Picking Up Timber

 

Up washed and dressed and on the building site a few doors up from my property at 8:30 to scrounge as many lengths of timber that I can as the contractor is about to load all the offcuts and site debris into their half truck to go to their year for burning and disposal. 

Four trips with my wheel barrow and each time I got back to the site the guys has placed any timber worth having against the site gate ready for me to reload my wheel barrow and transport to my drive. 

Anything 1.2m or less without any nails or screws in went straight onto the back seat of the car and anything longer or with screws and nails was stacked under my window box, to be dealt with tomorrow.

I was knackered after picking it up and gave the lads on site a pack of chocolate digestive biscuits to have on their tea break, as a thank you, and was informed there would be more timber next week and to keep my eyes out and I can collect again next clean up.   

What To Sow In February?

 

Simply Seeds Web Site

Coffee & Chat

Late getting to the allotment this morning as I was waiting for a delivery of onion sets. It transpires that Wally was the one that did the right back half and John did the right front half yesterday.  

Both of them were on the site this morning and Wally made coffee John brought some biscuits and we had coffee & biscuits and a natter sitting in Wally's shed, putting the world to rights. Then before I knew it was time to go and have lunch with my daughter and grandson. 

Idverde have stopped dropping off woodchip as most allotments main paths are way too boggy with all the storms and rain we have been having. 

Organic Onion (Spring) Crusado F1

The Organic Gardening Catalogue have kindly sent me a 250g bag of Onion ‘Crusado’ F1 seta that they have added to their catalogue this year. It is a high performing variety exhibiting improved yields, quality and disease resistance. Which is the result of years of intense breeding by the renowned seed company Hazera,  

Crusado is a relatively early, long-day hybrid giving high yields of uniform, yellow-brown, round onions that are easy to chop whilst minimising wastage. This easy-to-grow variety features tough skin, thin necks and a very strong root system enabling it to outperform other varieties in dry conditions.  

One of the longest storing of white onions, the bulbs will store for several months and retain excellent quality. An excellent choice for the beginner or seasoned grower providing a bounty of well-flavoured, superb quality onions for long term use. Height: 45cm (18in). Spread: 15cm (6in).

Plant onion sets in rows in any firm, well-drained soil in full sun. Prepare the planting area several weeks in advance by incorporating some well-rotted garden compost to improve drainage and soil fertility. Avoid planting onions on freshly manured soil. 

On particularly wet ground, try growing onion sets in raised beds. When growing onions from sets, plant the bulbs so that the tip of bulb is just protruding through the soil surface. Leave a space of 100mm (4") between each bulb, and 300mm (12") between each row.

Not Looking Good This Week

 

The weather is not looking good for allotment visits this week. At the moment

Monday 41 - 80% High Chance of Precipitation & Gusty Winds from the South / South West

Tuesday Low Chance of Precipitation between 9 - 10:30 Gusty Winds from the South / South West 

Wednesday 70 % Chance of Light Showers most of the day 

Thursday Low Chance of Precipitation 25%  between 9:00 - 12:00 Then zero chance from 13:00 - 16:00 

Friday Low Chance 40% - 18% of Precipitation less in the afternoon 

Saturday Low Chance 0 - 34% of Precipitation dry between 9:00 - 12:30 

Sunday 33% - 47% Chance of Precipitation between 9:00 - 12:00 then Dry between 13:00 - 16:00

Re-Planning The Allotment Infrastructure

It was bitterly cold this morning but I had arranged to show plot 3A to the next tenants on the waiting list, and by the end of showing the couple the plot, our hands were frozen, and all three of us just wanted to get back in the warm. I let them out of the allotment and closed my potting shed up and made my home just as ice cold rain started. 

Due to the radical radiotherapy treatment for my solitary bony plasmacytoma cancer in 2023 and the loss of mobility due to Extensive hypermetabolic arthropathy. I'm having to redesign the infrastructure of my two half plots

Arthropathy is a joint disease can be associated with a hematologic (blood) disorder, and my cancer is a form of blood cancer. My PET.CT Scans show I have problems in all my joints and as a result walking, is difficult, and getting down on my hands and knees to weed and sow seeds is now impossible for me. 

