EXCLUSIVE - Guess who's coming.......

EXCLUSIVE - STOP PRESS - EXCLUSIVE

These are the first pictures of the still unamed Mrs. Scarecrow

As you can see, she has lovely green eyes

Beautiful dark hair, pink rollers & a pink head scarf

Her very own beauty spot

And lovely ruby red lips!

Her necklace is a bargain buy from EbaY in matching pink to her rollers and head scarf

And she has matching pink gloves

There are a few more finishing touches to go - all waiting the arrival of the post.

So what is need now is a name

So far I have the following suggestions........

• Aunt Sally
• Hilda
• Toto
• Dorothy

I know what one I like the best, but what do you think now that you have been given a glimpse of the finished Mrs Scarecrow??????

Your answers on a postcard please - opps sorry - comments or emails please

An unplanned trip.......

An unexpected trip to the lotty today as the weather forecast was for rain, rain and more rain.

Well it did rain - but overnight and early morning. As my neighbour explained ...

Rain before 7, fine by 11 - and she was right.

Ian (hubby extrodinaire) decided to accompany me to the lotty this morning for a quick look as we have to site Mrs. Scarecrow soon.

I noticed whilst we were there, that the cucmber plant had outgrown her little wigwam, so we headed to the shop for some taller canes.

As you can see it is very well stocked & you can go there just for a chat & sit down if you want to , although I always find that I end up buying something!

The weather hadn't improved a great deal, so we went home again. An hour later and it was bright sunshine all the way, so I returned.

I weeded Bed 3 where the Brussels & Brocolli are. What a job. I had to lift all the netting and then be very careful when weeding the right hand side as Susan's potatoes have by some freak of nature, nearly taken over the path way, so I did this side standing up, not using the kneeler as I normally would. This bed done, and looking good, I weeded Bed 4 where the pumpkins, butternut squash, courgettes and baby cucumber live. Once this was done, I re- caned baby cucumber and she looks much happier now, so much so that she is producing more cucumbers for me and Ian to eat - lovely - I can't wait as they are so full of flavour.

I then went on to weed Bed 1 - so that's all my weeding done for a short (and I probably mean short) while now.

This is the ladybird house which was purchased yesterday. I have put this in Bed 1 as this is the closest bed to Mavis's Beans bed which seem to have a blackfly problem. Maybe I should have just put it in her bean bed?

And this is my herb trough which I planted up yesterday.

As you can see (from left to right) there is Basil, Mint, Rosemerry, Corriander & chives.

More from 144 - Runner Bean Wigwam goes up!

On Friday, I emailed Nigel, as I wanted to order some canes for the newly dug Runner Bean bed. It went something like this.......

"Do you have any 8ft canes and a step ladder in stock?"

"No, sorry, I only have 10ft canes left but I will help you to tie the tops up"

This was very welcome news as I am 5ft and he is probably double that again - well that's what it looks like from down here anyway!

So, Saturday morning arrives and I go down to the lotty at around 9.30am. I start weeding the beds on plot 142 which seems to be a re occurring task! I weeded bed 2 which is where I have just planted the tomatoes (see the post - "Read all about it - my 1st radishes") which is the same bed that has the Sweet Pea Wigwam, Onions & Marigolds.

At around 10am, Nigel opens shop, so I go to see him to buy my canes

Fortunately he has found some 8ft canes (not 10ft) but still offers to tie the top for me!

This is my shopping list

• Canes
• Bag of manure compost
• Bag of Multi Purpose compost

I return with my goods - with the help of Derek and his barrow, and dig in the manure compost - OH - what a smell - a lovely lovely smell!! Apparently it was smelt half way down the road!

Nigel arrives with his cable ties and 2 bits of cane (about 2 ft each) tied together in a cross formation. Down that went on the ground and Nigel expertly and swiftly put the wigwam together. I just stood there and watched in amazement.

Hey presto - There it is - ready for some Runner Beans, and here are some I prepared earlier

I only put 6 lots in, as I have some beans that George (the laughing Jamaican) gave me which are at home in pots in the coldframe - hopefully germinating.

He also gave me some Cobra????? Beans - (never heard of them) which I am also germinating, but this means another Wig Wam - "Nigel - I need your help again"

I spent more time on 142, digging up the weeds, earthing up the maincrops, tidying around the place and left around mid day. Hubby & I are looking for some new garden furniture, so we went of to the deepest darkest depths of Surrey to try and find what we were after. Unfortunately we didn't find what we were looking for but I did manage to finally find a ladybird house, which I have been looking for, for ages. It is supposed to encourage ladybirds to the area and provide them with accomodation / housing.

I therefore returned later on to water 142 and to put the ladybird house in (picture to follow - sorry I forgot) I had a lovely chat with Mavis who shared some more of her "vegetable growing tips" with me. Poor Mavis is fighting a loosing battle with her weeds in her strawberry beds, that she only weeded about 6 weeks ago, but the devils are back with a vegance. I need'nt have bothered watering as it's been raining here since about 2am and I dont think it's stopped !

SCARECROW NEWS......

Mrs Lady Scarecrow (temporary name) is looking FAB. A few finishing touches are all that is needed now - and a name of course, so please keep your suggestions coming via the comments please. I have some great ones from all over so far, as far away as the USA!

And finally......

