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Allotment Diary for February 2006 Month View

Friday, 3rd February 06

Freecycle

It started in Arizona in the USA. Something called "Freecycle". How it works is if you have something you don't want anymore and it is still good, instead of giving it to the thrift store or the tip, you put it up on your local Freecycle Group (They are Yahoo Groups). The first person to respond to you gets the item, and then you have them meet you somewhere to give it to them. Also, you can ask for something on Freecycle as well.

Everything on Freecycle has to be FREE. It is not about bartering, but only about giving away (or recycling) things you don't need or want anymore. It is lots of fun, and you get to meet new and interesting people. For more information, go to http://www.freecycle.org. Freecycle is all over the world now, and if there isn't one in your area, you can start a group yourself. Freecycle helps you, giving you all the information you need. My local Freecyle group is in Nantwich and there was an advert for free barn cloches.

Cloches

Well it took me 2 seconds to bang out a reply and today I drove over to Malpas to collect them this morning. I came back with a dozen glass barn cloches but I could have had more. Truth is that they have had many replies and I didn't want to be greedy.

Resurgence

From the front a nice house in the country but at the back it was a different story. Some acres? of land with polytunnels, greenhouses and coldframes.

It is being run by a couple of really nice people, Paul and Ruth who have recently taken it on. They run a box scheme and are developing it into a training centre for organic growing and other skills. I was really impressed but a bit cross I didn't have my camera with me.

They are giving away the glass cloches as they will be having children visiting and they could be a danger, plus they are a bit fiddly and time consuming for the scale of growing they are undertaking,

Paul showed me his two wheeled tractor - OK, I was jealous and we chatted for quite some time. He mentioned they were funded by Resurgence and I said 'There used to be a great magazine called that, years ago". Well the good news is that it is the same magazine / organisation but grown and developed. You can find the website at http://www.resurgence.org/

I'm going to ask if they want to send me more detailed information and publish it on here.

There was one awkard moment when Ruth asked if I was organic as they wanted the cloches to go to a good home. Was she serious? Should I admit that I'm not 100% organic? Well I confessed I wasn't as green as I should be and from her reaction I think I failed to notice I was being ribbed a little.

Still, didn't light up until I was driving up the road and out of sight!

Dropped the cloches off at the plot and straight back home.

Onions

The seedling onions are really in need of being moved on so into the greenhouse where I started transplanting late afternoon. It's still really cold so didn't get all done by any means. Moved the rest of the garlic to the coldframe to make room for the new trays and realised I'm going to need the second coldframe on the plot for the brassicas before I'm done. Before I do that, I'd best fix the lid.

Redcurrants

Val returned from shopping with 3 redcurrant bushes - 99p each at Aldi, so she grabbed them for me.

Camera

I dd take some photographs of the onion seedlings and the famous paraffin heater but the smartcard seems to be crrupted. maybe the camera which is playing up at odd times or maybe the reader messed it up. So more software to load before I finish tonight.

Funeral

It was the funeral for my mother-in-law yesterday. A freezing day but it went as well as these things ever do. She'll be missed.

Saturday, 4th February 06

Onions

Another grey cold day and being pretty tired (note: don't start fixing something on a website at 11pm) as I didn't get to bed until 3am, didn't go down to the plot. Into the greenhouse to finish moving on the Red Baron onions.

I realised I was running out of room so the electric propagators moved to the back bedroom, giving me space for another 7 seed trays and some of the brassicas were moved into the twin wall polycarbonate cold frame. Plus much juggling of various pots to fit everything in.

They started in modules of 15 to a seed tray but I then moved to 24 to the tray modules. I've over 200 seedlings on the go.

Still have the Bedfordshire Giant and Ailsa Craig upstairs to move on as well,

We use at most, 10 onions a week and I've got about 100 autumn planted sets going on the plot. I think I may have over done the quantity a little,

Greenhouse

Putting the light into the greenhouse was certainly a good move. With my trusty paraffin heater going it is quite cozy and I can ignore the fact it has gone dark outside.

The next big job is going to be the greenhouse on the plot. I think the way things are going I'd best get a move on with it.

Sunday, 5th February 06

To the Allotment Shop

The recent cold weather has been making my paraffin heater work overtime, so down to the allotment shop for another two gallons. I think my plants will have to put up with slightly colder conditions because a fiver a week is a bit much!

