26 November 2007 - An ad

We are pleased to report that other members of the family have seen the benefits that blogging can bring in the way of collective information sharing and the fostering of debate - our brother-in-law Daren in Toronto has begun his own blog. It deals with far more elevated matters than ours, such as the televising of baseball and the role of lawyers in a free and democratic society. We thought our readers, especially the lawyers, might benefit from access to this more intellectual fodder as an aid to rumination. So get on the elevator by following the link below - meantime, we'll continue with the ground-level stuff this end.

http://www.wildsound-filmmaking-feedback-events.com/daren_foster.html

19 & 25 November 2007 - Bed the second

This is a two part post. First, we forgot to post last Sunday's (19 November) labours, probably because they were pretty mundane. We took up the compost that had been "brewing" in our rotating composter and K womanfully emptied all of it out to mix with the stuff that was already in situ in the "Dalek" compost container. N got on with preparing the wood for the second bed and digging the trench, an activity which has become almost second nature. Very pleasing seeing that the old stuff was almost completely rotted down to dark crumbly organic matter. We did not do more on the plot because we had exciting bulb planting activity in our actual garden.

We had a late-morning start at the allotment (25 Nov), but completed the trench for the walls of our second proper bed. Then much screwing of the walls and, kerplunk, our second bed. Now the interior needs double-digging, with incorporation of our compost and perhaps some manure. Maybe worms, too. It's the clay-ey-est corner of the plot, and needs breaking up. The clods we dig up are white and lead us to speculate on the age-old mystery of what happens to old dog poo when it goes white - how come we never see it no more?

Dug up three (collective noun - heads) of celery, which have never really approached the majesty of commercial celery. A bit small, thick veins - lack of or too much water - hard to know what went wrong. However, at the end of the day, after much washing at home, it was transformed into soup. Delicious. And sampling a raw stalk led us to conclude that it was finally reaching its zenith. We find out from books that celery is all the better for having been bit by the November frosts we have had. We also harvested sprouts for dinner, which are boiling now. They too also benefit from the frost.

We anticipate much help from N's brother Andrew next weekend, and Andrew and Tim (the Australian Nephew) the following weekend. Perhaps crack the Fruit Cage. The plot now looks sleepy and autumnal, apart from the sprout plants and the celery. The overwintering onions are showing very willing (we have a picture but it is very hard to decipher the growth in these small pictures so won't bore you with it) and the raspberries have finally packed up their bags - we have to cut them down almost to nothing in the spring. Nothing yet showing for the Elephant Garlic but it has been mighty cold of late, with proper frosts and everything.

So few hours of daylight these days. Zzzzzzz.

11 November - Taking Stock

We start this post by apologising profusely to all our readers who will no doubt be wondering why we haven't been keeping them up to date with the exciting developments on the plot. There are several reasons for this, all of them valid and some may say, extenuating. We have had a HOLIDAY - gasp - away from this country for some 10 days. We also had a housewarming party the weekend after we returned. There is also the Autumn Equinox factor. When you are busy 9-5ers like us, and the clock goes back so all of a sudden no weekday visits are possible, time suddenly becomes a premium commodity. Coupled with the distractions mentioned above, it is really no wonder that we have let things slip on the blogging front. (A minor complication has been the recalibration etc of various home computing issues which has not helped. Hence you will not be getting any videos for a wee while.) Oh and the guests, as the long-awaited picture of Simon, Ruth and Gemma above will testify. They visited back on 13 October! (It goes without saying that while guests are lovely, less time is spent on actually doing anything do the plot.) Anyway, here is a picture of S, R & G with our hearfelt apologies for not getting it up sooner - it's not that we hate you, honest

The plot today looked rather sad and tired and we suspect glad to see us. Our gate had been broken open, we suspect by vandals, though no other significant damage was done. K started on the autumnal clearing up of the plot, whilst N embarked on an exciting Spring project, the planting of daffodill bulbs on the raised bank running alongside the plot. The remaining strands of the once magnificant pumpkin plant are now composted, as are the dead peas. The speedy leeks (note - spring onions really) and remaining carrots were harvested. The bed that they were in (Bed A? I lose track of our nomenclature) is now covered with black plastic, and the edges of the plot that bounds our neighbours we have carpeted to squish weeds.

