Welcome Spring, Bits and Bobs - 2016.

[oldherbaceous]

Anyone else noticed that the soil is very slow and reluctant to warm up this year!!! I know it is still quite early but, the soil is still stone cold here.

[Pa Snip]

Have I mentioned that I gave my soil a thick overcoat this winter. Think I might have mentioned it in passing

It's nice and warm under the manure but I'm not racing to start proceedings.

[peter]

Never really dried out or froze solid over the winter, plus this year's later cold spell.
Have to admit that I'm in the same boat as OH this year, bar a 4'×30' strip at the front of one plot I are being mostly undug.
The soil had just about stopped sticking to my boots last weekend, so if it doesn't start raining again I may manage some progress.

So far this year zt the allotment I have;

cut back my hazel, blackthorn and bramble hedge along the boundary at the top of one of my plots.
cut back my nature area severely.
cut the eastern boundary hedge, pile as big as a lorry, council picked & crushed it with a mini digger before carting it away.
had a massive bonfire of items 1 & 2 above
started on tidying my soft fruit area - don't gooseberries root well
sprayed a patch where rosebay willowherb had seeded enthusiastically.

Planning to order my new rotovator tomorrow, an Apache RTT3.

[Pa Snip]

Never really dried out or froze solid over the winter, plus this year's later cold spell.
Have to admit that I'm in the same boat as OH this year, bar a 4'×30' strip at the front of one plot I are being mostly undug.
The soil had just about stopped sticking to my boots last weekend, so if it doesn't start raining again I may manage some progress.

Planning to order my new rotovator tomorrow, an Apache RTT3.

That Apache looks a 'grand' piece of kit Chief.

I had cause to dig a few deep holes in plot last week, the top 6 inches was totally dry. Probably because of the overcoat mentioned previously. Below that depth though it was wet enough to be holding together. Was handy it was wet deeper down as I had to drive some posts in and at least it was dry enough not to stick to my boots.

[Marigold]

Did fall for a small net of second early seed potatoes in Aldi yesterday; British Queen, which ironically is a favourite variety here in Ireland. In my case with so little and poor land here it is a case of you can take the gardener out of the garden but not the garden out of the gardener.. But yesterday was a huge treat! I haunt the Traditional Farms at Muckross here, have many friends among the staff and started a custom of being the first through the gate when they open in March and the last in October when they close..They grow traditional gardens, potatoes, cabbages and onions and one of the men was digging one of the patches.... But the sight of the day and indeed the year, was the two huge Shire horses pulling the plough on a high field, outlined against the misty Kerry mountains. Now the Traditional Farm are open it is spring...Still very chilly here but dry and still.. sadly there is illegal gorse burning going on nearby and the Fire service are out all night. Last year we lost half the acreage in the National park to arson. I was up early one morning and the sky was red with flames in every direction up here.

[Clive.]

I've just knocked down a line of ground across the back garden to push in a double row of Broad Beans....then got sidetracked as I remembered that I needed to move on and space out some young tree grafts from last year, buds starting to swell...so moved to other end of garden and quickly cleared a patch there for them.

Likewise, not all got dug....same at work, still some borders to cut down and cultivate. Tried the middle kg border a week ago and although it looked ok on top it was just pudding below...so stepped away from it again.
I have put in 2 short rows of potatoes at work, broad beans, shallots and started to put in onion sets.

This year the onions are going in the formal front garden ....change is as good as a rest.? , I hope.
The regular catmint beds had not been torn up and dug fully for 20 years and there is a historic Country Life photo that shows onions in that location previously...perhaps a dig for victory happening.?? Again here the ground was only just on the edge of working so did what I could reach from path and board then stepped back from that job for a few days too...


Clive.

[Parsons Jack]

I've been changing the garden into an allotment since giving up my plots last September.
Almost finished now, and all the beds have been dug and finished off with the Mantis.

I've got garlic growing in the greenhouse, along with some early carrots just germinated. Two tubs with Rocket spuds standing in the greenhouse with signs of them just about to show through.

Pricked out some chard this morning. In the propagator, I have leeks and peppers.

All looking good so far

[Westi]

Took the opportunity of fine skies to burn off the hedge row trimmings I hacked off from behind the shed last week. Now it is done, unless the shop replaces the hedge cutter that was stolen, then I definitely have more that can be done. The hedge row has widened considerably since I've had the allotment and the farmers equipment doesn't reach right to my fence line now, so I have some tall stuff to attack but it is too thick for the shears.

Then I tackled clearing out the shed which only created 3 heart attack moments with spiders, but boy I had some rubbish, fortunately most went into incinerator with a quick (well quickish) visit to the tip with the rest of unidentifiable bottles & bags. Must have been something needed in the past but snails had eaten the labels off.

Now all ready for the Bank Holiday to get some spuds in, however looking at the weather prediction might only get one day of dry weather but will see.

Westi

[Marigold]

Have had to close all windows and bring the dog and cats in as we are getting a lot of smoke from the mountain on fire half a mile away. I have never seen flames like that. There are fires all over the county now; although it is illegal no one ever seems to get taken to court. All the Fire Service people are out trying to prevent houses being destroyed. Wheezy here; rain on Tuesday they say. Had hoped to work outside but not a chance. Glad you are all getting work done!

[Geoff]

Welcome back PJ - glad to hear you have found a way of down sizing and continuing growing after your problems.

Lovely sunny day here but alternately Spring like in the sunshine then a bit of haze and a nasty cold wind. Visitors for the day so it wasn't the weather that stopped me doing anything!

[oldherbaceous]

Lovely to see you back on the forum PJ, you have been missed.

[Parsons Jack]

Many thanks for the welcome OH and Geoff

I tried to carry on as before, but soon gave up the large plot. I kept the small plot and the couple of polytunnel plots though, as well as still buying supplies for the seed store. What I found though, is that I can keep going for about an hour, but then need a rest for a while. With a 7 mile each way trip to the plot, I was spending most mornings there, but not getting enough done.

Then back last summer, I realised that I wasn't looking after the garden either. Laurel is very nice for the boundary, but when it gets to about 12 feet high, you realise that you should have done something about it

So I decided to give up the allotment completely and alter the garden back to veg and fruit growing. A lot of work, but I can do it in stages and have a rest in between. I'm almost there now and things are looking good.

I've really got my gardening appetite back

[Geoff]

Bit of a shock seeing an email from Blightwatch in March!
Then I opened it and found they wanted to confirm my interest for the coming season.

[alan refail]

Also a bit much after a welcome dry spell seeing that rain is on its way. But that's Easter Bank Holiday for you

[peter]

Bit of a shock seeing an email from Blightwatch in March!
Then I opened it and found they wanted to confirm my interest for the coming season.

Apparently they are producing a new and improved service.