So, following the shed saga of yesterday, we got up bright and early. Himself is always pleased when there's a bit of manly derring-do with hammer, nails and wood, especially when it is of the structural variety. I knew there were weeding chores to do, and some pondering as to the likely location of various vegetables. Not to mention sheds.
If you want a progress report on the actual vegetables, just rest easy knowing that most of what we have put in is growing, though the grass is sometimes greener on the other side (in other allotments). The potatoes (which are maincrop and will be yummy in October) are beginning to look more confident and every time we go (which is not that often really) another shoot thingy has emerged. There are some monster plants amongst them though, which puzzles us somewhat. I guess it's Darwin. 15 out of 28 so far have come up.
Back to the shed then. After the usual "we've forgotten x so Kim will go back to the house and get it" distraction (hey, we didn't tell you yet that we only live 5 mins walk away which is very cool in allotment ownership terms), the shed construction begins. There was a bit of a wobble when I mentioned that the shed base was wobbly. It wasn't really wobbly, it just didn't go down at the end properly. Anyhoo. After a little refreshment and reflection it was back to the shed and the really exciting bit of putting the walls together. There was a tiny incident involving one of the windows, but really it only adds to the indefinable esprit d'allotment (a crack in the corner - whose shed wouldn't benefit from a small crack in one of the windows?). The walls fitted together really well after some judicious hammering. And then to cap it all, the roof went on. It was like a Wendy House but serious. The best shed ever and we have put our tools and other exciting gear there. I intend to buy flasks so we can have a cup of tea inside, assuming we get something to sit on too.
While the shed was in its last stages (the door), I went back to the weeding. The bloody damnable bloody weeding. The weeds are happy, healthy and strong. They love our soil and beam back at me innocently as I reach down to tweak them out of the soil, hopefully with their roots en train. I also had the very pleasant task of thinning the radish seedlings. This is much more difficult than it sounds but strangely rewarding. Again, it's Darwinism but am I Darwin? Mmm. Don't know.
We then went to the pub for Sunday lunch. We had got so carried away by the glory of the shed that we nearly missed lunch. Luckily for us the landlord took pity/raided the bin, and rustled something tasty up. A couple of beers too (shandy for me). Virtue is not necessarily its own reward.
Progress thereafter was slower and rather more ponderous. Weighed down by Sunday lunch and beer, we puttered and pondered. Incidents with heavy duty staplers, strimmers and shifting of compost/grass from one place to another took place against the gathering feeling of immense tiredness in the leg and back area. They say gardening is good for you. It sure hurts you at the same time.
The big problem is the fence, but we made a start on it before saying farewell for another few days. The start being to agree a strategy that involved the heavy-duty stapler and the sledgehammer. The fence, like the shed, will make us real allotment people. Then we'll have to turn our attention, finally, to cultivating the plot and growing stuff.
Friends: Clare and Chris gave us a lettuce; their allotment is highly organised and productive. Woman across the way with dog called Leo told us various people are complaining to the council about the rabbits. Man hacking down the Forest of Nettles which is where the rabbits live - day 2 of his allotment ownership.
Enemies: White Cabbage Butterfly. Nettles, weeds and anything invasive we have not put in the soil and is not cute. Rabbits. Rabbits. Rabbits.
Weather: sunny and overcast at times. Nice weather for being outside.
Pickings: 1.5 raspberries.
Over and out.
If you want a progress report on the actual vegetables, just rest easy knowing that most of what we have put in is growing, though the grass is sometimes greener on the other side (in other allotments). The potatoes (which are maincrop and will be yummy in October) are beginning to look more confident and every time we go (which is not that often really) another shoot thingy has emerged. There are some monster plants amongst them though, which puzzles us somewhat. I guess it's Darwin. 15 out of 28 so far have come up.
Back to the shed then. After the usual "we've forgotten x so Kim will go back to the house and get it" distraction (hey, we didn't tell you yet that we only live 5 mins walk away which is very cool in allotment ownership terms), the shed construction begins. There was a bit of a wobble when I mentioned that the shed base was wobbly. It wasn't really wobbly, it just didn't go down at the end properly. Anyhoo. After a little refreshment and reflection it was back to the shed and the really exciting bit of putting the walls together. There was a tiny incident involving one of the windows, but really it only adds to the indefinable esprit d'allotment (a crack in the corner - whose shed wouldn't benefit from a small crack in one of the windows?). The walls fitted together really well after some judicious hammering. And then to cap it all, the roof went on. It was like a Wendy House but serious. The best shed ever and we have put our tools and other exciting gear there. I intend to buy flasks so we can have a cup of tea inside, assuming we get something to sit on too.
While the shed was in its last stages (the door), I went back to the weeding. The bloody damnable bloody weeding. The weeds are happy, healthy and strong. They love our soil and beam back at me innocently as I reach down to tweak them out of the soil, hopefully with their roots en train. I also had the very pleasant task of thinning the radish seedlings. This is much more difficult than it sounds but strangely rewarding. Again, it's Darwinism but am I Darwin? Mmm. Don't know.
We then went to the pub for Sunday lunch. We had got so carried away by the glory of the shed that we nearly missed lunch. Luckily for us the landlord took pity/raided the bin, and rustled something tasty up. A couple of beers too (shandy for me). Virtue is not necessarily its own reward.
Progress thereafter was slower and rather more ponderous. Weighed down by Sunday lunch and beer, we puttered and pondered. Incidents with heavy duty staplers, strimmers and shifting of compost/grass from one place to another took place against the gathering feeling of immense tiredness in the leg and back area. They say gardening is good for you. It sure hurts you at the same time.
The big problem is the fence, but we made a start on it before saying farewell for another few days. The start being to agree a strategy that involved the heavy-duty stapler and the sledgehammer. The fence, like the shed, will make us real allotment people. Then we'll have to turn our attention, finally, to cultivating the plot and growing stuff.Friends: Clare and Chris gave us a lettuce; their allotment is highly organised and productive. Woman across the way with dog called Leo told us various people are complaining to the council about the rabbits. Man hacking down the Forest of Nettles which is where the rabbits live - day 2 of his allotment ownership.
Enemies: White Cabbage Butterfly. Nettles, weeds and anything invasive we have not put in the soil and is not cute. Rabbits. Rabbits. Rabbits.
Weather: sunny and overcast at times. Nice weather for being outside.
Pickings: 1.5 raspberries.
Over and out.
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