Solar Powered Ventilator and Leeks Harvested

Solar Power

Some time back I purchased a solar powered ventilator fan off Ebay France. I finally got round to fitting it today. Since it involved cutting a 135mm diameter circle I sent Val out to borrow a compass from a local child. Thought a strange chap harassing the kids might be misunderstood.

Cut a template, drew round it and cut out a perfect hole. All was going well until the bit where I came to screw base plate to top. The screws were missing that were in the packet earlier. Nearly an hour of searching to find them where they had fallen onto the lawn and we were done. The more the sun shines, the faster the fan cools the greenhouse – cool or what? If you have a ten-minute job you need doing in an hours, you know who to come to.

Last Leeks Harvested

Down to the plot where I dug up the last of the leeks, which are starting to go over. I’m giving some to my sister but that will still leave quite a few so they will get blanched and frozen. I always top and tail them on site so the trimmings go straight to the compost heap.

I must admit to being a bit of a chatterbox on the site. Larry and his wife were down there and Derek from plot 6 showed up with his dog. She”s lovely but very nervous of strangers and kept hiding behind him. Quite funny really, if only she knew I?m a bit nervous of strange dogs.

Planting Potatoes

Despite the fact the comfrey isn?t far enough along for a cut to go under the potatoes, I thought I had best make a start. I use the Mantis with the narrow tines to dig a furrow and really chop up the soil where I am planting them. Turning a two-minute job into half an hour struck again. I couldn?t find them in the shed, which really needs a sort out. After filling an empty compost bag with rubbish from the shed, I found them under some netting.

I drew four furrows, two feet apart and then gave them some fish blood and bone at a rate of a handful a yard along the row. Yes, I?m into these really scientific measurements. I then took the soil out of the row to the side, added multi-purpose compost to the base and planted at 12 inch spacing. I then place a good handful over each tuber and raked the soil back over. The theory is that I will get cleaner potatoes this way and improve the soil.

I managed two rows of Arran Pilot when I realised it was seven o?clock and the new Dr Who was starting in 15 minutes. Hurried packing away and to home. I still prefer Sylvester McCoy.

I think I pulled my back a bit with the compost ? hopefully a good nights sleep will sort it.