Potatoes & Peas!

As I had some Pentland Javelin "chitting" in my utility room and these are 1st Earlies, so as they can be dug up in July I decided to pop them in!

Here are my tools of the trade

I put in my line so I would put them in straight

And here's my bulb planter

In it goes and fingers crossed for July

I did put in a row of peas alongside too but I forgot to take photo's!

More Tidying up & Toad is back!

I returned to Plot 144 today, to do some more digging, weeding and general tidying up.  I won't bore you with pictures of soil patches where weeds once lived!

Not only did I weed, but I topped up the pond from the water tank, I cleaned the top of my water butt which was full of green slime, I put 4 pots into the greenhouse and filled them with marigold seeds in the hope that they will germinate, re attached the auto vent thingy to the back vent and found Toad in the bottom of a watering can.

If you remember, I found Toad a while ago, chucked him out, he came back, so I chucked him out again and now he's back!

So I was a little worried that he was in the bottom of a watering can, so I filled a deep tray with water (from the can he was in and tipped him out.

He seemed very happy - if you look closely you can just mad out his head popping out in the middle of the picture.

Last but not least are the leeks that I dug up, cleaned and brought home for dinner.

Oh I nearly forgot - I had to leave the plot earlier than I wanted to, due to a very SELFISH allotment holder on a nearby plot who insisted on making a fire!  It was 3pm when I arrived and the fire was already alight.  It got VERY smokey and I felt sorry for the neighbouring houses with windows open and possible laundry hanging outside.

By 4.30 it all got too much, my eyes were getting sore and I had started to cough as the smoke got very bad, so I closed up my shed and decided to leave early.

Before I did, I did shout across to Mr Selfish and ask him to calm the smoke down a little.  He was VERY rude in his response with words like "they should close their windows and take their washing in if they don't like it" so when I asked him his plot number he asked "are you going to report me?"  

"No I am going to send you a free ticket to the Gardening Show" I felt like saying.  Of course I reported him, I am on the committee after all, and although the Bonfire Ban does not come into force until 1st April 2012, people who do have a bonfire then, should do so taking others into consideration!

Plot holders like him will give all us allotmenteers a bad name.

A little Tidy Up

The Allotment was lovely and peaceful today - the sun was shining and the birds were singing their little hearts out!

So I spent 2 hours down there today, having a little tidy up here and there

And more importantly I got some digging and 

Weeding done

Well at least I have made a start.

I am not sure what to plant this year as

(A) I am moving house - sold ours but not found one yet so not panicking just yet and

(B) We have a hose pipe ban on from next week, so I don't want to be putting in too many thirsty plants.

I know, I know, we may get rain etc. but I don't want to risk it to be honest.  It's a lot of hard work if you don't get any.

I might just concentrate on some peas and courgettes??

Don't know yet, but it's only March so as I said before, no panic!

Woody Wood Chips!

I have been to the Lotty several times this week

But each time I have either forgotten my Camera or my Phone

So here's what's happened  - as you can see, wood chips have been refreshed

Tatty & Hilda are now cable tied to the fence so they won't keep on falling face down in the mud on a windy day or when passing kids decided to push them over

I also took my table out of the Shed

& refreshed the wood chips by the Composting Bins

So it all looks nice and ready for the Spring.

I just need to get another lot down along the path, so that it's not so slippery.

That path is used a lot now, so wear and tear takes it's toll!