The Floodlit Allotment

Green resolution?

So, I have to fess up.  I have ignored the allotment rather tragically.  Well, it was summer, and everything dried up, which made me sad (no water in the water butts…), then in September I broke some ribs, which made everything nigh impossible.  Then I was in Aus for a month, and then it was bloody cold for 2 months. So I was beginning to feel v guilty and wonder whether it was all worth it…

Anyway, then some friends came to stay and showed such enthusiasm that I went down to the lot on 22nd Feb.  It’s really lovely up there.  Just quiet and nice.  And cos it’s winter, the weeds aren’t towering above my head, and it seems a little more manageable.

Through work, we got sent links of some Wellcome Trust gardening tips – what we should be doing week by week.  Good start.  So, on 22nd, I:

• - harvested lots of jerusalem artichokes
• - pruned my rasps
• - pruned my roses (from my Dad’s front garden – miraculously they travelled well and are ALIVE!!!!!)
• - weeded a bit
• - fashioned a cold frame from a desk made by my uncle, and a shower screen, and put some strawb plants in from runners which were produced over autumn

Felt good!!!!

Then, yesterday, I

• - Got some rubble so I could lie out more ground cover properly.
• - Re-laid out lots of the ground cover so it covers most of the front half of the allotment.  This makes me happy!  (Bad news – I had to move some of the pathing stones, cos you couldn’t see the stones anymore – they were in danger of just getting lost in the weeds.
• - harvested the rest of the artichokes
• - put the rest of my strawb plants in the cold frame.  (They like it in there!)



• - weeded, composted and dug over the raised beds ready for new seedlings.




• - planted many seedings at home (yesterday)
• - got rid of more big weeds!!

Good results, eh?!?!?



A lot better than some of my ropey produce:
- the smallest beets ever:

- some neglected kohl rabi:

- the some really ropey purple broccoli:


Better luck next year!!!!