Oops - sorry about the rhubarb!

The last few days of sunshine have meant that the grape hyacinths have opened up a little. They still have a way to go but I thought the photo was worth an entry in the blog - nice to have a bit of colour on the screen!

We owe someone an apology - the resigning plotholder did want their rhubarb! Sorry about that! It's all put right now though. They've got their rhubarb back and we went shopping to Yew Tree Garden Centre to fill the gap on our plot :-)


Raspberry Red rhubarb

Not quite as impressive as the rhubarb that was in there yesterday, but at least we know the variety of this one - Raspberry Red. Our other plant is a Victoria so it's good to know we are growing two different varieties.

I dug some manure into the area where the fennel will be going and Jamie filmed a bag full of green waste to take home to the green bin. We didn't stay much longer as I'd been fooled into thinking it was summer and didn't wear a coat - 10° is too chilly for me. It got down to -5° last night though so luckily most people are still holding off with sowing at the moment!

HAHA Workday and Rhubarb

It was a HAHA workday today and we had fabulous weather for it! It reached 12° and the sun shone for most of the day - perfect!

There were enough of us in the workgroup that it didn't take us too long to clear empty plots of big stones, rubbish and other debris, so that the plots can be rotavated during the week.
We hope that a reasonable-looking plot will make the task less daunting for newcomers, particularly as we can only confirm their plot for a year at the moment - well, I know I wouldn't want to spend too many weeks/months preparing the way. Of course, we're still hoping we've got more time on the site!!

Once we'd got the bonfire burning well and had hot drinks and cakes with the other volunteers and plotholders we were ready to do some work on our own plot.

One of the benefits of helping out - we gained a healthy looking rhubarb plant which was unwanted on a plot! Hopefully it will survive the move. It's alongside our other little rhubarb plant.

Wildlife blog updated!

Catching Robbie

A short afternoon on the plot today - it was windy but not too chilly (about 8°) and it had only got down to 0° last night. The sun didn't shine much - until we got home!

We dug some more of Plot 8b, but didn't get very far with it. In fact, most of the time I spent trying to get the robin to pose really close for a photo - not very successfully, so I resorted to using the zoom on my little camera instead!

I know this should be on my wildlife blog - but if I put any more pictures of robins on there I should rename it 'Robbie and Friends'!!

Jamie had read in Amateur Gardening magazine that grass cuttings make a good mulch for raspberries, so I have covered all the manure round ours with clippings which Ted produced from his mowing yesterday. The cuttings should just rot down and will keep the raspberry roots nice and wet.

Talking of fruit, our strawberries are still hiding in their holes in the weed suppressant, but there are signs of new life on each plant.

 

Organ Donation - Please Sign Up!

Five years ago today at 4:50am I got a telephone call from the Organ donation team at the Churchill Hospital. They had a kidney which may be suitable for me. This was the third time I'd received the call during my four years on haemodialysis.

Jamie and I got to the hospital as quickly as possible. I had an x-ray, a myriad of blood tests and various other tests to be sure that I would be healthy enough to receive the transplant.
I had a final dialysis session in the afternoon and then tried to sleep as the operation wasn't going to happen till later in the evening. I went down to the operating theatre at about 11pm. The next thing I remember was waking back in my room; full of tubes and exhausted. Only then did I know for sure that the transplant had gone ahead!

My kidney didn't start working straight away, so unfortunately that wasn't my final dialysis session. I was allowed home a week after the operation but had to return to the Churchill initially daily and then every couple of days.

In all the time I was ill, the 4 weeks after the operation was the worst time. Every visit to the Churchill involved a blood test; a wait for the result and then the massive disappointment when I saw that the results weren't good so I had to have another 4 hour dialysis session. Then I needed a blood transfusion - I was depressed as I felt I was worse off after the transplant.

However, after 4 weeks, the results began to improve a bit. I didn't need dialysis but did need to be careful with my diet and drink plenty - hard after being on restricted fluids for 4 years.

Within 3 months I was feeling reasonably normal and only visiting the hospital every weeks. I returned to work 4 months after my transplant. Within 6 months the appreciation of the transplant really kicked in. From then on I realised exactly how much better my life is without dialysis.

I continue to see my consultant every two/three months and my kidney function remains stable. I met someone at the hospital the other day who has had their kidney for 37 years, so I'm fully expecting mine to keep me going for a long time yet!

