Day 7

Quietening down at work now, so I took the opportunity to spend part of the day on the plot. Still too dry and very hot but it's amazing what you can achieve in a few hours. If I'd been able to put in a couple of hours a day I think I'd be well on the way now - as it is I've sometimes only been able to get to the plot once in a week. I'm going to try and go every day for the next few days before the (promised) rain comes at the end of next week.

Incidentally, whilst digging I was surrounded by the smell of strawberry jam - lots of strawberries ripening nearby. I also got to see some of the 'planes practising for the airshow at RAF Waddington - which takes place this weekend - and a nice old boy gave me some strawberries and some brussel plants. Ain't life sweet.

Will post some more pics in the next few days ...

Days 5 & 6

Have been trying to juggle the Plot with work, the World Cup and the weather - which accounts for the lack of entries!
Day 5 - spent part of the day (my birthday) taking out more poppies. Made good(ish) progress - easy digging and pleasant weather but still a lot to do. Tuesday and Wednesday saw heavy rain. With the cooler weather, I foolishly expected the ground to stay damp until my next visit.
Day 6 - today - arrived at the Plot to find the soil very dry. Hard work and slow progress. The pictures I promised will have to wait; I'm not confident that anyone would be particularly impressed.
Still not a seed planted and I've still not finished work for the Summer ....

Day 4

Mmmm .... I think I've worked pretty hard (job permitting) taking out the yellow weed etc. Obviously not hard enough for some. Arrived at the plot today to find that, not only had someone strimmed part (without raking the waste up), but they'd also burned the path and part of the plot. Probably had the best intentions but it makes me feel like the plot isn't really mine - it also means that I spend time doing things I hadn't intended to do. I'd rather dictate the order in which I do things, thank you!
Hoping now for some more rain to wash away the ash and the acrid smell ...

Anyway, after much raking have started taking out the poppy before it seeds. Also have my eye on a Mowerland "Hobby" tiller because (a) it's only £219 delivered (b) it's transportable (30 kg.) and (c) I don't think the soil needs that much work.

Hoping to post some more pics in the next few days so that you can gauge the (lack of?) progress.

Day 3

Well the rain did come - 2 or 3 days of it. Still, it loosened the plot nicely and I've spent part of the day taking some more "weed" out. However, I've decided to keep some of the wildflower, particularly the stately spires of foxglove and maybe the odd bit of poppy.

I feel doubly lucky today: I get most of Summer off and I'm nearly there(!) and my parents yesterday gave me an early birthday present - an azada. I've provided a link (see Links) so that you can read all about them (azadas, not my parents) and where to buy one - it should be great for digging trenches and hilling potatoes etc.

Off to mow my lawns now!

Day 2

View of the plot looking East.

Spent a couple of hours today taking out some of the "yellow" weed before it all "goes over" and forms dandelion-like seed heads. Not sure what it is but it has a tap root. Some of it was difficult to remove without breaking the root - not helped by the fact that the soil is now extremely dry and it is becoming apparent that the previous tenant left at least part of the plot hilled, without taking out last season's (?) potatoes. Rain is forecast but I'm not sure whether it will make it here over the next couple of days.

It is also becoming apparent that the better soil is towards the Western (far end) of the plot, so the nearer part is likely to become herb and fruit. Desperate to get some properly prepared soil and plant something, if only lettuce and radish ....

Another "before" pic ....

View of the plot, looking West.

Day 1

Due to the pressures of work, this was my first day on the allotment. The photo shows my plot on the left, the (well tended) plot on the right illustrating the challenge ahead of me. I have some further views of the plot, which I shall add in the next few posts.

Although I arrived early, it was a punishingly hot day and I left after 3 hours burned crimson - bearing testimony to my lack of experience.

Still, I have cleared most of the area around the pallets and begun to clear some of the weed growth. I've also taken up some well rotted manure, which I had delivered some time ago when I first thought I'd secured a plot. Have discovered strawberry plants and gooseberry bushes - although I'm told that the previous tenant wants to remove the gooseberry when it's finished fruiting!

Off to buy calomine lotion and a legionnaire's hat!

New Plot

After a false start, am awaiting the tenancy agreement (and rent invoice!) for my new and badly overgrown plot in one of the Lincolnshire cliffside villages. One of the advantages of living here is that there seems to be less demand for allotments - no real waiting list as such, just the wearisome machinations of the Parish Council.

The rent is a reasonable £20 p.a. for a full plot, inclusive of water.

I'm told that, although the plot looks daunting, it might not be so bad - some of the weed growth is poppy etc. and there is very little dandelion, bramble and couch grass. There are already pallets in place for manure and compost and the rhubarb is ready for picking. I'm armed with the new Andi Clevely book and the naive enthusiasm of a mid-life crisis 40+ year old!

Follow the postings to see how I get on (despite it being late in the Season) and don't forget to watch The Big Dig, Sundays BBC2 at 10 a.m., which I'm taping!