7 November 2006

More planting!

Sounds like we've been lucky with the weather up here as the allotment is still very easy to dig and not that muddy at all. So taking advantage of the situation another couple of bags of bark chippings were added to the play area to give it a greater depth (bringing it to 8 bags in all), and the wheelbarrow was introduced to its new home!

Certainly made it a lot easier to move things around (i.e. the rubbish from one end to another), resulting in it being reasonably clear now. Well apart from the leaves, but I'm trying to gather up as many of them as possible in the spare bags from the bark chippings. Eventually hoping to get some nice leaf mulch.

So the digging... Manage to finally get round to planting the tulips and daffodils (maybe a little late?), in the hope that come spring there will be something growing and showing encouragement - and also saving on some florist bills! I also divided the rhubarb crowns (as shown on Gardener's World last Friday) and temporarily put them in as well, before deciding on a permanent home for it.

So the next task is to plan out some beds and paths. Fortunately there are a lot of bricks on the allotment so I will use these to mark out the boundaries, and weigh down the weed fabric on any areas that get dug.

Still no manure. Still need to have a big bonfire. And still need to get rid of all the rotten wood. Oh and apparently clearing the path to the allotment is the plot holders responsibility as well, heaven forbid the council do anything useful like making them accessible. The water has been turned off for the winter until March now, with the promise of a tap being fitted then. The site we are on theoretically has just under 200 plots available, but I defy anyone to find more than half of them. Given the huge demand there seems to be at the moment (loads of people looking around for plots), you'd think the council/allotment office would try and make them look more attractive to take on - i.e. make the paths usable, cut down a few trees, moan, moan... Off to find contact details for local councillor.

7 comments:

Greenmantle said...

Monty's Rhubarb tip is a good'un I think. Whenever I've been near it, on the plot, or in the garden as a kid, the best stalks are always on the outside.

Hope the Council are ready for you!...A plotholder...wanting something sensible done...Good Lord!..Better have meeting, or better still, an away-day Focus Group to consider it.

Best of luck.

GM

Greenmantle said...

.....And dig in those ashes from the bonfire where you next want to plant onions or shallots.

RobD said...

Thanks for the tip re the ashes

Anonymous said...

I sometimes wonder what planet my council is on after filling one skip i asked for another - only to be told you only get one a year (for the whole site,90, plots) when i got my lottie i was told it was up to me to clear it, they had no funds to do it and they ummed and arr`d over the first skip until i asked does asbestos burn, theres quite a bit of corrugated in amongst the rubbish in this old shed. skip arrived two days later....

RobD said...

You get a skip!!! We get told to take it to the tip ourselves! Judging by the map I was sent out of our site before taking on the plot, they don't get down there much...

Unknown said...

hmmm, you see, you say there is a better view, but I'll have to take your word for it as there are there are disappointingly few photos - get clicking !

I tried to get a skip too, but no chance - we took loads of non burnable rubbish to the tip (that'll be the royal we) and ended up burning the rest

RobD said...

Sorry too busy trying to clear weeds and find some soil for photos. OK, I keep forgetting the camera, will try harder!