The morning was largely spent digging out the couch grass and it's network of roots from the rear left corner of the plot where a historical fire had been and there were a lots of big stones, bricks and debris to be found within the long grass.
The rear right corner by the shed was cleared and a huge sack of rubbish bagged for taking home, well actually my sisters as she is away on holiday and has this really empty wheelie bin that needs filling. Before leaving for home I used the plastic sheet to cover up the rear of the plot that is now weed free except a margin with the plot behind mine, but this area needs a second digging and weeding before the infrastructure goes in.
Sunday dinner and then a return visit to get the fire going, armed with my trusty weed burner and a new bottle of gas picked up from Wicks on the way back. I spend some time knocking the timber and the pallets to chase off any wild life that may have taken residence under the heap in the pallets, especially after seeing the slow worm a couple of weeks ago, I don't want to cremate such a beautiful creature.
The 20m hose was connected and it only reached to just behind the guy next doors shed, so the second 20m hose was connected to get me near to the fire should I need it. I must try the other water butt and tap and see if that's nearer to me next time.
I primed pockets of paper and BBQ fire lighters around the heap again making lots of noise to scare off anything then started the weed burner and went around lighting the primed pockets. Well it went up very slowly and the earlier dryer stuff at the front of the plot went first and the later material to the rear went out.
Once it really got going the core and pallet base was like a furnace and it travelled slowly along. I continued raking and digging up weeds and adding them to the pile and then digging a bed properly. One of the residence called to some plot mates nearer the road that my fire was causing a nuisance.
In the UK there are no laws against having a bonfire, but there are laws for the nuisance they can cause. The plot holders told her my smoke was blowing parallel to the road and into the woodland and that if she turned around she would see the source of the smoke was her neighbour four doors away and not from my plot.
I went up and introduced myself to the plot holders who had so vigorously defended my honour and we had a nice chat. I met quite a few new neighbours this weekend and there is a really nice atmosphere on this site.
Before and After shot of the allotment.
From my neighbours plot looking at the smoke rising from mine
Street scape from a couple of plots up from mine
The true culprit of her woes!
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