A Fruitful Day

I went out to the allotment to spend a couple of hours before I picked the girls up from school.It was a beautiful sunny day and the temps must have been a balmy 12%!I had read Blackvillage blog about covering the strawberry bed with weed block fabric so set to work. I had planted a row of strawberries last week but dug them up and covered the bed, I cut crosses in the fabric for planting through, one row are second year plants and I also planted a row of the new runners which had over wintered in the greenhouse.We will know the age of our plants at least as 3 years is the optimum for harvesting a good crop.
A view across to the end row of plots, which are all being readied for the new season
The day was so nice I collected the girls from school and we went back to the plot to continue on the fruit bed. I had this thornless blackberry languishing in the greenhouse over winter but it does not seem to have done it any harm!
Two Autumn fruiting raspberries were also in the greenhouse but new growth is visible and they were planted out on the newly dug and mulched fruit bed.
The fruit bed after its spring clean,I dug it over, moved one of the blueberries as there is more room now it is extended.The blueberries are in deep pots of ericacious compost so moving one was easy.It took 4 wheel barrow loads of manure to completely mulch the bed.
The herb bed got a makeover as well, the lupin was cut back and old growth pulled away to let the new shoots through.
New neighbours on the plot,a toddler was digging energetically but moved behind his Mom as I took the photo.
A couple of hours turned into 4 but I was pleased with the results.The ground is quite dry and believe it or not I had to water in the strawberry plants!

Comments

Linda said…
Beautifully clean and all ready to go! You're lucky with both time to spend and good weather to go with it, Peggy.
March 9, 2010 at 8:36 PM
Ann said…
Your weather certainly has improved, you are well ahead of us. Even when it's not frosty it doesn't seem to be getting any milder. Looking forward to seeing how your strawberries do.
March 10, 2010 at 9:04 AM
The Mulch said…
Good to see you have it all under control and are doing things by the book.

We have delusioned plot holders planting seed on open ground in sub zero temperatures in our neck of the woods.
March 10, 2010 at 1:39 PM
Peggy said…
Linda, I am very thankful to have that but I cannot go out again until after the weekend so I try to spend as much time as I can when I can.

Ann, we have beautiful days once the frost burns off which is around 10.00am and then it begins to get cold again around 4.00pm, i will keep my fingers crossed for the strawberries!

Hi Goldmember good to see you back, I reckon if I have everything growing at home and ready to go once the ground warms up even if it is the end of April I will wait.
March 10, 2010 at 7:48 PM
Ann said…
Talking of life being too short to stuff a mushroom - I made a cake that involved boiling a whole orange and then puree-ing it, it was worth it though!!! I just love baking.
March 10, 2010 at 9:06 PM
Anonymous said…
A productive day ;0)
Love reading your blog - here's an award for you:
http://lyndasorganicgarden.blogspot.com/2010/03/happiness-award.html
March 11, 2010 at 4:44 PM
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