Allotment updates :Me:21 hrs He:20 hrs

Well I have been labouring long and hard in the garden and up the allotment, and feel that at last I am finally 'on top' of things in both places.

 We had to cover the spuds as frost was forecast a couple of weeks ago

 The covers came off to reveal rows of thistle and dock weeds amongst the spuds and inbetween rows - which I have now weeded - it took ages

 Another day I started the long job of digging up weeds

 And dividing up the plot into more manageable sections

At least when I did that, it gave us much more 'job satisfaction

It might not look like it but it was backbreaking work over a number of days

 But it is more or less done now

 I weeded this today

Mr Lottie dug out some well rotted horse manure so that I 

could start planting pumpkins and courgettes

This is what it looks like now - after another three hours each today.

I came home with 2lbs of rhubarb and 1lb of gooseberries.  I covered up the gooseberries as I don't have many this year - I gave the bushes a good prune last year - so I don't

want 'tea leaves' stealing the small amount I have - the 'curtains' act as a deterrent!

Off to put my feet up for the rest of the evening

Allotment hours Me:12 He:11

,Well we don't have much to show for the hours we have spent up the allotment - mainly because it was all digging out big dock weeds - but just for my records - here are some before and after photos.               (Click on photos to enlarge)

Some of the weeds were waist high amongst the fruit bushes, 

so Mr L got stuck in straight away.

 We ended up with seven wheel barrows full of weeds!

 Whilst Mr l tackled the left side  amongst the bushes,

I weeded amongst the strawberries

and picked the rhubarb crop.

Well not just picked it, I topped and tailed the stalks

ready to take home for freezing

This is back plot (where we have the bonfire)

it's too much for me to manage now, so it's  been

rotorvated and covered to keep the weeds down.

The Comfrey plants are doing well - I will be cropping 

those soon for my compost bin, and using some for mulch.

It's hard to see - but all under and around the fruit bushes has been weeded

 I have thoroughly weeded around the strawberry plants and thinned them out

Picked, and topped and tailed all the rhubarb

 The lawns have been mowed and we are

 packing up to make our weary way home

 Did I mention that I weeded all around the  gooseberry

bushes and gave them a spray

Whilst Mr L was out bowling that night, I washed and cut

a trug full of rhubarb stalks - more than 14lbs of them.

Now packed in bags and frozen ready for next winter

YUMMY!

Boy did I ache though!

A bit of time in the garden

 When Mr Lottie has been playing golf or bowls

 I have been spending time in the garden.

Doing lots of weeding, spreading the gorgeous composted Chicken bedding,

digging it into the beds and 'just' pottering about.

I like spring time - seeing the blossom on the trees and the early spring flowers

and of course I can enjoy being outdoors a bit longer as there is not so much sunshine

On the right hand side along the path - the chickens favourite place for dust bathing
I have added raised beds on top, filled them with some of my fabulous 'home made' rich compost and using them permanently now as veggie beds - cutting down on the time that I spend up the lottie!

More photos to come - but they are coming along nicely.

I have planted carrots and lettuce

Self supporting peas and mange tout.

Love this poppy just about to explode into bloom!

 I have been very very busy picking rhubarb so not had a chance to take many photos or post on here of my work up the allotment - but will be playing catch up after the weekend.

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