Failings

Failing no 1

OK,  April's nearly over and I still haven't got the potatoes OR onions planted.

I'd made up my mind to go straight to the allotment after I'd taken the kids to school this morning, and guess what, it was pouring with rain.  In fact it's rained nearly all day. Tomorrow I'm at work, so nothing doing until Wednesday. 

Failing no 2

This is good news for me, but it is a bit of a cheat, so I'll class this as a confession too.  My mum's husband (the real gardener in the family) has sown some seeds for me, and they're going to bring the seedlings over in a few weeks.

End of admissions of my gardening failings for today.

On a more positive note, I've finally decided on a planting plan for this year; I'm now trying to add it to the blog.  Success!!   Click here to view my plan.

Seed potatoes have arrived

9.10am and there's a ring at the door - it's the parcel delivery man with a package from JBA Seed Potatoes. Now I've got something I can actually plant in the ground I've cleared already; some King Edwards, Caras and Pentland Dells, as well as 3 potato sacks (got to be ready for the harvest). I think the spare room will now be known as the chitting room. For a while anyway.

Proud owner of an overgrown plot

At some point over the weekend of 7-8 March I decided that my 40ft x 20ft back garden wasn't big enough for fruit, veg, flowers, patio and a dog run. Something had to give, and it would have to be the fruit and veg. (The kids would never forgive me if I got rid of the dog!!)

A couple of hours later, I had a lightbulb moment - get an allotment to grow the fruit and veg. I decided to go down to the allotment and put myself on the waiting list.

On Monday morning I took the kids to school and walked down the hill to the allotment. The Secretary asked me to come back on Wednesday morning. Me and the dog had a wander around; I could see a few overgrown plots though that doesn't necessarily mean that they're vacant. I was feeling optimistic and hoping I wouldn't have to wait too long for a plot.

Wednesday morning came and I went back down there again. Asked nicely please could I have a plot with a shed. The Secretary smiled ruefully and said the plot didn't have a shed, sorry. OK, can't expect everything to go my way, I'm about to get a plot so I'll sort something out about a shed - somehow. He took me over to have a look. Long, thin and full of weeds, as expected. Then he had a lightbulb moment, there's another plot about half the size of this one that had recently been given up, do I want to have a look. As we approach it he says "Oh, it's got a shed on it too". Blessings from Heaven. I've got to admit I fell in love with the plot there and then. Love at first sight. Just show me where to sign.

So, as of 11 March, I'm the proud owner of a lovely flat plot (many are on a slope), facing East-West so it will catch the sun all day. It's 96ft x 24ft - and like the other plot full of weeds - couch grass (twitch?), nettles and docks. 2300 sq ft of perennial weeds to get rid of, and no bonfires allowed on site after 31 March (until Autumn). Can I do the whole plot in 20 days? Doubt it. I'm not used to hard work, so I think it'll be 'little and often' for me!

Here's a short video I took that day, showing the view from my shed.

And here's a couple of pics taken yesterday. I've dug over a couple of plots of about 10ftx 10ft each, but I can't decide whether to go with beds separated by paths or strips running across the allotment.

And today, I've joined the 2 beds together, though I still can't decide on the layout!

Anyway tomorrow's Grand National day so I'll be at work (in the bookies), so I won't be back on the allotment until Sunday at least. All I can hear in my head is "it's April and you have to get potatoes and onions in this month". So much to do, so little time.