tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904Wed, 25 Sep 2024 02:02:36 +0000strawberriesplot no 2plot no 1applesflowerstomatoesChelsea PensionerGariguettefrostBrussels SproutschildrencucumbersgarlicjampotatoesrhubarbweedingDefenderGoldieRHS Harlow Carrbean netblackcurrantbookscheesecakecourgettesden buildinggooseberriesleaf mouldloganberrymulchpolytunnelraspberriesshallotssweet peasAldermanAuroraBelle de BoskoopBorlotti beansChristmasClumber ParkCrown PrinceFrench beansGemstoreGertrude JekyllHagg House Allotment AssociationHarvest FestivalMajorNational TrustNorthern Fruit GroupPink Fir AppleRomeoWalled Gardenalliumsapple blossomapple pickingapple storageapple treeapples treesbeekeepingbeerbeesbindweedblueberriesbonfirebrassicasbroad beanscakecaliente mustardcarrotscatschilliescomfreycompetitiondahliasdroughtevelynflanfrogfruitfruit leathergherkingladioligreenhouseleavesleekslilynettingokraonionsorchardpart cultivation letterpathpeasplantingplastic greenhouseplumsprivetpumpkinpumpkinspurple sprouting broccolipythagorasrecyclingred currantrockdustseed potatoesseedsslatesnowsquashsunsunflowerstree climbingtulipswater buttweatherwindTwo allotments, two different sites. It seemed like a good idea at the time...http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)Blogger142125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-361638318881202420Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:30:00 +00002011-08-29T20:08:44.966+00:00droughtflowerssun... all a bit mad really. What with kids being off school, going on holiday, the allotment going mad and job hunting. Now that's the excuses out of the way, what been happening? Plot no. 2 I discovered I have a plum tree! The tree was on my list to chop down in the autumn as I didn't know what it was - it not having bothered to produce anything in the last three years - and nor did any of my http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/08/summer-time-and-living-is.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-5821062373408783501Wed, 13 Jul 2011 21:41:00 +00002011-07-13T21:41:29.149+00:00flowersplot no 1Quite a few of you had a go at naming the flowers in the blog entry - although I think Susan claiming to have 16 of them within minutes of me posting possibly intimidated some people from entering ;>) And you all obviously know your stuff, but no one got them all correct. So here are the answers: 1. Daisy - not sure what kind they were there when I got the plot and come back stronger each http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/07/flowers-on-plot-answers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-6060679392260907444Sun, 10 Jul 2011 21:07:00 +00002011-07-10T21:07:04.447+00:00tomatoes Well, anyone got any suggestions as to what's going on here??? It is from a Costoluto Fiorentino, growing in a large pot in the polytunnel and none of the others seem to be developing (?) like that. Any suggestions welcomed. Oh and no one has got all the flowers from the last post correct yet! I'll give it another couple of days before giving the answers.http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/07/tomato-problems.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-5969232690170589299Wed, 06 Jul 2011 21:17:00 +00002011-07-06T21:22:40.008+00:00flowersplot no 1I was wandering round the plot today with the camera and couldn't help noticing the number of flowers out. Some of them pre-date my time on the plot, some of the are unwanted (i.e. weeds!), some of them are from the fruit and veg and some of them are flowers I've planted for cutting. So I thought I'd have a little competition to see how many you can name. I say competition, there is no prize http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/07/flower-on-plot.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-4257669497746283421Sun, 03 Jul 2011 21:29:00 +00002011-07-03T21:29:35.728+00:00 Well I say 'trug' but actually I'm far too tight to buy one of those nice wooden trugs and no one has taken the hint and bought me one yet. So it's actually a plastic tray left over from the local fruit and veg shop. So what's inside? Leaves I picked a big bag of lettuce leaves from the Little Gem and Romaine Ballon, with a few beetroot leaves for variety. We're getting through a few bags ahttp://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/07/whats-in-trug.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-1109397830768491608Wed, 29 Jun 2011 22:09:00 +00002011-06-29T22:09:33.047+00:00brassicascucumbersflowersfroggherkintomatoesJust over a couple of weeks after putting the tunnel up it's beginning to pay dividends. The first harvests today were one cucumber (Miniature White - OK it's only a couple of inches long, but the clue's in the name!) and three gherkins (one Paris Pickling and one Bimbostar, and one unlabeled but it's one of those two! Fortunately Mrs D is a big fan of pickled cucumbers and gherkins, so if anyonehttp://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/06/first-produce-from-polytunnel.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-3649904985639742156Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:33:00 +00002011-06-16T12:33:27.579+00:00blueberrieschilliescucumbersflowersgooseberriespolytunnelpotatoesstrawberriestomatoesweedingIt's surprising how big it is in there, but fortunately I was prepared and grew a few (!) plants in advance. Because it's next to the old tree and there are 'issues' with roots at the top end, I've decided to mainly grow things in pots for now. And because I'm not sure whereabouts in the tunnel I want to grow them, I'm supporting them with canes. I know, I know, it's asking for trouble but I havehttp://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/06/so-whats-in-tunnel.