Thursday was a bit of a strange day, I went down to the plot in the afternoon and finished off a bit of digging. Only about 4 months late! Larry popped on for a bit and we discussed my book. Yes, it’s definitely do as I say, not do as I do.
The truth is that plans are great things but in the real world things get in the way. Work commitments and weather are the main culprits. Let’s be honest, when it’s grey and spitting rain who wants to be out on the plot? That’s what I wondered as yet another light shower came down.
Friday came and I got back down to the plot. The weather wasn’t so bad as Thursday, thank goodness. I was immediately besieged by hordes of adoring fans, demanding copies of the book These things always happen when ones minders are on their day off. Anyway, an exchange of money took place and I’ll pop down on Sunday with all the copies. One for Paul and one for Lee – thanks chums!
Back to reality and digging up the last leeks. A couple of them were starting to go but the rest were fine. Normally leeks are going past it in March but it shows what a slow start to the year we’re having that these were still holding.
I heard someone, I think on the radio, say that leeks are good for breaking clay soil because of their root structure. I did notice it was easy to dig over afterwards. I always top and tail the leeks at the plot and strip off the outer skin. Why bring them home, do the same and take the trimmings back to the compost heap being my theory. So I came away with a very full carrier bag of trimmed leeks. Not too bad at all.
Last year the potatoes were going in at the start of April and everything was much further on. This year it’s more like February than April. Still, I’m ever hopeful that we’ll have a decent summer in the end.
I put a pile of compost by the coldframe to use for earthing up and then got a few barrow loads of wood chippings and covered the soil between the coldframe and the blue half bins I’m using for some carrots. Looks rather neat, now.
Friday evening I watched Gardeners World on the telly and found myself throwing things at the TV. One of the team has got himself an allotment. So he just happens to come across a store giving away planks of wood and perfect pallets to build his deep beds and compost heaps with. Right, yes, try asking any store if you can have those pallets in perfect nick that they paid a deposit on.
Then his plot is cleared by a man with a mini digger (how green) and after explaining how you should remove couch grass roots and not rotovate, he rotovates the plot with a smart new rotovator.
Then a load of wood chippings for paths appear on his plot but he had to barrow his free green waste compost to the plot. Poor soul. Even his deep beds he creates in interesting triangles and diamonds. Then he has a luvvy sulk because the other plot holders think he’s daft. Like he’s completely missed the point of raised beds.
Saturday brought sunshine and hailstorms but I was up in Preston for the National Vegetable Society meeting. Got off to a wonderful start by getting onto the motorway southbound instead of northbound. Just a 30 mile round trip to the next junction and back!
Hi, I’m also finding everything is at least a month behind this year. Still waiting for the spuds to appear, even the ones I hotbedded. At least the days are getting longer, if the rain would stop being so showery so the soil could dry out a little.
I’ve had most of my digging done but everything is that slow to emerge I’m wondering if some has died and may have to dig it again and replant!
Last year I lost my runners to drowning! Hope things do pop up for you, not like the telly is it? (Real growing, I mean)
IF YOU FID ANY SPELLING OR OTHER MISTAKES, FORGIVE ME, I’VE BROKE MY GLASSES WHILE IN SCOTLAND AND i’M TYPING CLOSE TO BEING BLIND!!
I like your comments on Gardeners world!! I still like the programme but the allotment slot iss a bit yuk. Free pallets, boards, loads of wood chippings for free, diamond shaped raised beds and all the allotment cleared and rotavated –yeh right o. I hope he gets couch grass growing out of every square inch, — the way he’s trying to put it over he’s a complete novice –BULL S****T He’s only been a gardener for about 20years and earning a six figure salery.
Hi! My allotment is in Denmark – and if you think things are behind in the UK it’s even worse here!
NOTHING has come up – except ground elder. I also am wondering whether to did the lot up and start again!
And the windowsill seedlings are turning into plants and I daren’t take them to the plot.
Wel- moan, moan, moan. And I agree about tv gardening.
My hate is half an hour and a reasonable garden turned into a paved parking lot with tubs of flowers “easy to maintain”.
Agree with your comments on Gardeners World If a provesional can not get it right what hope is there for the rest of us. when is it going to warm up at this rate we could be planting in June
I suppose it will warm up soon enough – read something about El Nino or something this year making it cold.
Whatever, I expect things will catch up – even in Denmark, a beautiful country I’ve yet to have the joy of visiting.
As for Mr Swift – I suspect it’s very trying dealing the hoi poloi!
Following said Gardeners World I wrote to my local council (as advisd by Joe)to enquire if I could have a ton or 2 of free green compost and wood chippings – no reply as yet. Could do with some of those planks of timber to make some raised beds too.
Never mind, i guess it’s better to look forward to Friday night for 1 gardening programme rather than none.
I’m just aware that many people watch GW as a training programme and it annoys me that they’ll get the wrong ideas, fail and blame themselves.
When I wrote my book I spent ages double and triple checking because I want people to succeed and not fail because I said something stupid. Someone with millions of viewers should think the same, in my opinion.