Recently on the plot

Cars in the near distance, a great mass of geese in the sky and many sweet song birds in the hedgerows - the noises that both accompanied our visit to the plot and soothed our minds. Sometimes, even in the damp, its a truly wonderful place to be.

I got to work with the oscillating hoe, did I tell you we got one? Haha, I feel we haven't quite gotten over the shock and joy of this new find.

During the week Andrew got us more seeds in Poundstretcher (varieties we wanted and for only 79p) and 3 bare root fruit trees in Lidl for £15! Bargains. The online bare root tree order fell through as though we'd paid the £5 delivery fee, they wanted £15 more!? £20 to deliver a £15 tree, no thank you.

2 Prunus and a Malus (more in a future blog post)

Due to Storm Ciara the ground was sodden so we couldn't plant the trees but we put them together in a big pot with lovely new compost. The pot is in a sheltered corner until a better day.

Next, posts where first driven into the ground in the back of the site. Then, we had bought wind break netting on Saturday so we screwed it up with batons and cut offs we have had around the place. Little rustic looking from the back maybe but functional!

Somehow having created a little barrier off from the rest of the field, I suddenly had the feeling of belonging. Belonging to this small plot that is ours, more so than I have in years. And with that I felt more assured that I am an allotmenteer, I belong to this wider circle of people and the feeling was lovely (if fleeting).

* We've been eating the PSB and the kale tops, this week too. Don't overlook those bolted kale flower buds, they taste wonderful!

It's really time to give the shed some loving! We have so much to get rid of out of it, a corner to repair and lots of fresh paint needs applying. We had thought of getting a new one but this one is dandy - just hard done by. As we had the tools with us, I bravely decided to take down the lovingly handcrafted 24a sign I made some years ago out of odd broken up tiles; time to move on.

Love and hugs (especially as it's St Valentines' day!)
Carrie

The fun begins!

Last weekend at the plot we worked hard, fitting a new water butt tap, lifting the last of the weeds and grass and mulching the heck out of everywhere; great work but a boring blog post, ahaha. However yesterday Andrew had a day off and we spent it making notes in our
new allotment planner book, going to the local nursery for netting and an oscillating hoe (the best thing EVER) and going to the plot to make further plans.

Andrew and the new oscillating hoe. Look at that soil, lovely

On the plot at the moment - 
the Purple sprouting broccoli is ready, the garlic is flourishing and the kale has bolted.

We have decided that the back of the plot is going to be home to our 2 fruit bushes, rhubarb and fruit trees. The rhubarb 'glaskins perpetual' crowns are just poking their sweet heads up through the thick mulch now and I for one am very excited. We are going to get 2 more crowns and simply fill that space up with rhubarb-y yuminess.

The damson tree is going to get a friend in the shape of a cherry 'stella' tree, we're just waiting on it arriving. The blueberries are just going to stay the way they are and the apple trees support arch is coming out now that they have established and are happy (the timber is rotting away anyway).

The seed buying started at the weekend and more last night and more this afternoon. Little but often, getting our favourite varieties for the best price and new fun types to try alongside. It's almost the most exciting time of the whole allotment year I think - this panning and anticipation.

The potatoes are chitting away in the shed - 'Pentland Javelin' first earlies.

There shall also be changes made around the shed and compost areas but I'll leave those as a surprise. Oh and we are taking a big interest in the hedgerow line behind our shed and are going to make it a better place for all the many birds and insects that live in there. All shall be revealed in time :)

Hugs
Carrie

First visit to the plot in 2020!

Hello darling friends - I live! Yes, it has been a lifetime in blogging terms but I am still here, still going strong and despite the weather I am still your stubborn optimist!

Who would believe it? - The world seems a mess with this climate emergency and so much serious, scary politics and it's only the 3rd week of the new year. It would break one's heart if one where to dwell on it all. So instead let's just focus on the macro level and think about the poor wee neglected A24a 😊 How's it doing?

It was with much trepidation we visited the plot last Sunday and though the path down to it was a boggy mess, the plot itself was surprisingly OK. Better than that in fact as all our garlic [Solent Wight] was up and (bar two which looked like they had be pecked by birds), all look great! Plus, right next to that is a lovely line of tulips coming up too, the gorgeously dark colour of the petals hinted at in the leaves.

Another bed blessed us with utterly delicious kale [Cavolo Nero] to harvest and take home for dinner. It went into the loveliest curry, made by Andrew. Also in that bed we also have super healthy looking purple sprouting broccoli  growing well - things are looking good!

The only downside is the rotten wood all round the place that needs replaced and fast. The main fence has snapped in two at the entrance as well - this Saturday guess who's going to the timber merchant?! I can't wait to see the whole place revamped and ready to face the year and indeed years to come. We have a keen vision for 2020 (haha, 2020 vision) and we have to make a start with new bed edging and possibly even an extra tree. Watch out world - I may have a hammer in my hand this weekend! 😮

Andrew's photo of the plot and me photographing the kale - my photo below :)

Much love and best wishes to you all

Carrie x