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)7Sheffield, UK53.388423512814043 -1.521604486935416453.32082801281404 -1.6912774869354164 53.456019012814046 -1.3519314869354164tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-3870759555625772750Sat, 11 Jun 2011 21:39:00 +00002011-06-11T21:39:46.681+00:00Finally it's up and covered! Still needs some tidying and a few bits tweaking, bit it's ready for plants! Stepping back a bit, it's been hard work and not necessarily as simple the instructions would have you believe - are things ever?! - but the next one will be much easier to put up. Not that I'm volunteering to help anyone, I'm too knackered for that! So after Pythagoras, I managed to get http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/06/polytunnel-it-lives.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-1947245348362247137Mon, 06 Jun 2011 22:14:00 +00002011-06-06T22:14:48.944+00:00polytunnelpythagorasNot the usual subject for the allotment blog, but turns out the whole geometry thing has its uses after all. After a couple of attempts to put the anchor plates in for the polytunnel I was nowhere near putting them in square on each occasion, despite the recommended approach using string, etc. in the manual. Given it's a while since I used any mathematics in anger (well pure maths anyway), I musthttp://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/06/pythagoras.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-4916235320205912Tue, 24 May 2011 21:54:00 +00002011-05-24T21:54:38.254+00:00den buildingweatherwindWind damaged was mercifully minimal, thanks in part to my generally late planting this year (I've still yet to figure out why) and also the privet hedges around the plots - who'd have thought there'd be a time when I was thankful for the privet?! One of the (almost empty) water butts had been blown over on to one of the comfrey plants, which I'm sure will survive since I've yet to kill the stuff http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/05/wind.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-6842143323519327243Sat, 21 May 2011 18:10:00 +00002011-05-21T18:11:15.656+00:00caliente mustardcucumbersden buildingstrawberriestomatoesPopped out with my youngest this morning to buy some straw to put under the strawberries from the local allotment shop. It seemed silly not to then put it around the strawberries so we stopped off at the allotment too ;>) Hoed round the strawberries, gave them some water and then put the straw round them together. Did a bit of weeding then ready to go home. "No I don't want too." Well that http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/05/can-we-build-den.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-5119393129143662292Thu, 19 May 2011 21:54:00 +00002011-05-19T21:54:48.824+00:00I thought I'd move the plastic greenhouse to put it next to the 'cold frame' I'd cobbled together the other day. So I emptied out the plants - which was a surprisingly large number and moved it into the old greenhouse area. Only to find it didn't fit. I then took apart the cold frame - which took far longer as I was too lazy to put it together properly in the first place - and moved it along a http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/05/bit-of-tidy-up.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-4836658949571470764Tue, 10 May 2011 22:01:00 +00002011-05-10T22:01:20.181+00:00Regular readers (anyone left?!) will know I found myself out of a job at the end of March. Strangely the lack of a job and increased activity on the plots has resulted less output on the blog front. Maybe I don't need the escape of the blog so much at the moment? Or maybe I'm just too knackered in the evening to write anything? So, what have I been up to...? The Greenhouse I finally got my act http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/05/now-where-was-i.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-6607237445740750078Fri, 01 Apr 2011 22:04:00 +00002011-04-01T22:04:55.804+00:00bindweedbonfiredahliasflowersgladiolililyplastic greenhousewater buttToday was my first day out of work. Naturally my thoughts turned to the allotment, especially with the promise of the temperature reaching 20C. Looked out of the window as I got up, it was raining. Went down stairs, picked up one of the cats off the chilli plants. Got down to plot no. 1 some time later to this: Not the best start to the day. I'd taken the greenhouse down the plot to get ithttp://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/04/man-of-leisure.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-4903616225277667138Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:52:00 +00002011-02-25T18:52:45.675+00:00Clumber ParkNational TrustWalled GardenIt's half term so the kids need entertaining and taking advantage on the unseasonal weather we went to Clumber Park. More specifically we spent most of the time in the Walled Kitchen Garden there - Walled Gardens, an obsession I've briefly touched on previously. We usually manage to go there once a year or so and they're gradually bringing more and more of the garden back into use. I had a quickhttp://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/02/were-going-on-bean-hunt.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-6028011420530810962Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:28:00 +00002011-02-21T12:28:38.505+00:00bookscompetitionrecyclingI'm very bored at the moment as it's either raining, snowing or sleeting (I'm not sure what it is as I write this, but definitely one of them!) or we're away somewhere. So time on the plot is somewhat limited - fortunately my employer is helping with this and making me redundant at the end of March, so should be a top growing season ahead! I should be more concerned I guess, but I'm quite lookinghttp://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/02/book-recycling.