So In 2024 I started by making the two Square Foot Garden beds by the potting shed into raised beds

I have half converted and full framed ground level plot into two number two scaffold board high (450mm) Raised beds with a new path in between. I now plan to make this modification all over the allotment.       

Above is the proposed layout on the basis that I can get hold of a load of Free 1200mm x 800mm pallet collars or 800mm x 600mm pallet collars and twin them up to make 1200 x 800mm Raised beds.

There is a difficulty with just trying to convert the framed ground level beds layout into raised bed layout as I made the paths 600mm wide and the standard wheelbarrow being 620mm and will not fit between two raised beds. 

My solution is to turn alternate the beds directions thus making alternate beds narrower thus making the paths wider so I can get the wheelbarrow around the allotment to all the beds.   

Over 2024 I have been looking into options like poly tunnels or a larger level entry greenhouse as I'm having difficulties getting in and out of the two 1800 x 1200mm (6ft x 4ft) Palram greenhouses, which at the moment I'm using to dry coffee grounds in the plot 1A greenhouse, and to store magic cardboard to line the bottom of the new raised beds, in the plot 1 greenhouse. 

Above is the plan for plot 1A 

Above is the plan for plot 1 

I'm not sure if it will happen but there may be an opportunity for me to get hold of some pallet collars for free dropped off to the allotment. I'm seeing how many other allotment holders may be interested if this opportunity does become a reality, and I have altered my plan for the allotment as shown above. 

Pallet Collars are only 195mm high, so 2 Pallet collars gives 390mm and 3 gives 585mm which is a little higher than the two scaffold boards that gives a height of 450mm.  

I will need around 105 number 1200mm x 800mm or 210 number 800mm x 600mm Pallet Collars.  

Hopefully I will find out next week if the free pallet collars will happen, and that will accelerate the conversion of the infrastructure considerably.

Showing Prospective Plot Holders Plots 11A & 3A

This google earth photo dates back to the 19th July 2013 which was in my first full year on the allotment site. As can be seen trees were well established on both plots 3A and 11A. 

Two years ago the trees were cut down by John and Wally once the two plots became vacant. 

The council failed in the task of grinding the tree roots out and clearing all the debris off the two plots in late 2024 and after asking idverde for a favour have acknowledge that the scope of works left uncompleted is too much of a stretch to ask for as a freebee, and asked for a formal quote and have appointed Idverde to sort out the fly tipping in the car park that their own nominated contractors left. 

We are still awaiting the collection of debris on plot 3A to happen, which is part of the quoted works, but the site gets looked at tomorrow. I will be chasing the head of parks regarding the trees stumps and roots that remain, but I think it will be unlikely to happen because the council is inept, and could not organise a booze up in a brewery.   

See my article Defining Cultivation & Recovering Plots written in October 2024 

This afternoon I showed a tenant on the list plot 11A and tomorrow morning I have another tenant to show plot 3A. The other person on the waiting list dose not want to view the last remaining plot, they have just said yes they will have it, and once the paperwork is complete and they have paid their rent then I will meet them to give them their key and make them aware of the probationary period and the expectations in the first three months and the remainder of the year.

It looks as if someone has started laying woodchips at the far right corner of the car park. 

     

Following Storm Eowyn

Wally called me in the morning to inform me that something, wind or machine had busted the bottom of one of the timber front gates. I called idverde and they sent Christoff who repaired the gate within a couple of hours. Wally also informed me that idverde had dropped off more woodchip, however they had not dropped as requested so we could easily spread it around the car park.

I popped to the allotment in the afternoon to see what damage may have occurred due to storm Eowyn. Happily all appeared to be in order on my plot and the greenhouses were OK. John had laid some woodchips out in the morning

The amount of water overnight from Storm Eowyn

Michelle and I laid more woodchip late afternoon taking it up to the timber gates so anyone else driving in will not just bring the mud onto the woodchip that has already been laid by John in the morning.