The one good pumpkin we had, by the way, played an important part in our housewarming party. It was carved and lit - and indeed made the most comforting soup you can imagine. The other pumpkins all fell to rot and went soggy.

We started on the next raised bed - in the corner next to the compost pile where the pumpkin was growing. The black plastic was ceremoniously raised to reveal a fairly unpleasant looking muddy surface with brown debris of the dead weeks. This area we will dig soon, but want to see if the weeds come up in the next few days. N has begun making the wooden walls. A good start to that end of the plot. The pumpkin compost heap was covered in black plastic, as covered in grass and weeds, and carpet. When it has died down, we will use it to fill the beds.

K planted the overwintering onions in the first raised bed on 15 October. They look to be thriving and in the other half of the bed, we have planted Giant Garlic. It is the chunkiest bulb you have ever seen and apparently grow enormous plants with beautiful allium heads. Here is a picture of K holding just one of the CLOVES! In the spring, the rest of our garlic, Solent White, will be planted. (Both these were bought at St Albans Farmers Market.)

In the other remaining bed, the celery still continues, but we are beginning to wonder when it will ever be ready. The stalks are thin and green and not especially cerely-y. We had our first taste of the Brussel sprouts for dinner today, and anticipate more, even though the top leaves of the big plant resemble green lacework thanks to what our allotment neighbour thinks are whitefly. Raspberries are stilll coming.

Chatted to two of our allotment neighbours today, one of whom had an improvement notice served on him by the council! A lesson for us all. The other one (the Perfect Plot) has a very fine strawberry bed established and was digging in mushroom compost into one of his beds. Humph.

We had an allotment lunch, and at the end of our time, took a while to sit and contemplate the plot and its lovely environment. Up to four robins sang to us, perched hopefully on spades and flitted off again. Cows mooed in the neighbouring field. All in all, it's good to be back on the plot.

Weather note: sunny and cloudy. Warm enough to work in shirtsleeves but not for too long.

5 October - Mum's the word

We owe you an apology for the slight hiatus in bringing you news of the plot. There are many and various reasons for the hiatus but none that can totally justify leaving our readers so deprived.

Truth to tell, the only big event was the visit of Penelope, N's mum, who has indeed commented on the blog in the past and was eager to see for herself the glorious plot. She was suitably impressed by the fence and the new bed, and enjoyed snacking on lovely ripe raspberries (they keep on comin'). For Sunday dinner, we had lovely potatoes from the plot and carrots.

Everything looked OK on a cursory inspection, though we think the spring cabbage seedlings will not last. They are diminishing in number due to evil slugs. The onions, on the other hand, seem to be surviving and we will plant out in the new bed soon. One to chalk up to experience.

We are also impressed by our plot neighbours' new fruit cage and this makes us realise we should really get on with digging up the bed with carrots, peas and speedy leeks in as fast as possible so that we can get ours built. Once again, they lead the way.

30 September - Brief Encounter

This weekend we were very busy with matters arboreal at the bottom of our garden, so our visit to the plot was brief, though productive. We had hoped to get some Hertfordshire compost from the recycling centre, but unfortunately (or, looking at the bigger picture, fortunately) they were sold out. We wheedled another pallet from the nice recycling folk, to add to the one we got from the Radlett hardware store yesterday, on a separate mission. Two pallets - schweet. Instead, we opted for 3 large bags of all purpose compost and ditto farmyard manure from Homebase. Interestingly, the latter was pong-free. This was to dig into our new bed, to prepare it for the growing season ahead, and to give our spring cabbage seedlings and onions the best possible start. It didn't take long, and now looks thoroughly dug and ready for anything.

More raspberries have appeared - and instantly consumed. We cannot help ourselves. The celery still appears to be thriving, but is still not ready for proper eating. The brussels sprout plant is doing great guns and we already think of Christmas dinner (even though I hate sprouts). The peas are beginning to look tired and a bit blit by something, though we took some home to have with dinner. We also had the first of the speedy leeks - akin to a spring onion, they are feisty and tasty and can be eaten raw.

The 5 remaining pumpkins are looking good and are probably feeling the benefit of the pruning the plant was given recently. In response to the changing season, the plant is now looking decidedly sleepy and is not putting out any new tendrils. Once it has done its bit, we will move the mound of soil about to put into one of the new beds (once dug).

