Weeds

Weeds that deserve special mention:

Nipplewort
Redshank
Creeping Buttercup

Stinkhorn Fungus (Phallus impudicus) See comment

Manure Pile & Strawberries

Spent most of the day yesterday digging and moving the compost heap into a wider bed for later planting. Scary amount of bind weed root and cooch grass removed. Also planted out the secind strawberry bed. These have gone in after onions and I have put them in under shade cloth but without adding any new manure. Planted them in about 8 inches apart - tried to pick out the youngest plants that rooted from runners around the edge of the old bed. Am going to put main crop potatoes down in the old strawberry bed to try and clear it.

Pea's planted out in pots are sprouting, summer sprouting brocolli has germinated, savoy cabbage looking a little burned- I think the propagator lid may have over cooked them. Have taken the lid off and left open to the elements. Hopefully they will recover.

Clearing bind weed from the strawberry bed

Dug the strawberries and moved them to the bed next to compost. Enough plants to make 2 beds this year

Strawberries moved today

Dug the old strawberry bed today. Got a barrow load full

Bed 5

Left to right:
Carrot, garlic, parsnip

Bed 4

Broad beans

I doubled up the planted rows of broad beans yesterday because I am not sure whether I planted sufficient seed in the first lot - there is a 2 week gap in the planting too so this may also give me a longer picking period. Wait and see!

Bed 3

Carrot, golden beetroot, spinach

Bed 2

Left to right:
Onion, shallot, shallot, carrot

Bed 1

Left to right:
Parsnip first 3 poles
Beetroot, beetroot, carrot

Planting: Seed trays and propagators

Got home from London meetings slightly early yesterday so took the opportunity to plant some seedlings in trays at home. Planted:
- Savoy Cabbage: in tray with propagator lid
- Summer sprouting Brocolli: in tray with propagator lid
- Ailsa Graig Tomatoes: in tray with propagator lid
- Peas in individual pots (small pots)
- Potato seeds gathered from the 2008 crop that seeded a lot (but the envelope that the seed had been kept in had got wet so there was a mould on some of the seeds - hopefully this will not cause a problem!!
- Thyme in a seed tray

Lunch

Start of Allotment Diary

I've to keep a diary of my allotment so that I know what's been planted, when and how well its done. I am going into my second full growing season having taken over the plot from old Reg (God rest his soul) who had worked the plot for over 20 years. Unfortunately he got to an age where his arthiritis and strength did not allow him to carry on, even though his back garden gate opened straight out onto the plot.

I took it over in very late spring of 2008 and I have Nick P-G to thank for introducing me to the hidden gem that nestles quietly behind the village recreation ground. In that first summer season I grew potatoes, tended the old rasberries left by Reg - but not much else. Unfortunately I did not quite realise that leaving areas of the allotment to be overun with weeds would leave me with a seed bed of invaders that I am now fighting with and will no doubt continue to do battle with for a few more years. I have been takinf photo's of the allotment through the year so will upload these soon. I will also begin to log planting dates and beds.