Showing posts with label Leaf Mould. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leaf Mould. Show all posts

Thursday, February 18, 2021

Day 41 - Crates, Beds and Leaf Mouldabiles

 Okay so I stretched the heading a bit, but aren't we all allowed a bit of artistic license, as much as you are down your own allotment. One of the best things said to us on our first walk around the allotment site that we have our plot on, was "It's your plot, you can do what you like" (Well within the allotment rules). But basically don't get hung up on what other folks are doing or not doing.

Today would be the third straight day we have made a day out at our allotment, and it has felt good, even though our lass would think I had made a good job of hiding this fact. 

You will see below, we have finally found use and positioning for a large crate which was left in the plot, it now sits between the pear trees, and is two thirds filled with leaf mould so when we add the bought in compost it doesn't take a silly amount of bags, we should get away with two bags and then our lass has another bed for flowers.

We have found more trunks to line the dog roses, so that is coming together even more now and the crate which came from the same corner was going to be given away but is now lined and will store more leaves to create leaf mould, you can never have enough, compost, leaf mould or manure you will come to know.

Lastly, I nailed together four planks of the wood that we got a few weeks ago, it is to make a raised bed for the carrots, as the soil is quite clayey and is the reason why it looks like the onions have failed. but the bed frame is ready for next week when we will mix compost and grit together to put in it. It is also the right length to simply put the netting straight over to keep the carrot flies out. Considering a bag of carrots is around fifty pence, we are going for the priceless experience not a cost saving exercise.

Carpets on to stop the leaves flying off, but next step is to add compost on the top level

I know I have shown a few photographs of this corner over the past few days, but this is nearing it's ready for now stage, nothing is ever finished it can always be tinkered with.

You can never have enough leaf mould.

First use of the wood we got a few weeks ago, a bed for the carrots.


Thursday, December 17, 2020

Day 35 - Fire, mulch and sunny views.

 As with a lot of the times we go to the allotment, we go with one job in mind and end up doing another.

I took this first photograph thinking all this would be covered in mulch

But to my surprise our lass let me play with fire, I love fire, our lass doesn't like the smell of smoke, but it helped clear some old wood and stuff which needed burning.

I then went for the leaf mould, I collected our lass did the spreading.

You don't see the elevation on this road way, but the leaves were right into the distance where the telegraph pole is.
Then another lane, then left up another hill, our lass will be laughing now, saying how I am really laying it on thick. but it must be at least three miles there and back (okay maybe half a mile)

The grey cylinders made a good template to keep the leaves off the rhubarb.

Hopefully that will keep the weeds away and the goodness in,

Four bins full of leaf mould, paving slabs moved, box full of nets and hose pipe, just the two tubs to sort and this area is getting sorted.

Another bed mulched

Big oak at the back of us, gives us shade in the summer mornings so we don't heat up to quickly. It was great to see some blue skies and sunshine.
Views from our allotment, over the tees valley.

Sunshine over the greenhouses
A late stay, meant we got to try the light out., photograph doesn't quite do it justice.



Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Day 33 - Then there will be light, muck, onions, leaf mould and an improvised bird feeder

I am sure I have wrote this before, but the very jobs you plan to go and do are not always the ones you end up doing or if you do get them done, other jobs crop up. Today was one of those days, on going to up to our allotment, we passed a fresh delivery of leaves then on the next corner a fresh delivery of horse muck.

So three trips for the horse muck filled in the gaps where it was looking a little bare from our last muck spreading. Then two trips for the leaves, one of which I took the dalek, and being the clever so and so I am got it filled to the brim, but left the small point of how to turn it the right way from barrow to position as it has no bottom. As always our lass put us right. sending me back off with the black bin, whilst sorting the Dalek, which is king of floating at the moment.

We had a brew, then actually got on with the jobs we had gone to do. First job to bring light to the shed, the bright sunny winters day was not lost on me for the irony, but the dark dreary days will be the times when we will get the benefit. Our lass sourced the light from Wickes, our lass is good at finding the bargain buy. 

Second job, to let the onions breathe. Well, it was to stop them from getting to wet from the netting as it seemed to be holding the rain water above them and sometimes on them. I removed the netting as the shoots are showing long enough to not make the birds think they are worms. I also did a mix of compost and grit to put around the onions. I did this after watching videos of where I should have done a hole with dibber or finger but put them on top, A layer of the mixture should help nourish and weed suppress.

Last job was a do it yourself birdfeeder, we have the hanging feeders but this was birds who literally like their meal on a plate or at least a flat surface. It is now positioned in front of the wildlife camera so we will see if it attracts the attention of the birds and meets with their approval.

And then there was light

The bed is finally covered ready for next years potatoes

Bird feeder, pond, what more would the wildlife like?

Onion shoots, now free to breathe and little nourishment.