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-5517421812057021491Tue, 01 Feb 2011 21:29:00 +00002011-02-01T21:29:04.250+00:00seed potatoesseedsWell of course I have! And let's face it, if you're reading an allotment blog you probably have too. Those of you who think not, you are obviously in denial! This year I have ordered: Aubergine Ophelia Beetroot Baby Action  Broccoli Claret  Broccoli Summer Purple  Broccoli Xtra Erly Rudolph  Carrot Marion  Cabbage Endeavour  Courgette Atena  Cabbage Ruby http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/02/too-many-seeds.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-6104130855312401617Mon, 17 Jan 2011 22:27:00 +00002011-01-17T22:27:47.062+00:00plot no 2potatoesraspberriesrhubarbweedingHaving packed Mrs D and the kids off round to friends to knit and play respectively, I wasn't about to let a bit of rain put me off a couple of hours on the plot. The plan was to plant up six of the rhubarb crowns to a bed at the front of the plot and then move the raspberries to the same bed. It wasn't too bad on this bed at the front as it had been covered over since last Autumn but digging http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/01/at-least-it-wasnt-cold.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-4742910936203947467Sat, 15 Jan 2011 23:12:00 +00002011-01-15T23:12:23.445+00:00It was a thoroughly miserable day and we needed to get out of the house to let the kids run off some energy, and give the cats some peace from them. So what better place than a garden centre! We got a little side-tracked round the back of the garden centre and ended up here: Well, this was just the appetiser: the old stable block. Yes this was a stable block! Still when you see the house (http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/01/trip-to-garden-centre.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-2738520888607115519Sat, 15 Jan 2011 12:43:00 +00002011-01-15T12:43:00.219+00:00apples treescomfreyplot no 2raspberriesrhubarbExpecting conditions to be somewhat reminiscent of the Somme, it was with some trepidation I approached the task of lifting and dividing the rhubarb on (the long neglected) plot no. 2. It's a bit of a mess up there and needs some serious tidying but winter isn't being too obliging with first snow, then frost and now endless rain. Fortunately it's always quite dry up there and it wasn't anywhere http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/01/alien-invasion.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-6084701240026630330Mon, 10 Jan 2011 08:02:00 +00002011-01-10T08:02:42.016+00:00loganberryplot no 1weedingWell OK I was lying about the ice, but it had defrosted enough to do some work down on the plot to do some work. Strictly speaking it was too wet to be doing much, but you know, time, opportunity, etc. Just after arriving I spotted an interesting looking bird in the tree. It then helpfully flew down to the plot not long after. Sadly I was too slow with the camera and my knowledge of birds isn't http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/01/wot-no-snow-and-ice.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-2285164496854263314Mon, 03 Jan 2011 21:41:00 +00002011-01-03T21:41:12.355+00:00blackcurrantfrostnettingstrawberriesI always find Christmas and New Year pass too quickly for my liking. There not usually a lot to look forward to in January either. OK there's the seed orders and some planting, if I can find room in the house for them, but it seems ages before it starts getting light again and I can get out and do some real work. Granted there a fair bit of tidying up I could be doing but that's not easy in the http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2011/01/now-thats-all-over.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-5788891015387155718Wed, 29 Dec 2010 23:25:00 +00002010-12-29T23:25:10.570+00:00booksChristmasfruitSanta was somewhat late delivering this year as our youngest was still awake until not long before 1am. She then woke up again at 4.09am. Oh yes, 4.09am! Her brother woke at around 5.30am. The neighbours got up at 6am. And finally ours woke up and got up at 7am. Mrs D and I drank a lot of coffee that day. Despite spending most of the morning in the kitchen (and over-cooking the turkey - cry), wehttp://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2010/12/you-can-never-have-too-many-books.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-4189117432471558831Thu, 23 Dec 2010 23:02:00 +00002010-12-23T23:02:10.811+00:00blackcurrantBrussels Sproutsfrostpurple sprouting broccolisnow... I'd have gone to the supermarket! Sadly this extended cold spell has meant frozen soil for ages now - I forget quite how long, but it's getting quite boring not being able to do anything down on the plot. Unfortunately the frost got my potatoes stored in the outhouse, not hugely surprising given how cold it's been but it was a sad day today having to buy potatoes in the local fruit and veghttp://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2010/12/if-id-wanted-frozen-veg.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33700904.post-763595819453778239Wed, 17 Nov 2010 23:03:00 +00002010-11-17T23:03:27.105+00:00frostplot no 21.22pm on Tuesday afternoon up on plot no. 2http://a-plot-too-far.blogspot.com/2010/11/baby-its-cold-outside.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Unknown)4