The spring cabbage seedlings sown directly into the soil last week have come up. We worry about slugs. The onion seedlings appear to be happy but the cabbages we had sown into peat pots less so, most of which appear to have been eaten. We still think there will be enough for our new dug bed.

On the way out, we bump into someone who used to work at the same place as us a few years back who has a plot at the front of the allotment. It is a small world we think - as is the allotment. His was a cautionary tale - having managed to quash all weeds, he left it alone for 6 weeks and has just come back to a mini-jungle. The weeds are currently in the driving seat, but we hope not for long.

Weather note: some rain during the week, sunny and cloudy. Something for everyone. It is starting to feel less summery and the allotment overall is beginning to assume a slightly dishevelled look. Bit like us really.

22-23 September 2007 - Family plot

Much joy as my sister Rachel arrives for an overnight visit - fitting us in between Finland and Canada. Jet-lagged, she is bundled off immediately, of course, to the allotment, where she is suitably impressed, and notes the luxury of a plot within walking distance of home.

With the girls out on an improving walk in the pastures, I am left to complete the fourth wall of our new raised bed. Which eventually fits, with a little jiggery and some pokery. A final break-up of the soil follows, and the beginning of mixing in soil-improving compost.

Rachel watered like a seasoned professional.

Meet the newest allotmenteer, Corner Guy, as he will be known until we learn his name. Worringly, he says he was told that he needed some sort of planning permission to erect a shed. Hmm. Lacking aforementioned permission, we may need to paint ours in camouflage patterns and colours, rather than the fetching robin's-egg blue we had in mind.

We snack on some peas and raspberries, improve the raspberry netting, and note, with relief, the absence of rabbit droppings.

Not, we fear, a state likely to prevail on our western neighbours' plot.

Later, some teamwork on repairing the trailer so that it can support our allotment work in a manner befitting a trailer. All hands on deck, and a fine result.

Return on Sunday for a touch more pokery, then away to Radlett again to acquire more wood from our Freecycle philanthropist. Confess to the trailer mismanagement and the heroic role of his climbing rope, and settle for what battens we can fit in our car. He's got a really nifty circular saw, which I am coming to regard as a tool I must have.

So our wood pile grows, and plans forming for a Louis XVI-style pattern of beds and paths to the west, with fruit cage in the middle and shed, compost and (perhaps) gazebo to the east.

A brief tour for you.

16 September - Bedtime

A quick blog of today's plot events. As reported yesterday, the late lamented Pumpking left some deserving relatives who have rallied to the cause. We made soup today of the pumpkin flowers we harvested yesterday which was fine if a tad exotic. Apparently, you can eat pumpkin leaves too - they stirfry etc just like other greens. Also you deserve a brief weather update. It has been lovely, early September weather - sunny and warm and very inviting, though no rain.

N went to the plot and began the task of assembling the wood to make the bed where the potatoes had grown. Prior to that, we had gone to Homebase and acquired a corner shed tidy thingie for our tools - a tidy shed is a tidy mind and all that. By the time I arrived, one side had already been assembled out of three long planks nailed to a corner batten. I did some subsidiary digging in the bed to enable accurate placing of this first element of the bed, and matters proceeded apace, so that we have three sides of our first properly protected bed. The soil is piled together in a heap in the middle until we dig it properly. The plan is to have a walkway across the middle in order to reach the crops. The wood is fantastic.

There was also much remedial raspberry cage business which resulted in a cracked cane as the wind is getting up - the raspberries are coming into their prime and there are many more than we thought there would be.

I pondered long and hard about the poor seedlings I had transported up from our conservatory still in their peat pots. They are manifestly too small to plant out according to the books, yet I am unsure as to where they should be right now they have started to emerge as they are meant to be "overwintering". After a while, I remember the protecting cloche/hoop thingie we had bought ages ago, and put the seedlings in their peat pots and in trays underneath it in the bed with the sprouts and celery. This will give them warmth and protection whilst allowing them a bit more time to grow and us time to prepare their eventual home. Other than that, I guess I could always plant seeds direct but that would be a great waste of the time and effort taken to grow them indoors. I am beginning to think more positively about the bed option for our plot.

Following our time on the plot, we then adjourned to The Neighbours for a gorgeous Sunday lunch/dinner and lots of wine. We had some of our peas as an hors d'ouevre - nothing sweeter or fresher has ever been tasted.