Rectified?

Well tomorrow is the big day its the day by which I need to have the plot sorted according to that nasty letter I had a little while ago

You can view the plot from every angle here, I took the shots tonight as evidence. Lets hope it is enough. Well what do you think, be honest, am I cultivated enough?

a bigger weekend

I love bank holidays it is an extra day for the weekend and extra time to be busier in, as I always try to do lots of nice things as well as chores. With weather like we have had this weekend it would be wrong not to make the most of it.

So I have squeezed a lot of visits to the plot in around all the other fun, I suppose this activity is necessary because I know that the deadline is approaching, and because their is a lot to do so that we will have enough to harvest later in the year. I am running behind. Also seeing Chelsea all week makes me wish for a lusher more cultivated patch.

We live only a few miles from Wimpole Hall and have visited so many times. I never tire of it, for some reason we have never looked at the walled garden (the vegi bit) before now. We have spent loads of time in the formal gardens and walking over the wider grounds. It was lovely the heat from the brick walls was palpable. The gardens had lots of interesting things to see such as the little apricot fruits on the trees and a range of scarecrows. They also had plants for sale and I thought a tray or two of lettuce would add to the look of the plot and at a pound a throw it seemed reasonable

So here are my Wimpole lettuces in a shot taken from the ground as per my tiny plot's suggestion. I quite like the angle and view - its probably the view the slugs will see just before they munch them!


Also I'm really chuffed as on the plot my salmon flowered peas are flowering and this is the furthest I have managed to get with growing peas so far. I'm so excited we might get to eat our own peas. Today I received a lot of brassicas from my mum, in exchange for her grandson for the week what a good half term deal eh?

A wet day finally

Wet at last, all week the rain has been promised but very little has fallen here. It sort of seems like it has been skirting around us, in fact I have been concerned that the allotment was about to turn into a dust bowl. It seems a little annoying that when I has time to spend at the allotment I had to do it in this mornings showers. I still managed a three hour stint.

'Operation make sure the plot looks cultivated' is in full flow.

• I've done some digging
• I have also covered the area for the butternut squash with a mulch of horse poo, newspaper and grass clippings I plan to dig it in a few weeks
  
• planted out artichoke and cauliflower plants (spontaneous purchase they were in the 50p bargain bucket section of the garden centre)
• sown some mexican hats for a little flower border.

Next week its time to put 'operation tidy up' in to action. Yes lads we are getting ready for the big push on the 29th. Military planning is what will get me through inspection. Oh and the help of a squadron of soldiers, pass me the yellow pages somebody.

My mean green cutting machine

Let me introduce you to my new toy, I assembled it today. It is very basic and was very cheap. I also think it has a real retro vibe. Yes it is the colour green but it is also environmentally green requiring only my power not petrol. Now my paths should be up to the scrutiny of the allotment patrol. It would be a little easier to use if the paths were less undulating.


Just as I had finally worked out how to assemble the mower and as I began to run it over the path there was a rumbling of a petrol mower behind me. The main path was being cut and low and behold a voice said if you move the box I'll do the path for you. Wow the first bit of lotty help I've had and something that they are not supposed to do. My only guilt came with considering telling John that I had done it. There was fun in knowing that he could never use the mower and achieve such excellent results can you imagine the frustration that would bring! I resisted.

I've sown some climbing beans today 'jack edwards' but I can see that people have already planted their bean plants out on the site - I am truly running behind.