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Post by derekbrooks on Jun 29, 2013 21:52:33 GMT
This afternoon I have done an allotment inspection with another plot holder. These inspections are done every two months,always with two people. Every plot holder takes his or her turn and for each person it works out about every two years.
We have to go to each plot in turn and tick some questions on a sheet of paper. We have to note how much of the plot is cultivated, are there excessive weeds, are paths tidy,is there any vegetation overhanging the paths and are sheds and greenhouses in good condition.Well, that's my turn done for two years! Didn't have time to do much else today as I had to go out this evening.
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Post by derekbrooks on Jun 30, 2013 21:56:00 GMT
Went on the allotment part of the afternoon and all evening till it started raining at 9.30.Finished weeding the next annual bed ready for planting.Last year I finished planting all my annuals on July 1st (which is tomorrow). This year I have still got 3 beds to plant.I have had more non-gardening commitments in the last month which have stopped me going to the allotment as much as I would have liked and I can't go at all tomorrow. The rest of the week though I must go as often as I can and get them finished.
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Post by derekbrooks on Jul 3, 2013 22:10:52 GMT
On Monday I was at Blackleach all day and I spent most of the morning weeding the border alongside the visitor centre. Couldn't do any gardening at all yesterday but I have had a full day today.Rosemary needed the car this morning and part of the afternoon so I did some weeding in my garden.Weeded the chrysanth beds and the paths between them which were getting rather bad.
When she came home I went on the allotment. Planted some more lettuce then carried on planting the annual bed that I weeded last time I was there but didn't quite finish it.
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Post by derekbrooks on Jul 3, 2013 22:14:12 GMT
 Annual beds planted on allotment |
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Post by derekbrooks on Jul 3, 2013 22:16:00 GMT
The bed I have been planting today is the empty one on the left
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Post by derekbrooks on Jul 4, 2013 22:38:52 GMT
Today I have finished planting the bed I was doing yesterday then started weeding the next one.
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Post by derekbrooks on Jul 5, 2013 22:05:32 GMT
Had most of the day on the allotment. Finished weeding the annual bed I started yesterday and planted one row of plants on it.The next rows I want to plant on here need 3 foot canes and I have none left. I will get some from the hut in the morning but for the rest of the day I stated weeding the final annual bed which is very overgrown.
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Post by derekbrooks on Jul 6, 2013 22:10:44 GMT
Today I have finished planting the bed I started yesterday and finished weeding the last bed. I hope to get this planted tomorrow. I have also been to the tip with 10 sacks of weeds
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Post by derekbrooks on Jul 7, 2013 21:52:51 GMT
Decided it was too hot to work on the allotment this afternoon. I treated some clover on the back lawn with verdone then painted the greenhouses with coolglass.I then went in to watch the tennis.I played a lot of tennis when I was a lad (a long time ago !)
This evening I did go to the allotment and planted the bed I weeded yesterday. All the annuals on the allotment are planted now. I gave most of those I had left over to another plot holder. I have kept a few to plant at Blackleach next time I go (Tuesday)
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Post by derekbrooks on Jul 8, 2013 22:27:28 GMT
I have never known the weeds as bad as they are now. The root crop bed is just overgrown and I have beetroot and kohl rabi raised in small pots ready for transplanting.Also the paths between the beds are bad. Beds I have weeded and planted a few weeks ago have weeds coming up again.I have been on the allotment this morning and afternoon . Because of the hot weather I decided to have a go at the root crop bed this morning while it wasn't quite so hot and beds that were already planted this afternoon.So I have done the gladioli bed this afternoon while it was hot because it only needed hand weeding (not as hard work). This afternoon I have also harvested the shallots and the onions grown from sets (Fen early). These are what I use for the "not over 8oz." class at the shows. They were still growing but they would have got too big if I had left them any longer.
This evening I have been to an allotment meeting and when I came home I sat outside dressing up the onions,cutting the foliage down to about 3 inches and removing the loose skins but didn't get time to do the shallots.
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Post by derekbrooks on Jul 9, 2013 22:18:37 GMT
Been at Blackleach country park this morning and planted most of my spare bedding plants in the border alongside the visitor centre.
This afternoon I dressed the shallots then replaced a few plants in my borders that had died or weren't doing well.
Went to the allotment this evening and carried on weeding the root crop bed.Brought home the first bucket of sweet peas. I know some of you will have been cutting sweet peas for several weeks but I don't want mine any earlier because I want them to keep cropping for the August and September shows.
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Post by derekbrooks on Jul 9, 2013 22:22:31 GMT
 Onions and shallots harvested |
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Post by derekbrooks on Jul 9, 2013 22:25:39 GMT
 Onions and shallots after dressing |
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Post by derekbrooks on Jul 10, 2013 22:32:54 GMT
This morning I had to go to Blackleach country park again because we were being judged for Green Flag.I had to tell the judges what I did there and we took them a walk round the park and they were asking questions as we went round.
This afternoon I just did some tidying up in the garden and went on the allotment this evening and carried on with the weeding.
This morning I received a surprise letter from the secretary of the National Vegetable Society saying that I had been awarded a Fellowship and I didn't even know that I had been nominated. I didn't think I had done enough to deserve such an award. I thought it may have been the editor of the magazine that nominated me because I had written several articles for the society and two books so I phoned him. He said that it was him and at the nominations comittee meeting it was a unanimous decision. He said what I do at school was taken into account as well as the work I do for the society.I have to go to Harrogate on Sept 13 to the A.G.M.to be presented with the award.
The second book I wrote for the N.V.S. "Getting started on the allotment " is now in the hands of the printer and will be ready to sell on the N.V.S.stand at Tatton.
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Post by esther on Jul 11, 2013 4:50:51 GMT
Congratulations on your award Derek - you deserve the recognition for all the work you do- I am very pleased for you !
Love
Pam x
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