Thank you organ donors and the NHS - I know where I'd be without you!

Join the NHS Organ Donation Register

 

Plot 8 - the backbreaker!

How lucky we've been with the weather so far during this week off work! It was blowing a bitterly cold North-Easterly wind but again there was some nice warming sunshine (7° while we were working).

We were digging Plot 8 - such hard work compared to Plot 7, which has now been dug and dug again for three years. Plot 8 hasn't had quite such loving care and attention!

Look at all those stones and a bucketful of weeds from just a small area. And that took us about two hours #groan

Peeped under the netting at the Aqua Dulce broad beans which were sowed at the end of October. They're looking pretty good and looking at this photo is that a sign of a flower bud in the background?? I don't think they're meant to be dwarf variety!

Readying for Runners

Another lovely few hours on the allotment today. It was mostly sunny, though the wind was chilly, so we needed to keep busy or at least sit in the sunshine! The temperature last night was -2° but finally reached double figures today 10° while we were on the plot - it's getting there, slowly...

The first thing we did was dig circular trenches for our runner bean wigwams.

We put 2 bags of mushroom compost in each trench. We have two types of runners this year: Scarlet Empire and a white-flowered variety which we were given by a fellow plotholder last year.



While Jamie dug over the rest of the bean quarter, I piled manure round the raspberry bushes as a healthy mulch. I covered the area where the fennel is going with black plastic to try to warm the ground a bit. Also managed to square off the dug area on Plot 8a, still a lot do be sorted on plot8b though...

Panorama of Plot 7 - Three Quarters ready...

Spotted this pheasant clearing up one of the empty plots near us - there's nothing for him on our plots at the moment. I've updated the wildlife blog too.

 

Riddling for Carrots

The clocks changed last night for British Summer Time - should have been one hour less in bed but I'm pleased to say it didn't turn out that way! Well, I'm on holiday for a week, so we're taking it easy
:-)

That wasn't the case when we eventually got to the plot though. We were riddling the earth for the carrot trench; mixing in seed compost as we riddled. It's tiring doing it and it's a relief when you reach the end but it's pleasing. The seived earth is so lovely and free-flowing.

The carrot patch is filled and ready for our little seeds once the weather improves a bit. It's about 15cm deep so that we'll get nice straight carrots - well, that's the plan! We'll probably sow 3 rows and can eat the thinnings as salad carrots - we've got a super-sweet variety for this year.





Don't worry, there's no-one buried down there!



Here's a (very) short video showing how lovely the soil is - a bit of Zen gardening going on. With the Easter church bells in the background for good measure!



 



We also prepared a row for our parsnips. The carrots and parsnips are going in the onion quarter with some marigolds this year. We'll cover the carrots with enviromesh but are hoping the parsnips will be protected from the carrot fly by the marigolds and the onion smell..

We left after 6pm, so nice that we'll have longer evenings to get on the plot now. It was still reasonably sunny but still cold - about 6°. It was -4° last night :-(

 

Know your Onions

Our onions were delivered today! A bag of Santero F1 from Thompson & Morgan. So this afternoon we planted them up. They were very successful last year and are mildew resistant which is a good thing as our onions have suffered badly from that in previous years. This picture is planning where to plant them  - they're planted so only a tiny growing tip is above the ground.

We planted two rows of 16 - even that is too many for us really. We still have half a bag left - we're bound to find someone who wants them. We covered them with netting - only to protect them from the blackbirds (and pigeons) who will pull them out of the ground continuously if they're not protected.

Our alliums quarter is the busiest part of our plots at the moment - with shallots, onions and garlic in now.
We've also changed our site plan. We're going to put the carrots and parsnips in that quarter instead of with the beans. That was our intention for our crop rotation plan but we got out of synch last year. I'll update the plan in the next couple of days.

We left site just as it went black and started sleeting!

A very Good Friday!

I know! It looks like a fake! This is actual blue sky over the allotment today! It was quite unexpected but so welcome.

We managed about 4 hours of digging, chatting, digging, burning, digging and chatting. So nice to see our fellow allotment holders.