I mentioned the shortfall in the potatoes from last week and was given a kilo of Arran Pilot in compensation. Good for them. I also officially joined the association - realised I've never actually joined although I've been attending the monthly meetings.

I bought a couple of pounds worth of shallots - I always think of them as 'the posh onion'. They do tend to keep really well though.

Another 75 Onions

Transplanted about half of the Ailsa Craig seedling onions into modules. This gave me a problem in the greenhouse. Where to fit them? So, the brassicas move into the coldframe and the garlic moves out of the coldframe here to the coldframe on the plot.

This involved fixing the coldframe lid, again. I bought it off ebay. You can buy them in the shops for around ?50.00 but I think I'd be wild if I'd paid that much for it.

Despite being treated with Cuprinol the wood has warped so that the polycarbonate has sprung. Still, it's providing shelter for the garlic in pots and hopefully getting them ahead of the curve.

To the plot

When I took the garlic down to the plot, I noticed my neighbours have put up the most amazing scarecrow. Lucky the camera was in the car. I don't normally take the car to the plot being as it is more trouble than walking the 200 yards, but it is easier when you've a load of pots than making six journeys.

More covers

Val returned from the shops with a dozen clear plastic lids for seedtrays - bit more padding for my baby onions now the heating is being turned down.

Wednesday, 8th February 06

Compost Material to the Plot.

After six hours on the computer try to figure why things that should have worked were stubbonly and with malice aforethought not working, I thought a little trip to the plot was called for.

Val's been trimming stuff in the home garden so I carted the compost bag around with me. First thing I noticed was my hand fork by the compost bin on plot 29. Since it is an expensive Wolf one, I'm normally quite careful about putting things away. Big oops, but no harm done.

So, pull the sheeting off the top of the bin and there, in the turkey litter I'd put on the top, are a number of holes or runs. A bit like you see when you lift a slab with an ant's nest under it but much larger in size.

Well monster ants were not my first thought, no I thought maybe Benjamin Bunny had moved in. A little later, maybe a tenth of a second, I thought it is much more likely to be a rat. I'm not one of those people who is terrified of rats, although I have a healthy respect for them.

Bravely, in fact with courage worthy of a medal, I took a six foot pole and stirred things around. No snarling rats appeared or, thank goodness, monster ants swarmed out. So I dumped the compost materials on the top and put the sheeting back on.

Greenhouse Construction

Next job was to start cutting down the beams that will form a base for the greenhouse. The new bow saw made it fairly easy but I still new I'd done some work when I finished. Some are near perfect and some are a little rotten at the ends. Cutting off the rotten ends should preserve them. I stacked them off the ground to let them dry off a bit. May well give them some preservative before they get put in place.

Weather

It was cooler today and the wind had a definate chill but it was sunny. Wonderful. Tonight you can see the stars clearly and it's supposed to be dropping to minus one so I've just put the paraffin heater on half for the night. Got to keep my little onions warm.

Talking of onions, the last of the seedling onions up in the bedroom are ready to move into the big wide world. Trouble is that the greenhouse is nigh on full. Where are they going to go?

Friday, 10th February 06

Weather

I've not managed to get to the plot today and don't think I will until Sunday, being pretty busy with work I just didn't get a chance. However, I thought it might be worth mentioning a couple of web sites I use for the weather.

Last night hit about minus 5 here and at midnight I was in the greenhouse putting both wicks on in the paraffin heater. It managed to fall to plus 2 in the greenhouse, all the same. Tonight is supposed to go to minus 1 or 2 but it alrady feels below freezing so both wicks on already.

The first site I use is the Met. Office. You can go to your own region and then bookmark the address. It gives a pretty good forecast as well.

The next site I like is Metcheck Pop in the start of your postcode and hit TODAY. It gives you quite a lot of information in 3 hour blocks. Very useful.

Wednesday, 15th February 06

National Vegetable Society

Attended the meeting of the NVS last night. Being secretary, it's expected. Our web site is here I do get a little down about how dismissive they are towards the web. After all, the internet is mainstream now.

We had a talk on chrysanthemums, which I thought would be really boring as well as not much to do with vegetables, but it was actually quite fascinating.

The sheer range of types and sizes was a revelation and I was surprised to find out how easy to propagate from cuttings they are. I hadn"t realised how big they grow either, apparently eight of ten feet high is not unusual with some cultivars.

