Little helpers

Rosie got dropped off by her Mum to come and help me today. They brought Trampus and Bramble with them who immediately charged onto the plot next door to take a leak on Jim's leeks. Little terrors...


Rosie did a good job sowing some beetroot, onions and parsnips for me.



The first onions are now up, as are the broad beans...

Foundations

Was down the allotment with Henry today. We brought an old swing down from his garden to use as frame for runner beans or soft fruit netting. Also made a start on the shed. Cleared a space at the back of the plot, levelled it off and lay the floor boards down on 4x4s. Didn't get much further though as didn't have a battery powered drill with us.

Henry's not actually sawing in this picture - he's just posing for the blog! :)


Instead we started pulling up the carpet on the middle path and laying boards as edging. Makes the place look much neater.


I planted the first of my broad beans under cloches last week. No sign as yet though.

Plastic mini-greenhouse is down

So much for bricks in the bottom of the greenhouse. It was completely trashed by the gale force storm. Compost everywhere. Devastation. Should have waited a few more days before putting it up!


At least the tom's are all right in the bathroom...

Plastic mini-greenhouse is up

I've erected the old plastic propagator greenhouse in the garden and put the first few trays of seeds in. Some Marigolds and Asters to attract wildlife down the plot, some coriander and basil, as well as some tomatoes and peppers which I put in the bathroom. There's bad weather forecast for the next few days so I put bricks in the bottom to hold everything down and shuffled the greenhouse into a sheltered
spot.

Getting sowing

Finally finished digging out the last of the four beds. Have been raking over the beds to create a 'fine tilth' for seeds (above). I started sowing Parsnips on the allotment a few weeks ago using radishes as markers. Also put in first bit of Spinach Beet (below).

Last of the digging?

Quick history lesson - Cobham was the hometown of many of the infamous 'Diggers' who began growing crops on Common Land in protest against the Enclosures Act. Their belief was that the Earth should be 'a common treasury for all' to live on. It is fitting then (and uplifting) that as an environmental activist who has started growing veg, I have to walk past this commemorative plaque with my fork over my shoulder on my way to my plot. If only they could see what's happened to Cobham since they were around though...

So, another glorious day - we even have daffodils coming up at the front of the plot where we dumped all the manure. (Quite a contrast)


I found Aileen and Brian already hard at work and soon got stuck in myself - with the aim of digging out the final bed of the four that we were aiming for on either side of the central path and the areas we will set aside for wild flower and a pond to attract wildlife. It was good to see lots of people about - a really relaxing and friendly atmosphere.


On a less savoury note, some kids have been down lately and smashed everyone's greenhouses. Mindless little pests - I wonder how they'd like it if older people went round smashing their playstations when they're out? It's the first time it's happened in years apparently...


Mum came down with some tea and sandwiches mid-afternoon. So we sat in the sun for a bit. She's just had surgery on her feet so the walk is quite an achievement for her.


I managed to finish what I needed too - I even managed to burn most of the weed roots to make a nice potash. Was feeling pretty satisfied and relaxed as I walked home at the end of the day in a bright red and purple sunset. Lush. :)

Buying Seeds

What a glorious day! This afternoon I went down to the Cobham Garden and Horticultural Association's Trading Hut by the Randalls Farm allotments. It's the first time I've actually managed this, although it is only open 2 hours a week between 2 and 4pm on a Saturday.

I was greeted by a really pleasant atmosphere - the fact that everyone comes at the same time every week creates quite a buzz. Everyone was very friendly. I joined the society and bought 7lb of seed potatoes (Winstons or Rockets?) some Marigold and Sunflower seeds to encourage wildlife, as well as lettuce, leek, and parsnip seeds and onion sets. All at dirt cheap prices!

I bumped into one of my former school teachers Aileen and her husband Brian. I may already have mentioned but they have the plot opposite Henry's and mine. Everyone was looking for exactly the same vegetables! On Fri night I drew up a timetable of what needs to go in when, it's just a question of planning where it's all going now!

The Hut didn't have any broad beans because mice have eaten them all so I had to cycle down to a garden centre. I bought 10 raspberry canes while I was there, as well as Meadow flower seeds and a strawberry plant. It felt really expensive after the Trading hut!

When I got home, I put my potatoes in the shed to chit for a while in a bit of compost.