24 February - Plotting

Yesterday we went on a whistle-stop tour of the plot with our friends Mr B and L from Suffolk (he who donated the original raspberry bush).

They duly admired and wondered at the amazing Pagoda-like structure that is the cage. And the daffodills are coming out on the bank. And the Elephant garlic is looking good.

We went back today and spent a most useful few hours sorting out bits and bobs. The weather was perfect - mild and sunny, bringing out a rash of allotmenteers and ramblers. It is hard not to feel the sap rising (missus) on a day like this and plant stuff all over the place - but softly, softly gentle reader. First, we have to feel confident that we have defeated Bunny, otherwise we may as well stick with the Ocado deliveries. Second, it is still very early in the outside growing year and we must not get frostbite.

In the last instalment we reported the sowing of seeds thus: French Marigold, Sunflower, Broccoli (Ironman) and Leek (Malabar). Two weeks of tending has resulted in some thriving seedlings, though the leeks are very hard to see at present and one tray of French Marigolds (no not exotic rubber gloves) has not yet sprung. The potatoes are chitting nicely in our conservatory. One thing that is difficult is what temperature seeds need - broccoli and leeks need cold but other things warmer climes. To enable us to be more seed-focussed, we have brought back the cold frame from the plot and installed it in the garden. This morning we sowed our onion seeds - more macho guys - Red Baron and Napoleon. We ponder the merits of planting sets (baby onions) but like the idea of doing it completely from scratch. We also intend to plant some things directly into the ground (cabbage, leek, broccoli) by way of experiment.

Today our priority was to finish securing the fence so that Bunny cannot wriggle through the gap between the top and bottom layers and put wire fencing around the fruit cage so that we can plant things direct. N carried out some slight enhancements - ahem - to the Pagoda. I remark that its unique combination of angles can make a person feel slightly giddy when looking at it.

Due to the loveliness of the weather, we get our deckchairs out and have an allotment lunch and cup of tea. Fantastic. We think of long summer days spent out in the plot, always assuming we have a summer this year of course.

Much chat with various allotment neighbours. The talk is dark and mutinous and we are going to ask Mr G whether an allotment user group can be formed. We (that is, us and Jan and Pat) think we need to have a collective way of lobbying the council to improve site security in a concerted bid to eliminate Bunny. Unfortunately we all spend much more time thinking about rabbitproofing than actually growing and it is expensive - it is also driving plotholders off the allotment. We have had enough. We are revolting. We also think it would be nice and neighbourly to organise an allotment barbie in the summer.

One positive side-effect of the rumoured departure of one of the plotholders is that he has said we can dig up some of his comfrey. This is great news and will save us having to do it from scratch. N and I duly dig up one patch which divides up into 16 or so plantlets. We marvel at the size of the roots which are truly enormous and now understand why comfrey can be a mixed blessing. We have planted it in the very corner of the plot next to the compost pallet thingies. We hope that we can organise first dibs on the netting and possibly fruit trees of the departing plotholder.

We finish laying down bark chips on the paths between the raised beds which now looks right posh and belatedly realise that we could have had chippings for free from the great pile next to the allotment entrance but never mind. At least we bought our chippings from the St Stephens Garden Society Shop (open 2-4 on Saturdays).

Our last task was to identify the area in the Pagoda which will be the seedbed. We duly covered the area with more mushroom compost and black plastic. In a couple of weeks after some dedicated hoeing and raking, it will be ready for seeds. And we will be ready - maybe - to plant our potatoes. Everything to play for, now the plot is secure. We leave in a haze of pleasant anticipation and well-being.

Sorry that some of the photos are not upright - still working on that skill.

10 February 2008 - The ties that bind

After a bit of a blogging break, we can now bring you up to speed on life at the plot. We have been attending its needs (mainly cage construction and remedial fencing - see below), only to find ourselves without the energy to type.

Today saw the completion of Fruit Cage Stage One, plus considerable progress on the plot as a whole. The Fruit Cage front door is in place, constructed using bits and bobs around the plot. Thanks to our lady neighbours, whose drill bits stood in for my own, which have become whatever the equivalent of 'threaded' (as in screws) is. No bite in my bits. It nags, it swings, it closes, and it already has its mesh attached.

So, what's left to do is some roof-level strengthening, net over the top and mesh around the sides. We are pondering what fruit trees to install. Plums, some say. Can you grow peaches in England? Grapevine? Much to think about during the week.

Also thanks to the ladies for the kind loan of their wheelbarrow - used to transport the following from our car in the lane (ground's still to wet to allow vehicles in): four bags of bark (now filling some of the paths between our beds, to suppress weeds and mud); two bags of compost (kitchen and garden waste - waste no more - from the rotating composter in the garden); and two and a half jugs of the liquid that oozes from the rotating composter in the container below. This liquid gold - more like liquid poo - is a very concentrated fertilizer and will bring much joy to our hungry plants. This was a great revelation to us. We had feared that the resulting product would be gooey, gunkey, rancid stuff but it looks like cold tea, or indeed, beer.

We are keeping it in former cider jugs, so, should young tearaways break into our shed, they will drink it and come to regret their jolly japes.

In one of the weekends when we failed to blog, we had purchased some additional fenceposts and some fine wire mesh. We used these to raise the fence to a good four feet above ground, a height over which even the most determined rabbit is unlikely to be able to jump. (Our lady neighbours are doing similar work, though regretting the growing look of compound rather than garden. I think in due course we will see right through the fencing.) Today, K has been doing a second inspection on the join between the original mesh and the upper layer, and twist-tying any leaky-looking bits.

We also increased the level of order around the shed. The long and good wood is tucked behind the pallet-bordered compost heaps. Our compost bin has been moved behind (to the east of) the shed, along with the bulk of our miscellaneous wood supplies.

Arguably most exciting of all - feel free to comment - on our recent trip to the recycling depot, we scored two more pallets and some sort of industrial-sized bobbin (most likely used for electrical wires). It has been united as a table base with one of the paletts forming a tabletop. Although a bit low, it's a good surface and will benefit from having a couple of chairs on which we can eat our picnic lunches.

I think we had mentioned that the model plotters two doors down had started clearing one of the overgrown plots. He uncovered a brickwork oven, which works and produces tremendous heat. I believe I must construct one for the plot, so that we can enjoy bbq drumsticks away from home.

Here's a bark-covered path.

Bankside daffodils emerging. Much birdlife. Glorious spring weather - bringing out noticeably more allotment keepers and ramblers - must not plant anything yet into the ground. Giant garlic grows apace snug in its Environmesh and in a handy wooden portable frame for protection. One or two of the strawberry plants appear to be surviving after their ordeal.

We already have potatoes a-chittin in the upstairs office (Arran Pilot, first earlies, and Sarpona Axona maincrop).

Home in time to plant seeds: leeks (Malabar), broccoli (Ironman), sunflowers and marigolds (for crop protection), which will have the early days inside and then be hardened off for outdoor planting. We will also plant broccoli and leek seeds straight into the beds when it gets warmer - we thought we'd try it both ways to see which works better.