Allotment Vegetable Growing in November 2005

Chippings and Leaves

06/11/2005

The council kindly deliver chipped wood and leaves to the site. You have to be quick to get it though as the picture shows.

Most of the chippings and half of the leaves have gone after a day or two.

Shed by the river

06/11/2005

You can see how the water lies on the paths in front of the shed. On the side of the shed you can just make out the growhouses that had tomatoes and the movable fences I made for draping netting over when protecting crops from the dreaded pigeons.

Weeds!

06/11/2005

Proof I'm not the best gardener around - weeds leaping ahead on plot 5.

They've really come on in just three weeks. This patch will be covered in leafmould and dug over soon.

At the back you may just make out the autumn onion sets between the leeks.

Leafmould cage

06/11/2005

Before I start to empty the black gold onto the soil, a last photo.

You can see how it has gone down from the cage full to just about a quarter high.

In the foreground right, the comfrey. Still not frosted off yet.

Path Refurbished

16/11/2005

When wood chippings arrive on the site it's 'first come, first served'. Since I was lucky enough to be on site when they dropped a load I re-covered the path between plots 4 and 5.

I was determined to finish the path before going home and I did - but working in the dark may get me talked about!

Leafmould on plot 5

16/11/2005

Last year's leaves become this year's leafmould which is spread on plot 5. I'll be digging it in later.

Leafmould is fantastic stuff, really lightens the soil.

Building the leafmould heap on plot 29

16/11/2005

Here you can see the leaves building up in the cage on plot 29.  You can see the plank ramp which lets me get the barrow up higher the pile.

It's quite hard work humping wet leaves around but the leafmould is well worth the effort.

My 'new' greenhouse frame on plot 29.

16/11/2005

I must admit to some concern about how this pile of aluminium is going to assemble. A giant meccano puzzle.

When finished I'm hopeful it will be an 8' by 10' greenhouse. The glass is piled up by the shed on plot 5 with a couple of tins full of nuts and bolts.

Sunset

16/11/2005

One of the real pleasures is being on the whole site on my own. It's so peaceful and quite magical at sunset.

I sat on the bench and just watched the sky glowing red as the sun sank behind the trees.

I must try seeing a dawn on the site sometime but I'm not a morning person.

Frost lingers during the cold snap

20/11/2005

Despite the sunshine, areas in shade on the plots remained so frosty it looked like snow.

This photo was taken at 2.30pm and you can see how crisp things are. The areas where the sun has hit are wet and sticky.