Dry March makes for busy times at plot

With March being such a dry month Our allotment is ahead of schedule with spring cleaning and preparation of beds for the coming season and lots of things have been started in modules or sown direct and even planted out in tunnel.

So here is what has been sown over the past couple of weeks 16th March planted seed spuds Foremost and Home Guard these have been planted 2 days earlier than last year so even more riskier due to late frosts. I have fleece at the ready just in case it is required and have also put hoops over bed to support it. 18th March onion sets Stutgarter and Red Baron planted this was followed on the 22nd by sowing in modules within polytunnel Sprout Maximus, Celeriac brilliant, Mange tout golden, Leek musselburgh, Cabbage Atlas and Greyhound, Sweet peas and Sunflowers. We also bought some plug palnts from Aldi 15 Cauliflower £1.98 and 6 Pepper sweet baby bell x2  at £1.98 each. I also have managed to erect pea net and sowed direct in ground on 23rd Mange tout golden.

The tomatoe and pepper plants in the loft are growing away really well and on the 25th I took one of each tomatoe Golden peardrop, Gardeners delight, Inca, tumbler F1, Tumbling yellow and Tumbling red plus one of each pepper Halbenero, Patio sizzler, Cayenne and Sweet mini red and planted out in tunnel. They are all doing fine at present it is a bit of a gamble with the weather being changeable but nothing ventured nothing gained.

One more foot note before I go lots of rain last night just what the doctor ordered.

My loft room is getting overtaken

By tomatoe and chilli plants I have repotted today as they were getting leggy and half dead due to me neglecting them and not giving them a drink.

Here is what they are all looking like now!

Also at front of the picture are 6 globe artichokes called emerald, I am growing from seed even though most books say to grow from root cutting. This is another plant I have never tasted but I like the look of them so wanted some on plot. I finish my shift at 0330am tonight so hope to get to our allotment tomorrow and start sewing in modules not sure what yet? I may well sow some broad beans direct as well and hopefully start properly planning the beds for 2011.

I don't want to set myself too much to do but I would also like to start setting up my bean net as I would like to sow direct mange tout golden sweet this week. Also I think a visit to Scats is in order as they are selling chicken manure pellets buy one get one free at the moment. Lets hope the monster rat has ate all his blue corn seeds up as well because I can not be dealing with him jumping out on me.
On a more excitng note it is only 2 weeks until the clocks go forward and we can all start enjoying longer evenings, with a bit of luck the politicans will see sense and go with double summer time proposal which is being talked about at the moment. I know they are against it in Scotland but they have their own parliment so they can vote for thier own time zone if they so wish.

Until next time ta la.

Big hairy beaver!

Well that is what I thought it was but no it was a rat!

Down at the plot this afternoon pottering around and I saw something out the corner of my eye by the bait box I have by my shed, firstly I thought it was Jimmy the allotment cat but looking closer I soon realised it was a rat. Now I do not like the bloody things as previously stated but I did not mind watching this one as it was going in box to feed on poison so I knew it would soon not be eating my spuds or piddling everywhere and leaving myself and others exposed to vials disease. The thing that fascinated me the most was the size of the bastard it was huge and for a split second I thought it was a beaver.
I do not like laying poison the worst bit is disposing of the bodies(as I have to look at them) I burnt one a couple of weeks back and it smelt quite nice as it cooked away but wouldn't fancy eating one unless it was prepared properly at my local Chinese take away and then I may be swayed. I don't think the rat problem will ever go away as We have a small holding directly behind our allotment but it is good to keep the numbers down especially if they are all that size.

The cover went on valentines day here are the pictures!

Sorry for the delay in posting pictures as the cover has been on nearly 3 weeks, I have laid path and prepared beds within tunnel so here it is in all it's glory for all to see.

 Oh and here are some parsnips I dug up lovely countess from dobies of devon.

Hope you all enjoyed the pictures also would like to add I planted 4 fruit trees today apple, pear, cherry and plum they are 2 year old and two for £10.00 in Lidl at present. They have there gardening deals on this week and they won't be beat for price picked up a load of fleece for the poulrty sum of 3 quid. I have also sown direct in tunnel mange tout golden, beetroot, carrots early nantes, corriander and rocket. Sowed in modules sweeet peas, leeks, celeriac, broad bean and some flowers I forgot the name of (my missed spent youth is catching up on me). Also I have created a permanent flower bed with 40 bare root plants(perrenial) of various types which I ordered from greenfingers for £14.99. February has been a very busy month on our allotment and we look forward to reaping the benefits later in the year.

Speak to you all soon Jamie.