Area to the right needs woodchip spread on it from front to back.

The tyre rutted area between the two islands of woodchip needs woodchip to be laid. So anyone visiting over the weekend please spend some time completing wood chipping the car park.

I placed a request on the Mill Green Allotment Facebook and Whats App Groups under this photo of the tyre rutted area between the two islands of woodchip that needs woodchip to be laid. "Until we have all the mud covered please just drive in and back out and don't do 3 point turns."

I also requested any plot holders visiting over weekend to please move some more woodchip and help getting all the mud covered up. It appeared that John may have done some more Saturday morning, see next post.

I didn't have time to consolidate / tamp the woodchip, with a rake like I did the path from the metal gates to the first corner. Again something that could be done by other plot holders when they visit. I did way too much and paid for going beyond where common sense should have told me to stop. But we had the get the woodchip laid to where the ground is compacted and solid near the gate otherwise we would just keep bringing the mud onto the woodchip.

I have a lot of pain in my hip because I didn't listen to that little voice in my head that said enough is enough stop now. Memo to self, listen to those little voices in you head !

Free Delivery Weekend

 

Three emails received today that the above companies are offering Free Delivery on Everything over this weekend.

Fothergill's who no longer identifies as male, FREE DELIVERY this weekend, Save up to £7.35 The promotion will be automatically applied at checkout.

Thompson & Morgan FREE Delivery on ALL plants, bulbs, seeds & gardening equipment when shopping via the email until midnight, 26th January 2025. 

D.T.Brown Free Delivery The promotion will be automatically applied at checkout.

Offer ends midnight Tuesday 28th January.

African Elephant Moth

Gardeners warned that a new strain of the African elephant moth is set to cause havoc on allotments this year. Fears are that blue water pipe hoops and scaffolding debris netting may not be enough to protect your brassicas!

Freecycle Three Drawers Bedside Cabinet

A small set of drawers came up and Freecycle and this morning I collected it and took it to the allotment and got rid of the plastic drawers I had that were a bugger to open and close and replaced them with this vintage wood set for my bits and bobs in the shed to live in.

All part of my Winter cleanup and getting ready ready for the growing season.

The Freecycle three drawers bedside cabinet was transported from the car park via wheelbarrow, once I managed to get into it as idverde where there with a tractor and trailer clearing the dross left by the previous contractor who walked off the job of clearing plots 3A, 11 & 11A. 

I took the old beaten plastic four drawer unit that was difficult to open and close and placed the timber cabinet in the gap and it fitted like a glove. I sorted out items in the drawers from the plastic cabinet into the timber one. 

Raspberry cage made of Flexi Balls Fruit Cage Netting Connectors & Green Garden Plant Stakes metal Plastic Coated Climbing Support Cane Pole Sticks

Raspberry cage made of Flexi Balls Fruit Cage Netting Connectors & Green Garden Plant Stakes metal Plastic Coated Climbing Support Cane Pole Sticks. 

I cant see the Flexi balls lasting without some additional wire at the joints, I may also try a bamboo cage set up as well, on one of the other beds.

Debris picked up from Drop Off & Pick Up area aka the Car Park, however the tractor has done a number on the hard standing.  One can see the state of what used to be a really nice hard standing before the plot clearance took place. 

Idverde are going to drop off woodchip so that we can spread over the area, to make it safer and cleaner to use when getting back into the cars.

Tidying Up The Plot 1 Shed

 

As it was very cold on the allotment this morning I decided to strip the bookcase that was at the back of the plot 1 shed. It stopped the drawers either side from being accessible and me being able to fully open them.  

With the bookcase gone I fitted supports/ hooks for the long handled tools on the back wall and regained the floor space such that I can actually get in the shed and open all the drawers. 

Next visit I'm going to get rid of the dross on the side shelves and uncover the stove so that I can make coffee on the plot again. 

