#195 |
Went to plot this morning with the sole purpose of dropping off some cardboard. I also took my bucket of wood-ash from log burner as it was overflowing.I store it outdoors under the patio table to keep it dry.
As usual, once there, all plans went out the window and I had to do summat.
Decided to dig up some tatties I had planted along the edge of the plot. The soil is horrible here, full of stones and full of creeping buttercup. I managed to dig it all over removing buttercup as I went. I didn't get many useable spuds , but still enough for my Sunday dinner. I dug and cleared it last year so it dug a lot easier this year and the weed roots came out relatively easily. I still got half a bucket of stones though!
Once dug I raked it kinda level and decided to plant some garlic which was desperately trying to grow. ts a mix of Elephant garlic and normal garlic so I laid it out in positiont o plant it to see how it worked out. It wa just the right size for what I had so I dibbered holes and dropped a clove of garlic in eack. I didn't fill in the holes, which were only a couple of inches deep and this will hopefully allow it to expand as it grows. If the rain doesn't do the job for me I'll back fill holes if need be.
I then planted a central row of shallots, just because I had them
All was finished off with the woodash as I think buttercup growth likes acidic wet conditions? The wood ash will help to sweeten the land.
I came home with spuds I had dug, and a squash and yellow round courgette I was given. My allotment neighbour grew loads and was just composting them so I volunteered to be his compost bin!
Piccies are of the garlic set in position before planting, the garlic planted then shallots planted down centre, then finally, the whole lot dressed with wood ash.
As usual, once there, all plans went out the window and I had to do summat.
Decided to dig up some tatties I had planted along the edge of the plot. The soil is horrible here, full of stones and full of creeping buttercup. I managed to dig it all over removing buttercup as I went. I didn't get many useable spuds , but still enough for my Sunday dinner. I dug and cleared it last year so it dug a lot easier this year and the weed roots came out relatively easily. I still got half a bucket of stones though!
Once dug I raked it kinda level and decided to plant some garlic which was desperately trying to grow. ts a mix of Elephant garlic and normal garlic so I laid it out in positiont o plant it to see how it worked out. It wa just the right size for what I had so I dibbered holes and dropped a clove of garlic in eack. I didn't fill in the holes, which were only a couple of inches deep and this will hopefully allow it to expand as it grows. If the rain doesn't do the job for me I'll back fill holes if need be.
I then planted a central row of shallots, just because I had them
All was finished off with the woodash as I think buttercup growth likes acidic wet conditions? The wood ash will help to sweeten the land.
I came home with spuds I had dug, and a squash and yellow round courgette I was given. My allotment neighbour grew loads and was just composting them so I volunteered to be his compost bin!
Piccies are of the garlic set in position before planting, the garlic planted then shallots planted down centre, then finally, the whole lot dressed with wood ash.
"The problem with retirement is that you never get a day off"- Abe Lemons