Charles Dowding returns to digging.

 

Charles Dowding has dropped No Dig and  launched a new range of rotavators, which he hopes will improve soil conditions at his Home Acres site.

Planning and Reviewing April in Previous Years

Reviewing the diary over the last Thirteen 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.  

2020 - April 2020 was the sunniest on record according to the met office, rain finally came on the 28th April. Due to lockdown many people started taking more care of their gardens, and National Gardening Week was 27th April - 3rd May. As shielding my wife most of my growing activities were confined to the back garden although those with allotments were allowed to visit for exercise purposes. The normal amount of tomatoes in buckets was reduced and I had the Bio Green City Jungle and the Quadgrow on the decking to grow tomatoes in. My WORK Hydroshot arrived but I could not trial it on the allotment. Growing Tomatoes and Radishes in the Space Saver Greenhouse. Cutting more path weed membrane for plot 1. Reviewed the City Jungle and made unboxing and assembly video. Won a couple of competitions, for a Compost Caddy and a hanging basket gadget.

2021 - Green Manure Cut and dropped then dug in. Paving blocks taken from the back garden down to the allotment to replace the milk bottle soft bricks. First Early potatoes in buckets planted. Onion sets put in the ground. 2 Plastic Dustbins off Freecycle, Cutting blue water pipe to length. Freecycle rubber matting and black pipe for hoops. Watering System Extended. Picked up Freecycle water butt for the plot 1 greenhouse. 12th Snow in the morning gone by the afternoon. Clearing behind the plot 1 greenhouse and erecting the timber table. Cleaning and Jet Washing the Plot 1A Greenhouse. Jet Washing the paving slabs and setting up and teak oil the table behind the Plot 1 Greenhouse. Sowing Beetroots and Sweetcorn in modules. First year trying to grow Aubergines, I didn't manage to get the area for them to live on the plot and the plants took an age to grow. I gave up on them this year. 

2022 - Major work this month getting the asparagus beds ready. Sowing and potting on brassicas and tomatoes. My Daughter caught Covid and moved out to protect my wife, Asparagus beds made and when crowns arrive they were planted. Grow With Me 2022 Tomatoes into pots. Sowing Melons and Spring Onions. Sowing Moonshine Sweetcorn that had really poor germination rates. Sowing Little Gem Cos Lettuce & French Dwarf Beans.

2023 - As my wife passed away in January I spent a lot of time on the allotment this year. Erection of the potting shed, and assembly of the two staging's supplied with it. Setting up the potting shed and started to sow seeds in it. Plot 15 created and let to Michelle the bee lady. Sweet peas planted along the greenhouse climbing frame. Emma planted onion sets. Daffodils in the green picked up and planted in the boundary beds. Freecycle spoon scales & paving slabs picked up. Storm Damage to greenhouse loft extension roofs. Making 105 hole planting membrane sheet with tuna tin on a broom handle. Picked up bags of compost from Freecycle. Constructing the third staging for the potting shed. Excavating and making Hugelkultur beds in the climbing frame greenhouse Freecycle paving slabs picked up and laid. Germinating Parsnip seeds. Grapevines showing signs of life and blossom on the apple trees. Picked up more free paving slabs. One bed of parsnips planted and Sweetcorn germinated on damp kitchen paper in the potting shed. Finished the month off by cutting the grass along the main path and the path between plots 1 & 1A and Plot 2. 

2024 - With the weather being naff and my mobility issues I set up a table in the rear of the living room in front of the window and set about starting off my seedlings in doors. Something I would not have got away with when the wife was alive. Having found medical boots that would go over my dressings I managed a few visits at the end of the month and was anticipating more visits to the allotment in May of 2024.  

2025 - Filling the bottom frame of Bed 16 with woodchips Loft Conversion on Plot 1 Greenhouse falling apart but still stable. Trimmed the path between Avalon and Plots 2 & 2A, Water turned back on, Fencing behind the notice board renewed, Last of the woodchip into Bed 16, Drying coffee grounds in the potting shed, Filling Raised Bed 16,  Hydrating Coir, Sowing Sweetcorn and French Climbing Beans. Woodchip paths renewed between Raspberry beds. Tomatoes and cucumbers germinating. Beds 15 and 15A weeded and topped up to the edge of the scaffolding boards. Path widening Bed 16A. Weeding the climbing frame greenhouse beds 

To Do List   

Mill Green - Plot 1

• Greenhouse 1 - Currently being used to house all the cardboard to be used in the new raised beds Loft Conversion fixed & Fitted   
• Infrastructure - Bed 16A Completed, Bed H1 Completed and Beds H2, 14 & 14A to be started and worked towards completion. 
• Infrastructure - De-Band Scaffold Boards & Assemble more Raised Bed Frames   
• Rhubarb - Weed and Mulch
• Raspberry Beds - 3 of 4 now Weed and Mulch, then build cages
• All Gold Raspberry Beds - New Fencing to be installed  
• Climbing Frame Greenhouse - Weed and Mulch  

Mill Green - Plot 1A

• Greenhouse 1A - Set up more Coffee to dry out 
• Daleks - Dig in the additional Daleks along the path with plot 2A
• Grape Vines - Prune  

Sowing and Planting Plan for April 

April                  Asparagus - harvest when 15cm high

April to May      Peach - protect blossom from frost

April to May      Peach - spring prune after blossoms fade

Week 1              Parsnip – Germinate in Take-a-way containers

Week 1              Gourd – Luffa – Soak overnight and sow

Week 1              Asparagus Crowns - plant outside

Week 1              Brussels Sprouts - Sow seed of mid to late varieties

Week 1              Cabbage (summer) - sow seeds indoors

Week 1              Onion Sets - plant

Week 1              Onion Sets - protect from birds for 5 weeks

Week 1              Radish - sow seed under cloches

Week 1              Shallot - plant sets outside (18cm / 7in apart)

