Watering the Plot

It's usual to see people watering on the plot in June but pretty rare in April. I must admit I don't think it's quite at that stage yet but it is fairly dry on the surface.

I use my finger test - plunge a finger in the soil. If it's damp then things are OK. I've no idea what Gianni is laughing at.. me trying to work the new camera probably!

Smart Plot from Sad Plot

This was one of the worst plots on the site until it changed hands and the builders took over. They layed a slabbed base, constructed a greenhouse on it and then put in a fence. It's all getting very posh on here nowadays.

Garlic and Shallots

Although I was desperately late getting both the garlic and shallots in this year, they're making a great start.

I think a few handfuls of pelleted chicken manure could benefit the garlic now. Looks slightly in need of nitrogen to me.

Comfrey Doing Well

The comfrey bed is looking really good, nearly ready for a cut. I think comfrey is the most useful and under rated plant in the gardener's armoury.

There's more on the site here: Growing and Using Comfrey

Apple Blossom

It's always a bit of a poser, fruit trees on an allotment. They're a permanent fixture and full trees are pretty hard for the next tenant to remove if they don't want them.

Whatever, the blossom on these looks beautiful.

Raised Beds (Again!)

The whole site's gone raised bed mad but they do make plots look very neat. I must admit I see little point in large raised beds where you have to walk on them beyond that.

There's an article on raised bed on the site: How to Construct a Raised Bed

Shed, Yet More Beds and Head on a Pole

Now the raised beds here are a more practical size but I thought this shot looked so typical of an allotment with the shed and pile of what some call rubbish and we call may be useful for something.

The head on the post is obviously an awful warning to vandals. Since we started beheading them and impaling the heads on stakes, no problems. And they say the old ways don't work!