Initial plans for 2012 planting

For Christmas I was lucky enough to get an interesting mixture of seeds set of seeds.

After sorting through them and considering last year's planting up at the allotment, I have come up with the following layout for 2012

 Maybe I'll swop the pumpkins and the gourds around in the end.  The pumpkins are Atlantic Giant and that tends to occupy any space it gets given - the lower left corner gets the least light and the most water, so the giant pumpkins might like it down there after all.

As an aside, and if anyone cares, I am very pleased with my new wood axe / log splitting hammer.  I can feel the benefit of the extra weight and the composite grip.  The other hammer just gave up after the first fifteen logs.

Hurrican wrenches hinges from wall

The visiting hurricane managed to cause a spot of damage here yesterday.  Not only did it force the schools to close early, but also it ripped one wooden window shutter off the wall of the villa.

The shutter came away with both of its hinges and a healthy portion of the plaster and concrete from the wall.

Hinge and chunk of wall ripped away

The hole left behind was about two inches deep in the middle.  The wall in that area seemed to be made of pretty rubbishy concrete with decent blocks toward the top.

I made up a batch of "renovation mortar" and patched it in.

Renovation mortar carefully applied

Hopefully the mortar will set and stop the worst of the winter cold and wet getting into the wall.  I'll look at new hinges and rehanging the shutter in the spring.

Better late than never

Today, having had an allotment since 2008, I got the first ever bill.  I don't have a copy of the contract yet, but now I have at least paid for 2009 and 2010.  And just in time for Christmas.

I think 2008 was somehow for free.  How cool is that?

Root veg in Advent

Although the evenings have drawn in and it's getting fairly cold, there is still a last bit if fun to be had at the allotment.

 

As shown in the trug, there were some handsome parsnips (Albion) to be had and a few beetroot.  The three ugly things in the middle were meant to be turnips, but were sadly rejected from our roast dinner for being too rubbish.  The parsnips and beetroot were roasted in the oven with the joint of beef and were just about perfect.  There should be a few more parsnips to see us through to Christmas dinner.

The rest of the plot is pretty much cleared and waiting for next year.  On the left of the path were the children's beds.  I have spent ages clearing them (mainly ripping out strawberry plants) and will grass it over next spring.  On the right of the path at the back are the remaining turnips.  On the right, just before the bare earth are the parsnips.

Right at the back on the right is the carpet I "found" at the dump.  It is keeping down weeds near the hawthorn.

Pine tree felled - time to get chopping

The pine tree at the plot has been dealt with.  All the annoying side branches have been taken away, the useful twigs have been grabbed for making Autumn/Winter grave decorations (!) and the main trunk has been sawn into DIN standard 30 cm lengths.

The real fun starts tomorrow when we get to chop it up into to stove ready chunks to dry.  Watch out for novice lumberjacks.

What's an allotment really worth?

After suggesting something along might be potentially possible back in 2008, the owners of our the land where we have our allotment have sent out letters offering the lease holders the chance to buy their plots.

Give that my allotment is 220 sqm, it is quick to see they are asking for:

1. 750.00 € for measuring the plot, 
2. 10.00€/sqm * 220 sqm = 2,200.00 € for the land, and
3. legal fees (around150.00 €)

giving a total cost of around 3,100.00 €.  The question is, is that a bargain, a rip-off or about right?  The allotment is in a scenic rural setting on a small hill with around 30 other allotments.  There is no running water and no electricity.  The soil is very fertile and the land definitely can not be built on.  I have worked hard to get the weeds out (to a certain extent), built a shed with a lovely schleppdach (roof extension) and even put in a small raised bed and started work on a brick cold frame. 

The current annual rent is 25.00 € so it might seem better to stay as a tenant for the next 124 years.  The problem lies in the text explaining that owners will sell allotments to people not renting already if the people renting don't want to buy.  So you have to buy the allotment or hang on as a tenant until somebody else buys it instead.

It's a interesting question.  What would you pay to own your allotment?

Impressive roots on Lady Di beans

Fresh back from the sun in Thailand and into blue sky and sunshine at home - just a bit colder.  The first frosts have hit and the dahlias have almost given up.  I collected one last lot today, but I guess they'll get cut back to the ground tomorrow ready for lifting and storing in the cellar over winter.

The Lady Di runner beans were great.  Not only did they provide a plentiful harvest (they were still flowering and fruiting up until today), but they also took the "Special Prize" at the EHS Summer Show (for which I won a pathetic blue door mat.  I blame the prize committee - I wanted the little hedge saw thing).

Half the pile of dug up bean plants resting on stupid prize door mat.

 The compost bin is full of frost zapped dahlia flowers and half of the ex-Lady Di's. The rest of the Lady Di's are piled up on the blue doormat outside the shed.  Maybe I'll burn them on November 5th.

Roots of one Lady Di runner bean plant next to car keys and goji berries for scale

When you look at the size of the roots on the runner beans its no wonder they were so prolific.  The soil is pretty soft at the moment, so the come out okay, but they look a bit lie docks or parsnips.  Can you eat runner bean roots?