed they're eating, although they're still pecking away at the fat balls.
There's lots of space between the fruit bushes too, and they won't grow that big this year, so I may use that space for salad crops and suchlike. There's so much stuff I need to get started, at least now the digging is mostly done.
An awkward social situation - my fat, bald, basement dwelling neighbour (not the sleazy one) asked me out for a drink. Caught on the hop and doped up on painkillers I said yes, and immediately regretted it, even though I need to keep the guy on side for repairs (he's the broke one who's always pleading poverty). I'm the sort of person who frets endlessly over stuff like this, and over the last couple of days I've played all sorts of conversations with him over in my mind - should I invent an imaginary boyfriend, should he perhaps be a Royal Marine judo expert, should I pretend I'm a lesbian or a nun... In the end, after a marathon digging session which helped me to develop a bit of perspective on the situation, I knocked on the door and told him I'd have to cancel because it wasn't convenient and maybe we should grab a coffee in town sometime after Easter. Depressingly, he almost seemed relieved. I've got to move house soon...
Wednesday 1 April 2009
Sunday 29 March 2009
PSB
Let it be noted that freshly picked purple sprouting broccoli, lightly steamed and served dripping with butter, is now my new favourite vegetable. I like broccoli - who'd have thunk it?
Clocks go forward... yay!
The clocks have finally gone forward, and I was able to spend a leisurely Sunday shopping and mooching about before heading down to the allotment at about 4pm. From there I worked until about 7.45pm. There was a fight at the co-op just across the road I think, and police cars were parked there most of the time I was there. It's not in a great area, to be honest.
Today I tried an audiobook on my ipod - Northern Lights by Phil Pullman. I lost track of time entirely, it's a fantastic book with beautifully realised characters. I'd love to be a writer myself one day, and this showed me just what I should be aspiring to. I didn't plant much, but I did buy some peas at Frosts, the other big garden centre. For some reason it seems a little smaller and grubbier than Huntingdon Garden and Leisure, but the prices are just as extortionate. I bought some pea plants, since mine seem extremely slow to start. The compost they were in was so light that the plugs just fell apart as I took them out of the tray. I'm not too optimistic about their survival. I've transferred the cabbages, tomatoes and peppers from home into the cold frame. The cabbages seem too leggy really, and I had to throw out a tray of brussels sprouts and leeks since I left them on the draining board where they were extensively grazed on by the cats.
Harvested quite a bit of broccoli, including some of the purple sprouting, and one of the remaining cabbages. One of the robins managed to get under the pigeon netting - he soon found his way out though. He's incredibly tame and startled me when he practically landed on my foot. The birds have slowed down on the bird seed a bit. I'm putting out the regular stuff now, not extortionately expensive sunflower hearts. Still quite a bit of traffic, but no-one has adopted the nest boxes yet.
Planted: Pea, Early Onward
Today I tried an audiobook on my ipod - Northern Lights by Phil Pullman. I lost track of time entirely, it's a fantastic book with beautifully realised characters. I'd love to be a writer myself one day, and this showed me just what I should be aspiring to. I didn't plant much, but I did buy some peas at Frosts, the other big garden centre. For some reason it seems a little smaller and grubbier than Huntingdon Garden and Leisure, but the prices are just as extortionate. I bought some pea plants, since mine seem extremely slow to start. The compost they were in was so light that the plugs just fell apart as I took them out of the tray. I'm not too optimistic about their survival. I've transferred the cabbages, tomatoes and peppers from home into the cold frame. The cabbages seem too leggy really, and I had to throw out a tray of brussels sprouts and leeks since I left them on the draining board where they were extensively grazed on by the cats.
Harvested quite a bit of broccoli, including some of the purple sprouting, and one of the remaining cabbages. One of the robins managed to get under the pigeon netting - he soon found his way out though. He's incredibly tame and startled me when he practically landed on my foot. The birds have slowed down on the bird seed a bit. I'm putting out the regular stuff now, not extortionately expensive sunflower hearts. Still quite a bit of traffic, but no-one has adopted the nest boxes yet.
Planted: Pea, Early Onward
Sunday 22 March 2009
Sunday Afternoon
The usual Sunday afternoon on the allotment. I went to Huntingdon Garden and Leisure, but it was heaving (I think due to Mother's Day) so I passed on the usual scone. They have a lot of nice plug plants, much bigger and healther than the ones I've tried to grow on the windowsill but horribly expensive. I think my windowsill brassicas are going to have to be abandoned though, they're far too thin and leggy. Returned the duff greenhouse to Argos without too much fuss (I'd been putting it off, I hate taking things back) and saw a nice camera I might buy with my credit note. I've also got a greenhouse brochure from HG&L - the cheapest proper greenhouse is around £350.