Lull before the storm

It?s been a little quiet as far as the plot is concerned. Apart from dropping down to pick a few leeks, I?ve not done anything. The potatoes are happily chitting in the front bedroom and I?ve a few more onion seedlings to move on but that?s about it. It?s nearly time to start sowing a few more things but not quite yet.

The greenhouse on the plot needs building as well. I?m a terrible prevaricator when it comes to jobs I don?t want to do, though. I know there is going to be a lot of cursing when I do get around to it.

The other thing that has kept me off the plot is a lot of work on - it would be nice if it paid better, but something beats nothing most days.

Finally, my little cat may have cancer in her leg. She?s going in for a biopsy and x-rays tomorrow, Fingers crossed that the vet?s fears are misplaced.

Saturday, 18th February 06

Sad Time

Although the weather has been beautiful here for the last couple of days, I haven't gone down to the plot. Basically our little cat, Chani, was ill and had a biopsy on Thursday. Unfortunately she had bone cancer and was losing the use of both her back legs. The procedure exacerbated the problem and we took her up for the last time on Friday. She's now buried in our back garden.

Sowing Time

Although the weather is improving, in fact almost springlike, we have more cold weather to come and probably some snow as well. Yet soon enough, it will be spring and so it's time to sow a few things.

First thing was to get some of the salad crops sown. For the benefit of the novice, I'm going to walk through this slowly.

With peppers and tomatoes, you don't need too many plants. But seeds don't all germinate so as a rule of thumb, I put about 4 times as many seeds into the pot than plants I want. Because seed compost is relatively expensive, I am trying to avoid using too much and re-use some as well.

So I take a 2?" pot and half fill it with all purpose compost. Then I top up with seed compost to just under the rim. Next I water it thoroughly in a tray without holes so the excess can soak back up into the compost and leave for five minutes. Easier to do this in a batch.

Take the pot and drain and you will notice the compost level has dropped a little so top up with a little more compost and level off. Don't compact the compost, you want plenty of air and the loose mixture will allow the roots to get going easily.

Now spread the seeds as evenly as you can around the pot. I use concentric circles. With little seeds you may find it helpful to use a blunt pencil or a plant label to pick them up one at a time. Wet the end and it will work.

Finally, a light dusting of fine compost over the top and gently water in. I use a houseplant watering can with a fine rose.

One point on watering - don't use cold water straight from the tap. Use tepid water so you don't chill the plants. I just add enough hot to take the chill off when you dip a finger in.

All of the following require a temperature around 20? C to get them going so they go into the heated propagator in the bedroom.

Aubergine - Black Beauty. I just want a couple of plants of this standard cultivar. Although you can get many fancy varieties, this suits our culinary tastes.
Tomato - Garden Pearl. We want two plants eventually so these were sown into a 1" pot. A really nice tasting dwarf bush cv that we usually have in pots in the garden.
Tomato - Sungold. The sweetest tasting tomato I have ever had. A prolific and vigerous cordon cv. We will want two plants or maybe three of this.
Tomato - Big Boy. I wasn't successful with this beefsteak cv last year so I'm trying again.
Tomato - Ailsa Craig. An old variety I've not grown before but supposed to have good flavour.
Tomato - Plum Roma. I grew this bush variety outside last year and it was very good, so hoping for half a dozen good plants.
Peppers - Hot & Spicy. Not too bad last year although I wouldn't call them hot.
Pepper - Cayenne. A generic cheapo seed but we'll see how this does.
Pepper - Habanero. From the organic catalogue, a Mexican tongue burner, I hope
Pepper - Golden Californian Wonder. A sweet pepper, again from the organic catalogue. I've not grown this one before.

Leeks

Next job was to sow some leeks. These have gone into a deep 10" pot and a plant trough. I want to give them plenty of depth to get a god root going and have sown them as thinly as you can with a tiny black seed onto dark compost.

The trough is on the base of the greenhouse and the pot in the coldframe as leeks don't require a high temperature to get started but I want them to be a little warmer than outside,

You can start them in an outside seedbed but I find they do better like this, as long as they aren't too crowded in the pots.

I've started to varieties -

Leek Lyon - this is an Unwin's heritage variety from the 1880s which stands well and is quite mild. you can harvest when about pencil thin and add to stir fries or leave it to thicken and stand as any other leek.
Leek Autumn Giant 2 Argenta - I got these seeds free from Thompson & Morgan and am looking forward to seeing how they perform

I may sow some more leeks in a few weeks depending how these germinate.

