Hoop Storage & Overflow Leaf Cage

After having my PET Scan yesterday afternoon I was ready for a few hours on the allotment and in Wally's shed having a chat and coffee to warm us up.

Firstly I drilled the timber gravel board and the two square flower buckets to attach the flower buckets to form the water pipe hoop store, which will keep the hoops strung to the 1.2m width of the beds.

Much neater storage solution behind the potting shed. holes drilled in the bas of the square flower buckets so they will not hold water.  After a coffee break and a natter with Wally I gathered up the panels from the original Leaf Cage made in 2012 

Half of the old leaf bin made 13 years ago from the fence from my Mums front garden that used to stop the wind blowing the leaves into the garden.

I collected the leaves and dropped them off last Thursday from outside my daughters property, after going to see my grandson.

I should have watered them in as I filled it, but time was getting on and I really felt the need to get home and have a late lunch.

I used a panel from the other original leaf bin to go on top and stop any leaves from escaping. If Veolia have not already bagged the remaining leaves up from outside my daughters house I will getting another lot of leaves, next visit.

Two More Mini Builders Bags of Leaves

 

Two more mini builders bags of leaves picked up today and dropped off and added to the leaf cage 

Yes my little mate was there checking on what I was doing 

3 More Mini Builders Bags of Leaves

Collected more leaves today, another 3 large sacks worth and dropped them off to the allotment and added to the leaf cage.

Took the lid bread basket panels off the top

Added the 3 large sack loads

Then dropped the bread basket lid panels back on to stop the pile blowing away.

Collecting Leaf's

Emma and I had done a trip to garden centres this morning had lunch and then before I made my way home I collected a lot of leaf's off the road outside my daughters property and filled two mini builders bags and then taken them to the allotment and added to my leaf cage to rot down and make leaf mould.

Two large garden sacks filled with leaf's and they fit so nicely in the boot of the car.

Those leaves collected by main roads may be affected by atmospheric pollution, so leaves from quieter streets and side roads are preferable. Leaves are easier to collect when the weather is dry and still, which was one of the reasons I collected them today, as its been dry for a few days and lots have dropped this week. The rake with the grab mechanism makes collecting so easy.

First sack collected from between the two cars and behind my car., very little litter in the pile which is good.

Second sack collected further down the road, you can see the area I was working. Plenty of more to be gathered up weather permitting.

2 - 3 year old leaf mould looking good. Good quality, well-rotted leafmould (more than two years old) can be used as seed-sowing compost, or mixed equally with sharp sand, garden compost and good quality soil for use as potting compost.

Poor quality leaf mould, or leaf mould that is less than two years old can be used as mulch, soil improver, autumn top-dressing for lawns, or winter covering for bare soil.

Blue water pipes gathered up and I have an idea for a storage system that will keep them bent to a 1.2m wide profile when stored behind the potting shed when not in use.

Cut down Bread Baskets laid on top to prevent the wind blowing the leaf's away

Leaf Mould Cage made from cut down bread baskets that were dumped on the access road to the construction site for Parchment Close a few years ago.

Room for a few more sack loads until full, then I will set up my overflow leaf bin on one of the beds as the compress and rot down quite fast and are a great free resource on the allotment.