Planning and Reviewing April in Previous Years

Reviewing the diary over the last Seven years for April 

2013 - After Burning everything that could be burnt in March, I finally started digging and weeding the first four beds on Mill Green Allotment, installing the woodchip paths and establishing the comfrey bed.

2014 - Potatoes in buckets, Potatoes in the ground, Sowing Tomatoes, Beetroots, Spring Onions, weeding and fertilising beds, potting on tomatoes into vending machine cups. a cold snap and fleece over the spuds.

2015 -  New edging to beds, Planting potatoes in buckets, Potatoes in the ground, Brassicas into vending machine cups, Sowing Tomatoes,  

2016 - Daffs in Comfrey bed 1, Digging and weeding new beds, Freecycle Slabs, planting Potatoes

2017 - Infrastructure works, paths desperately need replacing Neglecting Mill Green in favour of Spencer Road site as access is just so difficult due to construction traffic and no where to park. Jen in hospital with pneumonia so huge reduction in anything associated with the allotment, finally discharged and turns into Hell boy and re admitted. Constructed runner bean cantilever brackets and the extension to the shed at Spencer Road. Construction and erection of the comfrey pipe at Spencer Road. Kerb edgings and a double Dalek picked up from Freecycle. 

2018 - Plot 1 covered with weed membrane, Still on Spencer Road allotment at this stage, Plant Spuds in Buckets, Sacks of grass from Ron, Tomatoes potted on into vending machine cups, Allium Trays and planted onions, Spuds planted in the ground, Bought new B&Q Strimmer, Sowing Cucumbers, Butternut Squash and Marrows, Apple Trees in Blossom, Bluebells flowering in the Comfrey Bed, Cabbages and cauliflowers planted donated by Keith & Pauline, Onions in modules planted out,   

2019 - A lot of time was spent going backwards and forwards to the hospital due to the injury I had at the end of March and the Cellulitis that had flared up on my leg. Because of the pain and the infection gardening was really out of the question. My daughter and future son-in-law did what they could to help me get plants in the ground on the plot and I was only allowed to attend in a purely supervising role. I did make onion bed planting membrane and I was allowed to visit on my own to fill up the compost Dalek. First Early spuds in buckets, Obtained Tumbling Composter off Freecycle.  

Planned for 2020

Three storms in February which was the wettest in recorded history, so I'm still playing catch up with a lot of items that were scheduled to happen in February and March. So if the weather permits I have to undertake more Infrastructure works, and removing and storing  the Hawthorne then drying it and storing it ready for burning in October when we can once again have fires, The priority for April is getting on with the growing season which really kicks off after the last frost which in our area is the last week in April.

Coronavirus UPDATE

Early into March I ended up self isolating because my wife is very high risk and from the looks of things we will be in isolation for a lot longer than the 12 weeks that Boris Johnson was originally talking about. The To Do List below will remain and be added too with fighting the weeds that will come due to the neglect. As someone who is on his plot all year round and does not leave it alone during Autumn & Winter and who uses it instead of therapy and for my mental well being it's tearing me apart not being able to get to her.

Yes I have decided my allotment is a woman, it is dealing with mother nature after all.

To Do List  

Below is the to do list in no particular order and catching up with what actually happened in March and what has slipped into April 2020. ( It's gonna slip a whole lot longer ……)

Mill Green - Plot 1A

• Clear Bed 2 of Cabbages and cover - TBD
• Progress on the wall rebuild behind Shed - Contractor has removed trees
• Remove and dispose of Corex on the roof - TBD once wall has been rebuilt
• Re felt the roof of the shed - Tree removed from roof, temporary cover in place   
• Fix the potting Bench - TBD
• Clear the Wasp Nest in greenhouse 1A - To Be Done once the wasps have gone! 
• Rhubarb Bed to be created - clearance of weeds in current location and move when ready
• Tidy Up the Allotment - Ongoing and looking better all the time
• Weeding - Never ending job   
• Clear Seating Area - TBD
• New Fix the Runner Bean Frames to the wall - Completed  

Mill Green - Plot 1

• As much infrastructure works as the weather will allow - Seven Raised Beds Constructed in Feb two installed in March and waiting for areas to be dug and weeded 
• Install the kerb edging along the bottom of Plot 1 - TBD
• Clear the weeds and install a 600mm margin around the perimeter of the plot - Ongoing
• Woodchip the Margin around the perimeter of the plot. - Ongoing 
• Beds and Paths - 2 New beds and paths in
• Erect the greenhouse - New Timbers to be cut and treated   
• Tidy Up the Allotment - Ongoing and looking better all the time
• Remove remaining Hawthorne bushes from the wall - TBD
• Stock pile Hawthorne to dry before burning - TBD 
• Stockpile Timber ready for burning  - Ongoing
• New Install at least four new beds and paths in March - First on the 1st March, Second on the 8th March, I have 4 more frames ready  
• Planning - Ongoing

Home 

• Planning - Ongoing
• Catalogue Seeds - Vegetables for 2020 done just flowers remain.
• New Cut Path Weed Membrane - Ideal Isolation Job in dry weather    
• New Cut Bed Weed Membrane - Ideal Isolation Job in dry weather 
• New Cut Planting Membrane - Ideal Isolation Jovb

Reminders

• None at the moment.- Add when remembered.

APRIL
April on	Asparagus - harvest when 15cm high
Week 1	Asparagus Crowns - plant outside
Week 1	Brussels Sprouts - Sow seed of mid to late varieties
Week 1	Onion Sets - plant
Week 1 Week 1	Radish - sow seed under cloches - French Breakfast 3  Spring Onions - sow fortnightly - Long Red Florence
Week 1 - 2	Carrot - remove cloches from early sown varieties
Week 1 - 2	Carrot - sow early seed varieties in open
Week 1	Onion Sets - protect from birds for 5 weeks
Week 1	Turnip - start to sow seed outdoors
Week 2	Beetroot - sow seed in pots indoors
Week 2	Leek - sow seed outside in a temporary seed bed
Week 2	Tomatoes - pot-up young plants
Week 2 Week 2 Week 2 Week 2 Week 2	Squash / pumpkins - sow seed indoors Butternut / Winter Mash / Winter Baked  Marrow - two varieties Lettuce - sow fortnightly  Radish - Start to Harvest early February Sowings
Week 3	Cabbage Spring - harvest
Week 3	Cauliflower (summer) - weekly feed
Week 3	Cucumber (ridge) - sow seeds indoors
Week 3	Kale - sow in pots or seed bed
Week 3	Lettuce - begin to thin seedlings, distance by variety
Week 3	Radish - sow seed outside - Eiszapfen
Week 3 Week 3	Spring Onions - sow fortnightly - Pompeii Sweetcorn - sow seed indoors / greenhouse
Week 4	Beetroot - sow seed outside
Week 4 Week 4	Leek - harden off container grown seedlings Lettuce - sow
Week 4	Parsnip - sow seed outside
Week 4	Sweetcorn - sow seed under cloches
Week 4 Week 4	Turnip - thin seedlings 15cm earlies, 25cm maincrops Last Frost