Web Site

I've been playing about with some things on the site. you may notice the title has changed on some pages and a few other things are going on in the back end. If you come and get a strange error message, just come back in a few minutes. Not all things go as per plan!

Thursday, 23rd February 06

Leeks and a Parsnip

Arose this morning to wet snow falling, one of those winter days it's hard to take any pleasure from. My mission, to obtain some leeks and a parsnip for tonight's tea.

So there I was, the only soul on the site, in fact, the only soul daft enough to be outside, with the rain pattering down on my anorak hood. The first job was to empty the kitchen waste bin into the compost bin on the plot. Amazing how it's gone down since I last looked.

Then six leeks were trimmed into the compost heap and a couple of good sized parsnips had the mud scraped off. Into the bag and then just had to check the garlic in pots in the coldframe. They're nearly all popped up and were a little dry. Seems very strange to be watering plants in the pouring rain, but that's gardening for you.

Locked up the shed back home in fifteen minutes.

I did feel better for some fresh air, though. I've been spending a lot of time on the computer the last few days and I think it was time for a break!

Tomatoes

The tomatoes in the propogator are up already, The Ailsa Craig and Sungold being the furthest along. I can see me potting on over the weekend.

Onions

The onion seedlings in the greenhouse are doing OK. The paraffin heater has been on half power at night to keep them frost free and hopefully it will not be too long before they can get planted out. Perhaps under cloches to start with. I'm pretty sure winter isn't over by a long chalk,

Web Site

I've been working on this site in the background, A fairly major new section will be going live shortly. Yes, I am being mysterious.

Saturday, 25th February 06

Tomatoes

The tomato seedlings in the front bedroom had shot up. Gone a little spindly reaching for the light in the north facing window as well. It's the natural reaction of a seedling to try and outgrow the competition and get to the light but it does result in spindly plants.

So, transplanted deep into pots, by which I mean about half way up the stem. Because of the lack of space, moved some onion seedlings from the greenhouse into the coldframe and then one of the electric propagators into the greenhouse which is filled with tomatoes in 3" pots. Another 8 pots went into the south facing kitchen window.

I reckon to plant on what I need plus a couple of spares so we now have 5 Sungold, 8 Ailsa Craig, 8 Plum Roma and 3 Garden Pearl in pots.

The propagator should keep them warm enough despite the cold weather and promised snow. Must get some more paraffin in the morning.

Still have Big Boy tomatoes to move on and the peppers are showing too.

Space problems

I've not started on the greenhouse on the plot and we could do with the space. As the bedrooms and kitchen widows are filling we're using the racking from a defunct plastic mini-greenhouse to build a seed tray holding rack in the lounge. Yes, visitors, we are mad!

Sunday, 26th February 06

Vandals - a rant!

Went down to the allotment shed for another couple of gallons of paraffin as the forecast is cold and I don't want to lose anything in the greenhouse.

Greeted by George Cornes, secretary of the allotment association, who was telling me they'd had more problems with vandals on the site. They're painting the fence with special anti-vandal paint. Now, I know George is pretty anti keeping chickens on allotments, although he has never directly said why to me, so how much credence to put in his tale with regard to the hens, I don't know.

Anyway, apparently the intruders set fire to the portaloo and turned over a chicken coop, killing the occupants as well.

I can understand theft - not to condone it, you understand - but vandalism just makes no sense. Why destroy something for no gain? I suggested that schemes like BUGS, which seek to involve children in gardening and allotments might be an answer but got the usual dimissive response. This from the man who doesn't believe in promoting allotments in case the vandals find out where they are!

I'd suggest they know already and involvement and education are a long term solution of more promise than moaning that people shouldn't keep chickens on allotments or even know about them.

Potting On

Back at the ranch, moved on the Big Boy tomatoes and the generic Cayenne Hot peppers into 3" pots. These have taken up residence in the back bedroom where they'll be a little warmer than the greenhouse.

Cold and Colder

The weather sites are predicting minus 1 or 2 tonight and some pretty cold weather for the week coming. Glad I got the paraffin supply in. In really bad weather, with both barrels burning, it costs about 80p a day to run. Funny, when we turn up the heating in the house we rarely think of the cost - just those warm radiators. When you buy your fuel for cash in advance, it's more real somehow.