April showers

Having had no time, in the last few weeks, to blog or allotment made this weekend was a pleasant change. Saturday [01.04.06] The light pouring in through my bedroom window, despite the blinds, was the trigger to get up early and get stuck in. My daughter who had been away all the previous week with school at an outward bound centre in Wales was still abed. I breakfasted lightly, loaded the car and shot of the allotment with a flask of tea for company. For several hours I was the only one at the allotment which was a treat in itself.

I had decided that the last of the leek were to be harvested and the plot cleared. I had also resolved to clear the Sprouting broccoli patch. I had known the Pigeons would enjoy the broccoli if they were allowed too and that the winter storms might damage the plants. So to address the problem I fleeced the entire area. However the wind kept blowing the fleece off or ripping it on the supports. Either way the Pigeons had a feast through out the winter. It was with a heavy heart I removed the remains the "protection" only to find quite a few good looking plants. The shoots were fairly small but yielded a big basket full. I dug up the plants and confirmed what I had thought which was that I set them to close together. A lesson for this year! I lightly dug the plot over a removed all the weeds. Mostly Dock but very few. The broccoli must have out competed them together with my weeding.

The leek were rotting in the ground and it was a slimy job to removed them. Again a few leek were in good order so they went in the basket with the broccoli. I lightly dug that plot over removed the weeds. This quarter of the allotment is going to be Legumes this year. They a greedy blighters so a lot a manure needs to be dug in. I thought to myself that the compost bins, although looking a bit low must has a harvest to be had. Close inspection showed there was probably about ten barrow loads available. I have three compost bins. One is fully of horse manure. One had all the bits and bobs from around the allotment. I had just cleared this one out so a could start a new pile with the tidy up of the broccoli patch and of course the bin with last years compost.

I had thought it would plant my early potatoes and Garlic but it was dinner time and I had promised H I would take her to look at some bedroom furniture whilst the daughter was at her friend s for the afternoon. I checked the Rhubarb on leaving and am happy to report that one of the two plants is just poking its head through the manure blanket it has had covering it all winter. The Comfrey is sprouting. I intend to make Comfrey tea this year but I will have to find somewhere to put the water butt first.

The weather man promised a sunny start to the day and showers later. The Garlic and seed potatoes where put back in the car along with t tools and flask. Again I was first down to the allotment but not for long. I dug my potato trenches and drop a barrow of manure in each one followed by nine potatoes per row. A seven kilo bag did five rows which I find is a nice quantity for a harvest. The spuds are International Kidney which are marketed as "Jersey Royals". I have decided to call mine "Moira Royals". I should be able to harvest them found sixteen weeks onwards. I made a nice job of planting them if I do say so myself. I then thought that I would prepare the Legume plot. With the trusty Mattock is set about weeding the plot. It was a pleasant surprise to see how few weeds there were. The Parsnips that held that position last year made a good job of supressing the weeds. Having weeded and roughly leveled the plot I got busy with the rake. The soil came up light and fluffy and is now almost as level a billiard table. Then starting at the top of the plot I barrowed load after load of compost from the bins. I just dumped the compost on the soil by the path and spread the pile around with the fork. The compo was full of worms so I do not think it will take them long to drag the goodness into the newly tilled earth. Almost from the moment I got there spiteful light showers drifted across the sky. They gave me a moment to sit in the back of the car with car of tea from the flask to rest and survey the plot. The garlic which I have been growing in pots is no nearer being planted. That plot is the next job. That plot had the potatoes in last year and I did not make use of the space and now the chickweed has take hold with avengeance. As the clock ticked round to one PM a shower kicked in. I had seen the black clouds rolling in. Something had to be coming with such a string wind. I kept on barrowing and spreading thinking I could get the compo bin emptied if I ignored the shower. Then the sting of hail was felt on the my ears and then the down pour started. I got caught half way up the path with a full barrow. I had to dump and spread the load, then put the barrow away before I ran for cover. But where to go? There is no shelter at the allotment so I stripped off my wet overalls and got in the car as quickly as I could. The rain, as if knowing it had beaten me, kicked in an increase in the down pour. I turned the key in the ignition and made my way out. By the time I got to the gates at the main road the fury of the storm had abated but it was time to go home for lunch.