Kevin
Kevin spent most of yesterday with me on the plot.We went out early at 11.00am meaning to come home early but as usual it was nearly 5.00pm when we returned.I widened the pathways a little and will move the 3 beds for the kids this year. Kevin got his going early , here he is shaking the soil from the sods as we were digging over his bed.There are still lots of couch grass roots and he diligently removed them as he saw them, I also got a running commentary on the worms he came across!
The patio in front of the shed, I edged it with wine bottles, not all mine I hasten to add most of them were donated!I need as many more to edge the other side but I am sure I will have no problem there getting them in a couple of weeks.
Kevin with his bed planted up, he sowed carrots, parsnips and I gave him enough onions to plant 2 rows, last year he had better onions than I had!He also moved his strawberry plants and has some mange tout peas and insisted on leaving some space for flowers!
I dug over a bed for the beans and erected the frame after putting in a wheel barrow load of well rotted manure, another bed ready to go when the plants are ready to go out.By leaving the bed for a few weeks any annual weeds may come up and can be pulled out before planting.
I spotted these nests the previous day and stopped to take a photo on the way home yesterday, the trees are around the edge of the field on the way up to the allotments.I wonder are the birds wondering why there is no green cover this year as their nests are visible due to the lack of growth this Spring .I have seen some flowering cherry burst into bloom along the roadside but they are scarce so far.
The new header photo for April. I changed the angle as there is really no visible change taking the same photo as the last 3 months which is what I had intended to do!This is a view diagonally across both plots,ours extends to the end of the middle shed.All of the fruit bushes are budding at last ,we have warm sunny weather forecast until the week end at least so hopefully things will start to grow at last!The new plot which we took over last year has the greenhouse and shed at the end.
The strawberry plants are growing through the plastic, something we are trying this year to keep the fruit off of the ground and keep down the weeds.
Garlic is growing strongly but the tops of the leaves are tipped yellow, may be frost damage.We had garlic rust last year but hoping it is way too early for it in April!
I have just read the post for last year when I was putting in the link and it is not too early, the yellowing on the leaves is different but next time I am out I will check it thoroughly just to be sure to be sure!
Comments
Good luck with the garlic this year. I had a lapse of concentration last October and misplaced mine in the cluttered shed.
Found them - mostly rotten a month back and have planted a dozen or so salvaged bulbs late - maybe too late but they have sprouted bar two.
It's great now that we're having this good weather, I was reading about being short of vitamin D, this next few days should help us.
Your April picture really gives a good view of your allotment and what is going on. You are lucky to have such a helpful assistant with Kevin!
Ann, I saw a pic of the wine bottles somewhere and decided to give it a try.We have had great weathe rhere for the past few days but still gets cold in the late afternoon.
Michael,each plot without the pathways is approx 20ft x 30ft, more than enough to be digging!
Linda, Kevin would stay all day and always finds something to do, he has been comingout with me since the beginning, but has been gardening with me at home since he could crawl!
Nina, the couch grass is an on going battle its coming in from the paths and the roots can stratch for metres!Don't feel left behind as everything catches up in its own time.