We managed to burn the waste that's been waiting on Plot 8 for months. Unfortunately the rusted bottom of the HAHA incinerator disintegrated during the process but we got a good fire going and Kerry joined in the pyromania with her dried waste too :-)

The ash from the fire was mixed into the area where we're sowing wildflowers and night stocks this year.







Jamie dug over this year's potato quarter and mixed in some of the 6X fertiliser. The potatoes won't be going in just yet but at least the plot is completely ready for them now.

All the while we were digging we could hear the contestants in the Devizes to Westminster canoe race going by on the Kennet and Avon Canal. I spied through the hedge for a time and managed to get this shot. I bet the canoeists were happy that it wasn't quite so cold today, but I'm not surprised they needed the big gloves!

We went home achey but happy that we left the plot looking worked, if not really growing yet!

I actually spotted a different insect on the plot today so will be updating the wildlife blog, once I've identified this beastie with the help of the Wildaboutbritain forum ...

So c-c-c-cold!

It had been trying to snow all day but just a bit of dandruff falling so we decided to have a couple of hours on the plot. Extremely cold with a shocking wind but not unbearable while we were busy. It stayed at about 1° and a few other plotholders were working on their plots too. Normally we wouldn't expect to see many people on site on a day like today, but everyone's so desperate to get something done whenever it's not precipitating!

We took some Freeze-Dried Mealworms for the robin. Poor little chap out in the cold :-( He very nearly ate from my hand today, but instead sat on the fencepost within a foot of me.

We decided to work on the raised bed. We hoed all the moss from it and then mixed in a little 6X natural fertiliser.
Next, we raked in a good layer of multi-purpose compost mixed with Topsoil and topped it off with Topsoil. That should keep our salad crops and beetroot happy!
Before leaving, we covered it with weed suppressant which may help warm the soil a little too - we're hoping to be able to get some sowing done over Easter...

Remembered to check the grape hyacinths. They haven't grown much since 9th March - not too surprising really.
Then back home to our lovely warm flat - only to discover I'd left the flask somewhere on site so we had to venture back out into the cold to retrieve it - Doh!!

Signs of Leaf!

It snowed for a few hours this morning but had all melted by the afternoon so we walked up to the allotment. It was very cold - just 3° and felt colder in the wind.


Keeping an eye on our garlic

Not surprisingly, there wasn't much happening! It's so very wet :-(
Jamie uncovered the rhubarb again - the birds are continuously burying it while they dig about around it - it's only very small, but there is a leaf on it now!

Leaves have also emerged from the buds on the raspberries, so there is life on the plot - you just need to look a bit harder for it at the moment!

We left after not too long, but I forgot to check how our grape hyacinths are doing - I guess they can't have been too impressive otherwise I would have spotted them!

Oh no! More snow!

We woke up late this morning and were amazed to see a couple of inches of snow covering Hungerford!

Despite the title (and the fact it stops us digging) I do still like the white stuff so we took a stroll up to the allotment. It had rained much of yesterday, in between bright sunshine, and the site was very soggy.
The temperature was 5° while we were there and the minimum had been -3°.

Netting was sagging all round the site and we had to clear the snow from our shallots and broad bean nets to stop them tearing.
Whilst looking at our photos later we noticed that the portaloo had been delivered! We didn't notice it while we were on site!! HAHA are renting it for a few months prior to investigating the possibility of a more permanent solution....

We didn't stay long - the snow had turned to rain and I felt a bit grotty (so wouldn't have got any work done even if it hadn't snowed). Jamie left some sunflower seeds for the robin and we returned home rather wet!

 

Return to Grey

It has been very grey and wet since our lovely day on Tuesday - there had been 17mm of rainfall and temperature has gone from 13° to a low of 2° and it was 6° while we were at the site today. However, it's from tomorrow that it's going to get really cold again - apparently...

We were pleased to see our grape hyacinths (free bulbs planted on 13th Jan) have started flowering, so they should provide a bit of colour on the plot quite soon.

This is the photo I forgot to take last week - our path between strawberry plot and tomato pots area.

We weren't actually working our plot today. We had to do some HAHA (Hungerford Allotment Holders Association) stuff. There are a few empty plots on site which the committee (and other volunteers) are going to rotavate after some glyphosphate weed killer is applied.