I have a shower chair that lives in that shed that is light and the right height for me to easily get down and up from. 

I put some hanging hooks of the potting shed door for two light tools. the broom and the plastic shovel. These are typical Winter jobs on the allotment, getting ready for spring and the growing season.  

A Digby Visit

Now I have the bags of shredded paper out of the Potting Shed, I started clearing the cardboard boxes that I have been taking to line the bottom of the raised beds, and generally tidying up ready for sowing in March or Chitting the rest of the spuds when they arrive.

New Tenant came today to view the vacant plot.

Daughters Emma & Kelly bought Digby for his first visit to "Avalon" Grandads little sanctuary.

That little man just melts my heart

Mulching The Boundary Beds

Nurses appointment today and then I hit the allotment and carried on working on the boundary beds, clearing the All Gold Raspberry canes, cutting them up, weeding and then giving them a layer of coffee grounds, and then filling up with mulch worthy woodchip from the car park.

Also started gathering all the tree branches and rotting wood to go into the bottom of the next raised bed. Wally arrived and made us both a cup of coffee, so I stopped and had a drink and a natter in his now propped up shed.

It appears I have two robins not just one and they are both so brave or foolish and come so close.

Photo above are the first four boundary beds that were weeded, given a layer of coffee grounds and then filled to the top with rotted mulch worthy wood chip from the car park. 

Boundary Beds 1 & 2

Boundary Bed 3

Boundary Bed 4 on the left Bed 5 yet to be mulched 

Boundary Beds 6 & 7 to be cleared and mulched 

View of the Boundary Beds from the main path.

Cutting Up The Christmas Tree

 

I cut back the All Gold Raspberries canes from the boundary bed, but only cut them up from the entrance to the Climbing Frame Greenhouse, before it was time to make a move home.

Christmas Tree rescued from under the Parchment Close road name sign on the 9th January.

The Kent & Stowe Sure Cut All Purpose Extra Power Loppers made short work of de branching the tree. I will cut the tree trunk into raised bed size lengths

The Kent & Stowe Sure Cut All Purpose Extra Power Loppers are my go too loppers now as they are the most comfortable and easiest to use from the three pairs I have, for use on larger branches.

View from the potting shed of todays cutting including the large bucket of All Gold Raspberries canes that will be added to the lower layer of another raised bed.

Feeding The Worms In The Hotbin

When I opened the Hotbin to put in kitchen scraps, there were lots of worms on top of the composting material. By the time I got my phone out to take a photo of them all, most had gone back inside the pile as they don't like the cold or the daylight.

A few of the slower worms who were braving the cold and the daylight, Next time I need to have my camera ready as get a photo of them all on the top of the heap.

Installing The Shredded Paper Dalek

A visit to the allotment this afternoon on the way home from seeing my daughter and grandson, and more work on getting the first of three new Daleks bedded in the ground

After finding a couple of empty flower buckets I bottomed out the excavation.

And removed the weed roots I could see.

Then lined the bottom of the excavation with magic cardboard.

Then placed the Dalek in the hole and leveled the Dalek so it was plumb.

A wheel barrow load of semi-path quality woodchip later, that was shoveled all round and trod in and it was done. Love the difference in colour between the outside and the rim that is under the lid. There are after all re-purposed free Dalek's from Freecycle. I have 18 of them and they have all come free, when people fall out of love with making compost in their back gardens.

Magic Cardboard was watered in so it would relax onto the bottom of the excavation. Another view that shows the weathering of the Daleks over time.

7 black sack loads of shredded paper, removed from the potting shed and brought up to the newly installed Dalek. Photo a little fuzzy as it was just after 4pm and was getting dark.

I now name you, Shredded Paper Dalek and there is plenty of room in there for more material especially now I have the cross-cut shredder, which was another Freecycle win.

Shredded Paper Dalek with lid on.

You can see how far I buried it so its not easy for mice or rats to get under and in. The two Daleks to the right will need bedding in, and that will be an opportunity to extract more nice humus material for the new raised beds.