Allotment Vegetable Growing in March 2004

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The Plastic Mini Greenhouse

The Plastic Mini Greenhouse
07/03/2004

As we pushed on with our plan to become self-sufficient in vegetables, the house and home garden were pulled into production.Fortunately the garden was very sheltered and south facing so ideal for getting seedlings started.

Although it was a small modern garden, even without the allotment we could have made a significant contribution to our food supply by using intensive growing and successional sowing.

One of our star buys from Asda this mini greenhouse got many seedlings off to a good start before becoming a tomato house.

These houses are available cheaply from most DIY outlets and many supermarkets. The covers go after three or four seasons but the shelving can be useful for years after.

Chestnut and Twinwall Polycarb Coldframe

Chestnut and Twinwall Polycarb Coldframe
07/03/2004

This coldframe - a bargain ebay purchase - holds temperature quite well due to the 'double glazed' walls.

I fixed it to to an exterior ply base on blocks, which keeps the slugs out at worst.It has now been moved to plot 5 as we have all these flowers about the garden.

More Coldframes

More Coldframes
07/03/2004

On the right of picture, a standard glass frame. This time a B&Q bargain. Unfortunately the glass is not resistant to cats jumping on it from the fence! (The cat was miraculously unhurt)

On the left is my own construction. The front is hinged and the lid lifts. Constructed of 20mm twinwall it is well insulated with a ply back and base. It contains 2 removable shelves as well as the base.

Spare Bedroom Becomes Nursery 1

Spare Bedroom Becomes Nursery 1
07/03/2004

The bench arrangement has now been moved into the greenhouse.

On the top various propagators and some tender plants along with a sprayer containing seaweed solution.

The bedroom has 2 north facing windows - both pressed into service.The benefit of them being north-facing is that the seedlings never get scorched by direct hot sunlight.

Spare Bedroom Becomes Nursery 2

Spare Bedroom Becomes Nursery 2
07/03/2004

On the bed the potatoes are chitting in seed trays. Lucky we had no visitors!

On the left our electric propagators are raised on a box on the table to window sill level to give them as much light as possible.

Leaves on the top of the soil

Leaves on the top of the soil
09/03/2004

Whilst we were getting things started under cover back in the home garden, the allotment plot was pretty quiet. I took full advantage of the council kindly delivering the leaves swept up in the autumn to improve the heavy clay soil.

The worms hadn't managed to pull down the leaves into the soil as I hoped but they had partially rotted down . Some went onto the leafmould pile to finish off and some were quickly dug in.

The pile of leaves under the old duvet cover has sunk from a 2 to 3 feet high down to around a foot. All those plastic milk bottles are serving a second lease on life, acting as weights but - unlike bricks with rough edges- not tearing the cloth or fleece under them.

Digging is well underway in the background

Onions under Cloche

Onions under Cloche
09/03/2004

The cloche - a bargain ebay purchase - is covering onions. Not just keeping them warm but, more importantly, keeping the dratted pigeons off.

The pigeons sit on the power wires at night looking down at the plots as if sizing up what the kind plotholders are providing for their breakfast.

View down to the compost bins

View down to the compost bins
09/03/2004

You can see the leafmould bin is full again - the excess leaves from the plot having been piled in. Under the cloche, red baron onions.

The wheelbarrow in its usual place and the tools are still hidden behind the compost bins as I hadn't got a shed

Trees have yet to put on leaf (it's early March) and still pretty cold most of the time,

View right up the plot

View right up the plot
09/03/2004

You can see here how bare everywhere still is - even the weeds haven't got into their stride... give them chance!

It was a slow spring but eventually the warm weather arrived and everything really got into its stride

Prev >> December 2003: | Next >> April 2004

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