5 October 2006
Wash out
It has done nothing but chuck it down today, so my plan to spend an hour down the allotment this afternoon has had to be shelved. We are, at times, committed and hardcore enough to work in the rain, but not today. It’s too miserable and cold. The kind of weather that makes your bones ache.
Instead I am inside, making lists of jobs that we hope to get done over autumn and winter. I am determined to use the cold months to get on top of the bindweed. Here’s the plan (click on the photo for annotated picture notes).
- Thoroughly weed and clear all paths between the raised beds. Rake level. Lay weed suppressant fabric and bark chips. Enjoy weed free paths next year.
- Make edging for the asparagus bed. Mulch asparagus bed. Generally continue to lavish love and attention onto asparagus bed with no reward for some time to come.
- Edge remaining beds that are marked out.
- Mulch all beds when possible so that we have something resembling ‘raised’ beds rather than just beds with wood around them.
- Make a composting area so that the allotment doesn’t have to be covered in several unattractive bags of composting material.
- Roll back black plastic and remove remaining weeds. Put the black plastic back, with holes patched. Plant pumkpins and squashes through the black plastic next year. Cunning.
- Do something other than shrug our shoulders about the overgrown paths between our plot and Ben’s.
At least we’ll be keeping busy.
Filed under: Review & plan — Clare @ 5:48 pm
Hey! Looking good on the old plot there. What age crowns did you get for the asparagus? I ask because received wisdom seems to be 1 year, but Mike Lavell says in The Organic Kitchen Garden book (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Organic-Kitchen-Conran-Octopus-Gardening/dp/1840913940/sr=1-4/qid=1160122996/ref=sr_1_4/026-4510621-7342022?ie=UTF8&s=books) that he just uses 3-year old crowns.
P.S. In the shot of you in the new, spangly bath (with clothes I am disappointed to note) I like the way your scarf stripes match your jumper - that’s the geeky photographer in me
(06.10.06 @ 9:28 am)
I just picked the asparagus up from the organic gardening catalogue (http://www.organiccatalog.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=2153 ). I think they’re 1 year old - certainly looked pretty young to me, but what do I know?
I may have been clothed in the bath, but I wasn’t wearing a scarf - it’s a jacket not a jumper and perhaps you meant funky collar which, naturally, matches - since it is attached to the bloody thing. Ethically sourced too. Don’t I feel good about myself?
(06.10.06 @ 9:35 am)
Yes - and so you should, you little fair trade munckin, you
(06.10.06 @ 11:12 am)
What a good set of plans! I have groundcover and mulch on my paths and if I might be so bold I would suggest tucking the g’cover under the edges of the bed and then tacking or stapling it to the wood as under the edges is the worst place to get weeds out of. You were probably going to do this anyway but just in case…
All the best, Mike
(07.10.06 @ 2:55 pm)
Asparagus - believe me the wait is worth it. This year was the first year that I could take a decent number from the allotment - bliss! And apart from cutting them down, mulching and a bit of weeding, and a top up of muck in spring it’s not too much to do. But the waiting is hard!
(09.10.06 @ 12:03 pm)
Oooh, Mike - I do like that idea about tacking the fabric under the bed edges - no, I hadn’t thought of it, you credit me with far more nouse than I have.
John - I do love asparagus so I’m very much looking forward to being able to have it very, very fresh and feel sure we will be pretty pleased after the long wait. But waiting is hard when you’re as impatient as I am!!
(09.10.06 @ 6:10 pm)