There was a big pile of wood chippings on the allotment. Usually I miss this kind of thing but this weekend I was in time to grab a couple of barrows full. Enough to mulch the strawberries at any rate. I had another go at the potato patch. I would guess I'm about two-thirds of the way through, but it's a horrible job. Still, at least I'm likely to be done before my spuds have finished chitting. On the minus side my fingerprints will be messed up for my computer log-in (again) and I'll have to use oceans of handcream tomorrow morning.
My sciatica is starting to fade, but my leg aches a lot. I can only drive short distances before it gets too painful, but a long walk eases things up a lot. It wakes me up at 6am like clockwork at the moment, but walking to work (two and half miles) more or less sorts me out for the day. Between that and the allotment I'm losing weight like crazy.
In other news, found a 1938 penny on Jim's plot as I was walking past. Pennies were enormous in those days. Then again, you could probably buy a car with one. I might buy a fruit tree and bury the penny, and a 2009 equivalent, in a sort of time capsule underneath. That would be kind of cool, I think.
There was a big pile of wood chippings on the allotment. Usually I miss this kind of thing but this weekend I was in time to grab a couple of barrows full. Enough to mulch the strawberries at any rate. I had another go at the potato patch. I would guess I'm about two-thirds of the way through, but it's a horrible job. Still, at least I'm likely to be done before my spuds have finished chitting. On the minus side my fingerprints will be messed up for my computer log-in (again) and I'll have to use oceans of handcream tomorrow morning.
My sciatica is starting to fade, but my leg aches a lot. I can only drive short distances before it gets too painful, but a long walk eases things up a lot. It wakes me up at 6am like clockwork at the moment, but walking to work (two and half miles) more or less sorts me out for the day. Between that and the allotment I'm losing weight like crazy.
In other news, found a 1938 penny on Jim's plot as I was walking past. Pennies were enormous in those days. Then again, you could probably buy a car with one. I might buy a fruit tree and bury the penny, and a 2009 equivalent, in a sort of time capsule underneath. That would be kind of cool, I think.
Saturday 21 March 2009
Carrots ho!
Nothing much to report. Got the carrots in. I'm trying them in containers to beat the dread carrot fly. I've put a mix of 45% garden soil, 45% potting compost, 10% sharp sand and a sprinkling of water retaining gel/fertiliser. I also bought a box of 100 fat balls from Petsmart, which officially makes me a bird-obsessed sucker. Can't help it, I love those little guys; outside the window at work they're like 24 hour reality TV. Nothing happening with the nestboxes yet - I suppose I'll just need to wait until next year. In other news the broad beans are coming up. No sign of the spring onions and beetroot, but the purple sprouting is going to need harvesting soonish. No sign either of my irritating Bulgarian language student pal. Also I found a 1938 penny on Jim' plot as I was wandering past. I shall present it to him tomorrow as he will doubtless be around.
I've found the best windowsill in the house for seeds and put my propogators there. The tomatoes are doing nicely, but nowhere to put them in the absence of a greenhouse. I can stick them in the cold frame, I suppose, so still a few weeks to sort it out.
Planted:
Carrot: Paris Market
Carrot: Early Nantes
I've found the best windowsill in the house for seeds and put my propogators there. The tomatoes are doing nicely, but nowhere to put them in the absence of a greenhouse. I can stick them in the cold frame, I suppose, so still a few weeks to sort it out.
Planted:
Carrot: Paris Market
Carrot: Early Nantes
Monday 16 March 2009
Hard work
A not great day on the allotment. I started on the potato patch but it's almost solid clay and infested with couch grass. As I get towards the back fence, the soil gets heavier and colder. It's going to take a few days to get through it. I only did about a third of it and it took a solid afternoon. There's also a lot of flint in the ground, and my hands are covered in cuts. Had a chat with Rose, who started when I did, and Sylvia the allotment rep. After my brush with the Bulgarian, I didn't feel much like staying on after everyone had left, so only lasted until about half four. I have to admit though, the allotment is starting to look like a proper allotment and the apple tree is finally bursting into leaf. I put up a couple of nest boxes, possibly a little late. No takers yet.
Surreally, someone is playing a jazz trumpet somewhere outside as I type, as though this was thirties Paris rather than suburban England. I rather like it but God only knows what the neighbours will think. There will be curtains twitching. There may even be tuts of disapproval and letters to the council. In any case, whoever the guy is, he certainly needs the practice.
Surreally, someone is playing a jazz trumpet somewhere outside as I type, as though this was thirties Paris rather than suburban England. I rather like it but God only knows what the neighbours will think. There will be curtains twitching. There may even be tuts of disapproval and letters to the council. In any case, whoever the guy is, he certainly needs the practice.
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