Personally, we (Jamie and me) are not keen on rotavating; it kills worms and can encourage certain weeds to propagate. Having said that, some of the plots are in a bad state and we aren't convinced that a new plotholder would get very far with them without some assistance. Particularly as, at present, we're still not able to say that we've got the site beyond next April... still awaiting agreement between Hungerford Town Council and the Landlord - REALLY WISH THEY'D SORT IT!!

As an aside, after our recent failed star-gazing session, there's a chance to see the Pan-STARRS comet this weekend- with the naked eye. Got to be worth a look if the weather plays ball... I remember Halley's Comet 15 years ago and it was interesting to see an unusual object when you're so used to seeing the stars that are always there!

Has Spring Sprung?

It certainly felt like it today! And, luckily, the lovely weather was predicted so I'd booked the afternoon off! It was about 13° in the shade with a low of -2° overnight.
Before leaving work I went to a photography talk, so I attempted to put some of the tips ("how to turn a snap into a photograph") into practise... Bear with me :-)

Attempting to use the Rule of Thirds - missing the mark I think

We prepared the area where the tomatoes are going this year. We cleared all the weeds and stones from an area on Plot 8B that hadn't been dug very well and then tramped it down and covered it in weed suppressant. We're having 3 Lizzano tomato plants in pots - the same as we had last year, as they proved to be so blight resistant, but with plenty more space this year.
I was chatting so forgot to take an "after" photo. We made a wood chipping path between that area and the strawberry bed and it looked very tidy(!) however, we think Mrs Blackbird will have a field day flicking the wood chippings all over the place! The chippings are dropped off by a local tree surgeon and someone always finds a use for them.

Pleased to see (most of) the raspberries are budding well. Yes, this is another photo trial. This was using Portrait mode on the camera rather than using auto - not too convinced it makes a whole lot of difference on this particular photo, so need to practise that a bit more.
Now, this I was very pleased with. Zoomed in and using portrait mode of the robin did make for a lovely photo.. And they are so photogenic.

Robbie eating sunflower hearts we took to the plot for him

By 5pm the sun had disappeared behind clouds (cirrocumulus I think) and it was beginning to get a bit chilly so we headed home. Just time for one Landscape photo...

Digging, clearing and some planting!

We had a brilliant few hours on the plot this afternoon. We got our shallots into the ground - fifteen Golden Gourmet should provide enough shallots for some pickles and cooking with.
We stapled (LOVE our staple gun!) netting onto the frame Jamie made the other week and put that over the top. The shallots don't really need that much protection but it keeps the birds (and mice) from pulling the shallots out of the ground and later will provide some protection against the leek moth.

The rest of the afternoon I spent digging the area behind the raised bed. The raspberries are sending shoots and roots out so that seems like a good sign that they're spreading happily. This area will be used for our little greenhouse for germinating seeds and then, once the greenhouse is packed away, we'll be putting some pretty wildflowers and night stocks in.

Jamie cleared a layer of moss and compost from the raised bed - we're going to give it a top up before sowing our beets and radishes this year. Then Jamie cleared all the annoying grass and weeds from near our strawberries and rhubarb. The birds keep burying our rhubarb whilst flicking around for worms and grubs.

Talking of birds, I've put an entry and video on the Wildlife on Our Allotment blog regarding the robins today. Our new regular, the female blackbird, was also on the scene - very pleased to eat giant worms we uncovered during our digging and clearing.

We took some small leeks home - enough to go in the creamy mushroom and leek pie that I'm looking forward to tonight!

Planning (Part Two) and Potatoes

Another very cold day, no rain though! We didn't get a chance to go to the plot but went to collect our shallots from my Mum's for planting tomorrow.

 

We spent some time looking through our seeds and doing some more planning. I've updated the plan for Plot 7 - it's changed a bit since the plan in February.

We've also worked out a rough plan for Plot 8B, which is the plot we took over last year and didn't fully use. This year it will hopefully look very full, as we plan to put quite a few sweetcorn on there, with jack-o-lantern pumpkins growing around - well, fingers crossed!

We're not too sure that big empty space will be there, as I haven't measured the areas we need for the various crops but that's a rough plan...

 

While at my Mum's we checked on our spuds - chitting nicely in the cold, light room... There's been quite a lot of growth in the last three weeks. A couple of the Orla at the front were upside down, with white chits pointing the wrong way, so we flipped them - that should help :-}