Getting Fruity!

After weeks of what has seemed like non stop rain and snow keeping me away from the allotment except for flying visits last weekend it was finally dry enough (even though cold and windy) to get up to the plot for a couple of hours on Saturday and Sunday, which was good as I had a couple of new additions needing planting, bought at a bargain price from `InStore` to go into the ground; namley:

Doyenne Du Comice Dessert Pear Tree, and a Granny Smith Apple Tree. The pear tree needs a polinator, but I'm hopeful that either the Granny Smith Apple, or my Luxton Superb Apple Tree might do the job - failing that there are numerous other fruit tree's about the Allotments so I'll just have to see how it goes.

Both have just been healed in for the moment in the bed next to the greenhouse , the plan for the future is to try and grow these as espaliers, maybe against the greenhouse, although I may have to rethink this because whilst it would offer some shading in summer it might make it difficult to replace the glass if it gets broken...

Also after a trip to the local garden centre last weekend I had some Autumn Raspberry canes to planted in the bed by the shed, they were £5 for 5 canes, but I managed to find a pot with 6 in! I thought 80p per cane was quite cheap and they should last at least 7 years before they need replacing...




Here they are with a mulching of manure, the variety is "Autumn Gold"

I have fitted a post to the side of the shed, and one further down by the greenhouse and screwed in some vine eyes with wires to support the raspberrys once they (fingers crossed) get going. The advantage with Autumn varietys is that come next winter I'll simply pile manure round the base, and cut all the stems down to 6-inch above ground - SIMPLE!



Staying on the fruit theme the rhubarb is starting to show through its mulch, and I finally managed to give the strawberry bed a tidy and good weed.

Rhubarb - Timperely Early
A favorite variety used in the Rhubarb Triangle just down the road

Rhubarb - Victoria



I had considered potting all the strawberrys up into hanging baskets, or window boxes on the shed but have decided to leave them for this year. Another idea for next year might be to put them as a border against the path by the raspberry canes - keep all my fruit together in one place. They will need to be replaced or moved next year though as it will be there third year insitu

Other jobs completed included giving the greenhouse a good clean out, sweeping all the floor and taking out all the staging to give it a clean. Heres a picture before I covered the inside in bubble wrap to try contain some heat ready for my late winter sowings. It looks quite large inside at the moment, ready to recieve my sowings come spring



Here is the "new bed" on the plot. It is where my shed and patio used to be. All herbs and flowers have been dug up, the paving slabs moved and the whole area the whole area double dug adding manure. The paving stones bordering the plot above are an attempt at trying to stop the crouch grass from spreading across.
I'm planning to plant my main-crop potatos Cara - blight resistant (incase of another 2007 summer)and Desiree - drought resistant (incase of a 2006 summer!!!) - being its first year it should help to smother any weeds, and it will give the bed another good digging sowing and harvesting the crop. I'm hopeful that in the next couple of weekends I'll be able to get some more manure to pile on top before planting the spuds at Easter.

Before:

After:



At home my resistance to not sow anything too early has crumbled, and sown so far are...

* Cauliflower - All the Year Round
* Cabbage - Golden Acre Primo II
* Sweet Peppers - Rubens
* Tomato - Super Marmande (Beefsteak type)
Packet says March, but Jamie Oliver recomended Jan in Gardeners World Mag

At least now I have a greenhouse at the plot the house window-sills shouldnt get too overflowing, and I'm keeping my eye out for a Parafin Burner which will burn for 7 days to keep the temp above freezing

Elsewhere round the plot....

Broken Pallets for reparis to the raised beds

Compost

Remaining Leeks

Pond

Trellis and vine on the shed

Outdoor Tomato Bed

Swedes

Spring Cabbage (half eaten by something!)

Onions, Garlic and Shallots

Winter Clothing!


Just need to keep hoeing the weeds of the beds, sort out the pile of seeds Ive got at home and I might just about be ready for spring...

Hello 2008...

Had my first `official` visit to the Plot Sunday morning, it was still half dark, but 8am I was up there (and suprised to see I wasnt the first!) with my wellys on ready for some digging and genreal pottering about - its amazing how relaxing and uplifting driving through the gates knowing Ive got a couple of hours `plotting time` ahead of me can be!. Unfortunatly I forgot my camera so no pics this post!
Managed to dig over the new bed where the `little shed` used to be and have tried to stand some paving slabs on end against the plot above as a barrier to the weeds (pics to follow). Fingers are still crossed that someone will take this plot over soon and give it a good clear!

Other jobs completed:

* Pruned Blackcurrent bushes
* Repaired broken pane in greenhouse (wind damage) luckly though my greenhouse seems to have faired better then most on the plot, touch wood, after the gales we've been having I was half expecting it to be trashed! Concreating it down and using 8 W clips per pane seem to have done the trick though!!!
* Dug over large bed
* Weeded and hoed round my cabbages, onions and garlic
* Gave a light forking to remaining beds
* Gave shed a tidy up
* Gave greenhouse a good clean and sweep out
* Pondered what I would be growing where for 2008
* Contenplated tidying up strawberry bed... then decided it could wait!
* Broke up several pallets

Jobs Planned:

* Still need to get to the stables with my trailer and get a heap of manure
* Sort out my seeds I got cheap and decide whats going where
* Repairs/general maintinance to my raised beds with broken up pallets
* Get more woodchips for the paths
... never ending list really!

Already itching to get planting but have purposely not visited the garden centre yet to get any sowing compost as I think its still a little early. Jamie Oliver in Gardners World Magazine recommended sowing Beefsteak type tomato's in Jan... so might try a couple just to see how they do...!!! (anyone else tried sowing this early) maybe some leeks... cabbages.... before I know it my window sills at home will be full again and covered in compost!!!! :)