My enormous melons (hopefully)

Removed about 5 barrow loads of couch infestation tonight. Hand weeded half a tonne of thistle... bit of dock too. Got rained on, built up a sweat. Dropped off my leaklings to be planted out when I have raked and weeded the latest section a little more.

Was forced to spend money on half price seeds from Thomson & Morgan. Melons etc ...

Rain rain go away

Plans for alotmenteering over the past two dayswere scuppered. Got a few courgette plants in yesterday - the only good aspect to the visit was the fact that all the structures were still in place after the battering it got from the storms on Monday.

Give me some peas and quiet

Had Friday off work - so spent a good few hours tilling the soil - bit depressed when I got to the plot. The birds had got away with my young pea plants - admittedly I'd not finished off the netting last weekend, so my fault really. Live and learn

My courgettes in the raised bed had basically died off as well. On closer inspection it looks like the manure on the bed had not done much retaining of water, so most of the courgettes had dried up. I'd not been on site since the weekend, so previously my watering can had compensated. I've put a bit more soil/compost mix down, and stuck one or two spare plants in. I think I'll use the rest of the bed for lettuce etc. Put my remaining courgettes into the ground.

Did a lot of digging, and transported a lot of weeds off the plot. It looks a little better, but still plenty to do.

Grabbed 4 large pallets from the wife's work -there are at least 2 more to be collected. Think I can feel some construction coming on.

More digging

Spent about 4 hours on the allotment on Sunday making the best of the weather - spent most of my time clearing couch grass. It was quite a successful dig, but you've got to admire couch grass's 'stickk-ability'.

Dug a couple of trenches for my peas - think I'll try growing some using traditional supports and grow another load by digging a big wide trench and putting the rest of the packet in - then, the theory goes, there are so many planted that they can support one another.

Got given some runner beans which went in too - they looked like they'd taken a bit of a burn so gave them a good soaking prior to putting them in.

Also bought a couple of sub-artic tomato plants to help fund the association - brought them home to pot on.

The misus even came down to he site - I was quite chuffed until she said 'oops,I've forgotten my wellies...' So, instead of any useful weeding or digging, she occupied herself for half an hour slaggin off the aesthetics of my site. Doubtless she had a point, but still...

Couch and thistle

I hate couch grass.
I dislike creeping thistle to a very high degree.
At least thistle seems to be individual - couch is like the Borg from Star Trek...

I spent about 2 hours clearing an area of about 2m x 2m of couch and thistle - the thistle could be removed fairly easily - it was quite distinct when you pulled a thistle root out. Couch on the other hand... think I did quite well but had to be far more careful about breaking bits off.

Got some peas in that had germinated in paper pots. Tomorrow will put pea seeds in alongside.

Got given some spring onions by one of the allotment committee - he also gave me a little nudge about chopping back the grass before it seeds. Guess I'd better take the shears with me tomorrow.

Courgettes are doing well in the raised bed. They're at the 5 leaf stage now and are all looking pretty fit. Onion all seem to be coming on well. My potatoes need earthing up - another job for tomorrow.

Bought a corrugated pvc sheet - about £8 for a 2.5 metre sheet - to make a cheap polytunnel - seems to do the job - just using it for my excess chillis at the moment.

Courgettes et al

Got my courgettes in over the weekend - onto my so called raised bed pretty much direct into manure. I am informed that courgettes should be quite happy with that arrangement.

Strawberries look like they are doing well. The onions and potatoes are in danger of being crowded out by nefarious thistles and yet more couch grass.

Covered a 2x6 metre area with weed-suppressant plastic - should help keep the inspector off my back - he's been having words with a few plot holders I'm informed.

Potted on a large number of Moneymakers and Gardeners Delight - they're a bit behind a lot of others Ive seen around - hope they catch up.

Would have liked to spend longer on the plot over the weekend, but kids parties and visiting of friends took priority. Bah humbug!

Strawberries

Planted out four plants today - in a holed bucket so they might be a little more slug resistant than the ones I put out last year.

Potted up another load of leeks in paper pots - bit late for them maybe but eh oh. Also planted some alpine strawberry seeds that I came across - two months too late but otherwise I would be chucking them.

Giving peas a go this year - will paper pot a few and put the others in direct - see what occurs.

Cleared a bit more thistle and couch - think I will need to decide between a big weed suppressing sheet or some round-up generic stuff cos I am beginning to run out of time and steam.

Did I mention that I put out my sweetcorn plants... splendid.

Potatoes are coming on well - I suspect I shall have to earth em up next weekend. Splendid.

Paper pot madness

Spent about 4 hours sitting in the back garden making paper pots and filling them with all sorts from the greenhouse. Got a job lot of sunflowers to plant at one end of the plot, and about 1 sweetcorn which might go to the raised bed.

Repotted the corgettes which are doing well but were running out of space. They're back in the greenhouse for a couple of weeks.

Friday I spent the morning on the plot - put together a compost bin, spent half an hour weeding and cleared a 3x3 metre area of thistles. Missed out on the £25 tool storage boxes at B&Q though - thanks to the missus.