Allotment Vegetable Growing in April 2004

Plot 29 - A New Allotment Plot

04/04/2004

This is where a fit of madness overtakes me and I take on a second allotment plot - No 29.

At first glance the new plot seemed to be in pretty good order. The previous plotholder had one of the smartest plots on the site - brand new sheds, greenhouses, decking (yes decking!).

There were a number of neatly boxed deep beds as well - so I was really pleased to get this plot when they vacated.

The first thing we had to do was split it back up from the adjoining plot. This left one of the deep beds right on the edge - so to move that went on the 'todo' list. You really need access from all sides with a deep bed and this one is 8 X 8 rather than 4 feet wide.

Looks pretty desolate and the weeds have started to grow but I hope that, as it was worked last year, it will be less of a task to bring into order than plot 5 was.

It had been broken into beds separated by chipping paths on this side. I know they grew tomatoes on the bed nearest the path but not to much else.

Plot 29 - Compost and Topsoil

04/04/2004

A heap of topsoil/compost free for the taking in the foreground with the corrugated sheet compost bins behind. Another blue barrel as well.

I gave the railway sleeper to another plotholder and the edging rolls (in front of the blue bin) to a young lad growing some flowers on his dad's plot.

Notice there is more covered with chippings than in use. I'll soon change that.

Plot 29 - Compost Bin

04/04/2004

The green composter was also mine - when you take over a plot the rule seems to be you get everything on it. Plots left vacant are fair game to the human vultures though so you need to establish ownership pretty quickly.

I nicely explained I'd taken this one and nearly got attacked by one of the other plotholders... suffice to say, not everyone on an allotment site is pleasant company.

Plot 29 - view from the top end

04/04/2004

To the right you can see where the sheds and greenhouses were with the deep beds to the left and a wide chipping path in the middle.

The daffodils were nice but you can see the 2 far deep beds are absolutely chock full of weeds.

Got my work cut out here!

Plot 5 Gains a Garden Shed

04/04/2004

The chap who took on plot one gave up - his health wasn't too good and the plot was a waterlogged mass of dock leaves. Rotovating it had served to replace each dock with 10 more from the root cuttings.

Anyway, I acquired his shed, manure and all else for £30.00.

I brought my car down as I needed carpentry tools etc to move the shed. Enlisting my brother in law we managed to get it done. The roof is made of tongue and groove on 6X3 beams.. weighs about 3 tons. Still we got it done despite the rain hitting as we tried to get the roof on.

Finally somewhere better to keep my tools than hiding them behind the compost heaps!!

Plot 5 from the compost heaps

04/04/2004

The onions are doing OK now and the cloches have been taken off as the leaves were pushing the top..

The fleece is warming the new potatoes - which did rather well unlike the 2nd earlies and maincrop, thanks to the blight.