Spring is sprung

Whilst in Exeter last week, I saw primroses growing in the church wall on the way down to the station.

Primroses in Exeter

Suitably inspired, I took the first chance when I got home to finally finish off the cold frame.  I started it last year when my allotment neighbours gave me a double glazed window from an old villa in Turkey (I think).

Cold frame

I put in some concrete foundations and laid a few courses of bricks sized for the window.  Inside, after removing the perennial weeds, I made the floor flat, covered it with weed proof matting and then filled the bottom with about 3 cm of black gravel chippings.  The next job will be to block out the sides with some insulating foam, but basically its ready to go.

I have also finished reworking last year's beds used by the children.  They had strawberries, chillis and dahlias.  Now the whole thing has been weeded, leveled and sown with grass seed.

New bit of lawn

Once the grass gets going, the upkeep should be much reduced - just push the mower over with the rest of the grassy bit.

I also pruned the currant bushes.  I gave them a good chop ( 2/3 off and back to an open bowl shape).  I don't expect any currants this year, but next year should be back to full production.

Harvest looks promising

This year's crop of pineapples is looking good.

It's a shame they aren't mine.  I saw them growing in a small field at the side of the road in Thailand.

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.