Finaly Finshed the Prep work.....ish

This weekend has seen some lovely weather but also the allotment taking real shape. As you can see from the first picture we have managed to get a path for ease of access installed down the middle. Eventually the fist bed will be split into four by a path running from side to side allowing access to the beds all round.

The third bed on the plot has now been completely dug over and looking good. Incidentally we met another couple on the site just opposite of ours who have had their plot for twelve years. They had a wealth of advice about the site and so far found out that our plot is one of the best and nutritious plots as well as having its own micro-climate towards the back of the plot. We were also told that outdoor varieties of tomato's do really well on the site.

 Sarah spent a good part of today clearing all the dead matter from around the raspberry canes and we then came across two small Gooseberry bushes which we are excited about! As the raspberries have been left to their own devices they are a little on the wild side and have started growing all over the place. They have got plenty of last years growth with shoots on so we should come into some kind of crop this year.

And finally, the last bed on the plot has now been dug over! We will now spread some fish blood & bone onto the beds and rake over so they are all ready for planting. On the seed front we have put our cauliflower, cabbage & Brussels seedlings out in the greenhouse which we will transplant either this week or at the weekend. We have also place another order with Kings Seeds including pumpkins, sweetcorn, sprouting & normal broccoli, french beans & peas.

One Week In

So we have now been hard at work getting the plot ready to plant. Its a massive improvement from last week. We have cleared just over half the plot exposing the strawberries which unfortunately will have to be replaced as most were damaged in the clearing! We have worked out we will be able to get two beds in the first quarter then a double strawberry/fruit patch, a third bed, fruit cage where there are raspberries already there and a fourth bed behind that. That should leave us just enough space for a shed and two if not three compost bins. We will have a four year rotation with ample space.

Incidentally the view from our plot today was fantastic clear sky with a good view over the town! Unfortunately from the picture you cant appreciate the view as good as being there! Thanks to the fair weather, it brought some of the other plot holders out and we met a couple of them today. One chap has had his since August and the other chap was with his son & wife had theres for about two years. Having chatted for a while we set about starting to burn the the six wheelie bins worth of stringers, weeds & dead grass we have pulled up so far. We will use the potash on the plot soon enough! Outside of the plot at home we have our Greyhound Cabbage, All The Year Round Cauliflower & Brigitte F1 Brussel Sprouts seedlings coming along nicely as well as our first early potatoes chitting in egg boxes!

Above is the end of the strawberries and the third bed. Hopefully next weekend we shall get hold of some timber to get the paths marked and in then we will be ready for planting! That is the hope! The third bed has taken longer than expected as it is full of dandelions & other deep rooted weeds so meticulously turning the soil has been top priority!

Thank you for reading and hope you enjoyed your insight into our plot & please share with you like minded friends & followers!

Dan & Sarah

Our First Post

So, our first post is introducing you to our blog and our allotment which we have had the keys to for just over a week now. We have been very lucky as the previous owner had kept it well cultivated and covered 75% of the plot in black plastic so has kept the soil in a very good condition. We also have about eight raspberry canes, a possible pear tree, four rows of strawberries & a large rhubarb crown. On the left is a picture of how it looked when we took it over pre snow and freezing weather!

To the right is after about four hours over two days work of turning the top soil over and raking over ready for planting. It was blooming cold! Thankfully due to the plastic covering it, it wasnt frozen! We have replaced the plastic to help keep the soil slightly warmer until the whole plot has thawed so we can plan what what we are going to grow where.

To the left we pulled the last peice of plastic away revealing a path down the middle between where the strawberries are on the right and a bed on the left. The only downside to having the plastic is that the brambles part of the hedge on the right has sent stringers under the plastic and has set shallow roots in some areas but has been easily managed!

We are looking forward to the thaw so we can get planning.


I hope you have enjoyed reading my first post and please feel free to comment.

Daniel & Sarah