Kitchen Garden Forum

I have just cut the allotment grass and it does look nice over there....not amused by the amount of stones on the side paths, between the allotments... Of course, Old Codger's paths were stone free, good old boy...

The allotment is ready, all dug, weeded, hoed or whatever ....... but I daren't sow or plant anything yet (other than shallots and garlic) but because I am convinced it's going to get cold again. The greenhouse sowing is going ahead as planned.

Cut the grass and started to dig my tatties and brassicas plot, trouble is there's a huge root system from a 40 year old fushia shrub that was some 15 feet high when I hacked it down last autumn, roots go on for ever.

Mowed all three lawns today. The neatest looking one has more moss than grass. There's been a frog orgy all day and lots of frog spawn.

Yes, I have moss everywhere. The nonesence I read in past years about moss is now emerging, I even have moss growing at the top of Pembrokeshire banks that are riddled with moles and so dry I find it difficult to grow hedging plants or any other though I did succeed after a period of daily care.

Moss even grows on a rolling stone if it doesn't roll too often.

I had an email yesterday from our local council saying they are extending our allotment they have obtained a grant for the new fence and are starting this week, yesterday we had a jcb working outside of the allotment he managed to hit the existing fence bending the corner post and buckling the first panel this is the one I had a shelter for my chickens fixed to it that finished up on the floor, we have heard of 30 new plots that are planned but no grant for water taps it's been said they will be using ours ,I think we might have a problem in summer ours is the first tap as we are on the end plot four of us share it, looks like it's going to be thirtyfour this year

that will be fun Pa Snip (not)

I didn't get to the plot on sunday, as it was persisting down for most of the day

However, I sowed some more tomato seeds and cleared out the greenhouse at home.

When I posted about planting my bare root hedging I mentioned willow water, this is a root promoting liquid made from first year shredded twigs being soaked. Has anyone ever used it ? I have plenty of information on the why and how but just wondered if anyone has ?

I can't get on the vegetable plot yet, it's too wet, but I have sown tomato seeds on the window sill. No doubt I'll regret it later when they get leggy due to lack of light. Murphy's law, the one nice sunny day was when I was committed elsewhere. Hubby even cut the lawn! Brassica seeds have popped up in the seedbed which is uplifting. Tidied up last year's Swiss chard and covered with cloche. Might get a few feeds before it bolts. Weeds are thriving

Sowed my carrots under the mini tunnel in the "roots" raised bed, Rondo, Chantaney and Rainbow mixed along with some white beetroots and a couple of rows of radish.
Then carried on trying to remove the triffids roots from what will be the brassica/tattie bed.

We strimmed the allotment paths for the first time this spring and edged them - it does look good when it's all tidy. Also "scruffled" up all the dug beds and found that, in spite of not having had a lot of heavy frosts this winter, the large clods have nicely broken down.
Also planted the first potatoes into pots at home. They'll stay in the greenhouse for a bit yet.
It's been a lovely day here, by the way ...

It's been a cracker today Sun shine all day ,managed to Finnish the paving only had 7 flags to lay but they all needed cutting some two sides but now all done, got home tonight was planning to shower but thanks to a burst pipe a mile away nobody has any water

Great productive day here full sunshine all day. Got the raised beds finished and composted. Forecast good for tomorrow so hopefully get the grass under control.

Yesterday I dug up half a bucket of lovely sweet carrots and still have at least another bucket full in the ground. It was a late sowing.

Snow forecast for later, so indoor gardening, plus I might have another go at the triffid roots in the brassica/tattie patch, plenty of time to get this bed ready, will be a few weeks before the tatties go in.