The Horticultural Channel & Big Garden Birdwatch

The Horticultural Channel is an online gardening channel, based on an allotment. The weekly short programme is entertaining and informative. In episode 3 of the new series of Sean's Allotment Garden Sean used some of the footage of the Marsh Lane snow video from my recent post.

It may make Marsh Lane plotholders a bit jealous when you see all the sheds and greenhouses that Sean's allotment has - we're not allowed any structures on Marsh Lane which I think is a shame. It would be great to get started a bit earlier and a shed, aahh, a shed - would so love to have a shed for storage and for sitting in when it gets rainy (rather than having to dash up to the communal container!)



The episode also includes information for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch - we intend to do some bird counting on the allotment tomorrow...

Weather and Birdlife

Not sure if that's a pigeon or kestrel

At the beginning of last week the weather was really cold (-4°) with beautiful frosted trees, but unfortunately I didn't get a chance to get to the site to take any photos. Since Friday it's been rainy and temperatures have been a balmy 8°. Not good - we want the weeds and bad pests to die off, which they won't do if it stays moderately warm :-(

There had just been a torrential downpour when we got to the plot this afternoon after posting Christmas cards - look at all that rainfall since last Sunday!! Shame it hasn't been cold enough for snow - I could have had a snow day from work :-)

The ground was really soggy and everything looked saturated, including our garlic bed...
There were lots of birds about; robins, blue tits, blackbirds, pigeons and pheasants (eating the tops off people's unprotected brassicas). We've noticed that there are no berries left on the hedge, apart from a few rosehips. I was hoping to see some redwings as I saw a whole flock of them eating berries along the A4 the other day - beautiful looking birds. I'd never seen them before but they're apparently a common Winter visitor.

Herbs (and weeds) are the only things growing on this part of the plot