Week 1              Shallot - protect from birds for 5 weeks

Week 1              Turnip - start to sow seed outdoors

Week 1              Spinach - sow seed inside

Week 1              Swiss Chard - sow outdoors with cloche protection

Week 1 - 2         Carrot - remove cloches from early sown varieties

Week 1 - 2         Carrot - sow early seed varieties in open

Week 1 - 2         Strawberries - buy and plant potted plants

Week 1 - 2         Cucumber  – Sow Party Time all six seeds

Week 2              Melons – Sugar Baby sow seed in pots indoors

Week 2              Melon – F1 Mabgomel sow seeds in pots in doors

Week 2              Melons – Rugoso di Consenza Giallo sow seed in pots indoors

Week 2              Beetroot - sow seed in pots indoors

Week 2              Broccoli (sprouting) early varieties - sow under cover

Week 2              Salsify - sow seeds

Week 2              Tomatoes - pot-up young plants

Week 2              Squash / pumpkins - sow seed indoors

Week 2              Radish – Sow fortnightly

Week 2              Spring Onions – Sow fortnightly

Week 2              Lettuce (Winter) – Sow fortnightly

Week 3              Parsnip – Transplant into loo rolls once signs of germination

Week 3              Broccoli (sprouting) early varieties - sow seed bed

Week 3              Cabbage (summer) - sow outdoors

Week 3              Calabrese (sometimes called broccoli) - sow seed

Week 3              Cauliflower (summer) - weekly feed

Week 3              Courgette - sow seeds indoors

Week 3              Cucumber (ridge) - sow seeds in Potting Shed 

Week 3              Lettuce - begin to thin seedlings, distance by variety

Week 3              Onion seeds - harden off seedlings

Week 3              Radish - sow seed outside

Week 3              Sweetcorn - sow seed indoors / greenhouse

Week 3              Swiss Chard - sow seed outdoors no protection

Week 4              Beetroot - sow seed outside

Week 4              Broccoli (sprouting) late varieties - sow under cover

Week 4              French Beans - sow seeds under cloches

Week 4              French Beans - sow seeds in pots indoors

Week 4              Parsnip - sow seed outside

Week 4              Spinach - plant out seed sown indoors

Week 4              Spinach - thin out previously sown seedlings

Week 4              Sweetcorn - sow seed under cloches

Week 4              Turnip - thin seedlings 15cm earlies, 25cm main crops

500L Bulk Bags Delivery

Today 16c not so windy or cold but overcast with light showers this afternoon which is why I came home.

two number 500L Bulk Bags one of soil and one of compost was delivered by topsoil.co.uk for one of the plot holders today, Lucky John was there washing his car in the car park and could open it and let them back in and drop off in a more sensible location than deliveries have been dropped off previously.

As can be seen they didn't need to bring the whole lorry into out car park / drop off and pick up area, the cab with rear wing mirrors stayed outside the allotment gates. The stabilising legs were extended down to two bearing pads

Then with what looked like a model aircraft controller the driver unfolded the crane and guided it above the first bag

He popped up and fixed the straps to the end of the crane arm

We have lift off

Then he lifted the bag towards the rear, ensuring not to hit the fence

Rotated to behind the rear of the truck and up against the fence as requested

Then repeated the process for the second bag

And in no time at all....

The second 500L bulk bag was being dropped of and landed next too the first.

This is the ideal location for such deliveries

I then set about decanting old spend compost on Bed H1 and breaking up the soil improving compost dressing that was spread on the top of the native soil.

Bindweeds are making inroads around the beds so I sprayed with vinegar, salt and washing up liquid as I'm waiting for my long reach Wilkinson's Sword long reach trimmer that I bought today to come in the nest couple of days

.

Dirty seed modules brought home to wash.

Daylight Saving Time

 

Mulching Raspberries

As I walked in via the metal gates I could see that idverde had been and cut the main path

11c clear and a cold wind in the allotment today. I have not been down to the allotment for a few days due to medical appointment and bed weather, but this morning and early afternoon (until the rain came) I was clearing the raspberry beds, spreading coffee grounds and adding mulch quality woodchips to the Tulameen Pearl (mid) Raspberry Bed

View from the entrance to Plot 1 down the main path of the allotment.

Path between plots 1 & 2 and !a and 2A still looking good.

All Gold Raspberries growing well in the boundary beds

The couple of flowers from all the bulbs that were planted a few years ago

Polka (late) Raspberry Bed 

Autumn Treasure (late) Raspberry Bed

Tulameen Pearl (mid) Raspberry Bed

Autumn Treasure (late) Bed and Polka (late) Bed

Bind weed is now actively growing in the Raspberry beds, and I need to find a long handled light weight pruning device that's easy to use with my arthritic hands and ideally one hand, and lighter than normal long handles secateurs that needs two hands to use, and normally heavy. 

westland Seed Sowing and No 2 potting-on composts

Westland Seed Sowing Compost back of sack

Westland No2 Potting-On Compost Back of Sack

westland horticulture seed & cutting super fine grade compost

westland seed and cutting super fine grade compost.

westland seed and cutting super fine grade compost.

I also fed the worms in the Hotbin and took the Westland Horticulture compost I bought at Blue Diamond gardening centre down to the allotment and decanted 25Litres into two 10 Litre buckets with lids. Yes that's right a sack that says 25 litres when filled decanted into 20Litres of storage capacity.

How is that possible? I'm feeling short changed.