The multi purpose compost was for a plastic trough that I bought to put some herbs in. Mavis very effectively pierced the drainage holes with her very sharp pronged fork! Thank you Mavis. So in the trough I put Rosemary & Mint (bought from the shop) and some Basil, Corriander & Chives which I grew from seed. The trough is now a the end of Bed 2 and looks great there as it's just the right size!

Preparing the Runner Bean bed on 144

Plot 144

After finishing of the small 1ft. area that backs onto Paul's plot (where the shed will eventually go) I decided that as this area was originally intended for the runner bean wig wam I had better find another area to cultivate.

Unfortunately I hit a small problem! Yes, I got "Forked". As you can see, I must have hit something solid. As I was a Girl Guide in my youth, I decided to crack on and after having found a new location, I started to clear a large enough area for the Runner Bean Wigwam to go.

This is the humble begining of the Runner Bean Bed

Fortunately for me - Derek - one of our lotty heroes came to my rescue with his ancient mis shaped spade and after a can of Ginger Beer and 2 penguin chocolate biscuits that I just happened to have in my handy little lotty bag, he "Dug for Ali"

This is Derek - an amazing man who has so much energy in him and is adorable as you can see.

After Derek dug, I pulled out the old roots that had surfaced and worked the lovely "virgin" soil to a fine tilth, and the picture below shows the end result.

Shortly after I had finished (I spent around 4 hours there in total this afternoon) Carl - another of our lotty heroes - popped through the gates and started to discuss, not only the chopping up of the tree trunks etc. now that Nigel - yet another lotty hero - is feeling better (dodgy back) but also the burning of what is there as he now thinks its dry enough, so that will make a HUGE difference to me and to plot 144.

We are so so lucky at Stanley Road Allotments to have the likes of Derek, Carl, Nigel & others "The Lotty Hero's" who very generously share their wisdom, time and knowledge with us fledgling lotty people. I can never thank them enough.

I only hope that one day I will be able to return to them, the favours that I have recieved so far.

Read all about it! My 1st Radishes

How exciting - not only did I get my 1st radishes yesterday but also my new book arrived.

It's really "down to earth" and non of this flowery stuff, so its an easy read.

It's called Vegetable Growing Month by Month Take a look at the link - you can easily order it online and it arrive pretty much the next day. I ordered one for Susan next door (my fellow lotty person).

It's by this chap called John Harrison who has been growing veg for 30 years! It's only got a few pictures, so the rest is great information and covers all your niggly little questions from Pests to gardening jargon! Well don John. My book looks like I have had it 30 years already although I have only had it the one night!

My radishes have finally made it and looked ready to be picked. I knew this because it was in "the book"

Don't they look yummy! Boy are the HOT!

The poly tunnel gets it - I had to cut this one in half so that each half sat nicely across my newly planted tomatoes - I planted Marmande & Cerise, so one extreme to the other size wise. All the plants were raised from seed.

A picture especially for my lovely Mother in Law - aka - the armchair gardener. These are the "Vivaldi" potato plants so far.

Now that the radishes have gone, I have put some cos lettuces down each side of the parsnips and I have put some more radish seed in the middle of the parsnips to see if they will come up again. fingers crossed.

And finally (for plot 142......)

George one of the laughing Jamaicans gave me some runner bean's to plant out on 144! He said that all I need to do is pot them on at home, bring them on, and by the time they are big enough I would have cleared a suitable space on 144 to put them in - that is after building a wigwam using 8ft canes ( he made it sound so easy ) so I will have to go and see Nigel in the shop for some canes and probably a heap load of advice.

This is Nigel - another Lotty Hero / Mr. Chainsaw / shop entrepreneur

Plot 144 - UPDATE

Progress on 144 - You have seen the top picture before on a previous post. With a little more digging, swearing, numerous cups of tea & stopping for breaks, this is the progress so far.....

Can you just make out the string to the right of the picture? I realised that I had to mark out my plot end as I was straying onto Paul's plot (which I must say is as overgrown as 144 so he has his work cut out too!) I don't mind straying you understand, but when I have 125 sq.ft. to tackle, and I have only done about 2.5 sq.ft. so far, I would rather not stray at this stage.

Now talking of Paul, he kindly mentioned to me that he will be putting his shed on the end of his plot that ends on to mine, and as it was decided that the shed of character was going to meet it's maker on the bonfire that Kermit nearly jumped into (sorry if you are losing the plot at this stage read my early post - Kermit is rescued and Rain Rain go away) I am going to have to get a new shed (probably the more sensible option really) and he said that whilst he is putting down his base (he is getting an 8' x 4') he will put a base down for me at the same time! How thoughtful is that!!! So we are going to have back to back sheds (mine might not be an 8' x 4') which is why I am clearing my plot where I am. There is a method to my madness you know!

SCARECROW NEWS

Unnamed lady scarecrow is in the making, but I cannot reveal anything about her apart from the fact that she is going to look fab.

I have had a few name suggestions so far, but keep them coming in via the comments please. All will be seriously considered.

p.s. our local council is organising a Sutton in Bloom competition - and the catagories are

• best front garden
• best allotment garden
• best community garden
• best business frontage
• best wildlife garden
• best school garden

What about best SCARECROW - poor Tatty Boggie Gump

Anyways if you would like to enter - click HERE for an online applcation form & Good Luck

Today is Thursday 22nd May, the sun is shining and I will be off down the lotty for the afternoon - all afternoon in fact!