Saturday, April 27, 2013

Allotment Hours: Me: 15hrs

Well, I have been hard at work up the allotment again this week - thank goodness for some dry weather - really cold and windy though.
 After  being beautifully rotorvated, I made the decision to cover up this end of the allotment.
I know that it looks horrible with plastic all over it - but it keeps the weeds down and I can always peel it back and plant more veggies if I get the time and energy

 The field that the allotment is on has been 'wild' for centuries and  each year the dock weeds cover the area.  It's a never ending battle as no matter how many you dig out there are millions of seeds in the ground and it is impossible to eradicate them.  So plastic better than 3ft plus tall dock weeds and the other beasts of perennial weed species

On the next visit to the plot we burned all the rubbish in the bonfire bin
 
It now looks so much better

As I  had another couple of rows of potatoes to plant out

I had to do some serious manure digging.

It looked dry on top, but I sank down into it - it was well rotted but wet and so heavy!  It's well worth all the hard work though, as lining the potato trenches with newspaper and deep manure has ensured us healthy crops for many years.
That the last of the potatoes in - I could only manage four rows this year doing all the work on my own, but a least we will have some.
 I covered up the patch where I want to grow my squashes and pumpkins this year - and hope to cover up a bit more too.  Then I'll be cutting holes to plant them out later on.   I dragged out the rubber 'paths' and laid all those too.
 It was such hard work and I ached for a few days afterwards but it's worth all the effort
Already it is 'dust' dry - it is such a windy field and the topsoil turns to dust in no time.
My next job will be to 'edge' all the grass paths and beds to make it look a lot neater.

I have ten rhubarb plants in my fruit area that have been in two years now, and I am hoping that this year they will be big enough to get a good crop off them.  The fruit I grow up the allotment I freeze and it lasts us a whole year.  Rhubarb, gooseberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, and hopefully some strawberries this year.
 I mowed all the paths which took almost an hour this week
 And left the plot looking neat and tidy.

The plot on the left of the photo, gets ploughed and rotorvated by a tractor each year and always looks pristine this time of year - but later on in the year the weeds tend to take over amongst the crops

The plot of the other side of mine which can see - hasn't been touched and it's full of nettles and weeds and rubbish - and there are two people working that one and it's half the size of mine - so I feel that I am doing a pretty good job on my own.

5 comments:

  1. What a lot of work. You must not only be physically exhausted, but also feeling good to have put in a hard day's ( or more ) work to ultimately harvest a good supply of fruit & veggies.

    I like that you showed the whole garden and the process of your work. As far as I know, allotments are not that common in our area, but some of our friends from the UK work and harvest from allotments. I love the concept and that it can and does work!

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  2. You did a lot of work. I also worked in my garden almost all week. Thanks to good weather I managed to do many digging and planting.

    Have a nice weekend :)

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  3. You go girl..... you are doing a great job and what hard work it is. But just think of the wonderful fresh veggies to come and the thrill of nature at work. blessings~barb

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  4. Now Lottie if I had worn light coloured clothing like you were and shifting manure the clothing would be the same colour as the muck :)
    Your back breaking work has left you with a beautifully tended plot and it looks very productive. Docks are a pain but if they can grow healthily on your plot then they prove that the soil is in good heart :)
    Good idea to cover up the part you aren't using to keep it weed free.
    Hugs
    Lynn xx

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  5. It is so lovely you have an allotment to mess about in, and end up with vegetables. Yes, very hard work, but richly rewarding (hopefully you don't have to deal with too many critters who dig up the good stuff!)
    You have a lovely blog.
    Cheers!
    Teresa in California
    http://amagicalwhimsy.blogspot.com/

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