Potatoes R In!

The light evenings and lovely weather over the last week have meant we could visit the plot a couple of times after work. We've taken broad beans with us to fill the gaps left by the sneaky mice. And now we've protected all round so that the pheasants don't clear up what the mice leave behind (like they did last year). So, it's a bit Fort Knox but broad beans are one of our allotment favourites so needs must!

The evening sun looked lovely as we were leaving the site on Thursday so I had to get a photo - wish I'd had my better camera with me.

Yesterday (Saturday) morning was raining so a perfect time for shredding all our old bills and other paperwork to use as water retention under the potatoes. 

On top of the paper we put a layer of grass clippings and then some rotted farmyard manure before the final layer of dirt and then the seed potato. The Kestrels also had a layer of Christmas tree needles - all this acidity should prevent scab... And the nematodes should prevent slug damage...

We haven't gone mad with potatoes this year, just 7 Kestrels and 6 Rosabelles across two short rows. Previous years we have found there are just too many so hopefully this will be plenty (along with our Tenerife potatoes, which aren't going in for a couple of weeks)

Oh, and we re-barked our paths on Plot 7 - someone had left a load of wood chippings at the main gate for general use. The plot is looking loved again!