Getting ready for Spring

We've been going to the allotment a couple of times a week recently when the  weather has been fine enough. Some of the beds were cleared and  mulched in the autumn, so I have been sorting out the other beds. As winter vegetables were gradually harvested I have been able to clear any debris away, then hoe the weeds and lightly work the top surface of the soil. I don't dig the soil, just clear any weeds and then mulch with compost or manure. The worms do the rest of the work. Its been a few years since we have been able to get any manure for the allotment, so I have been using home made compost, which is as good. Sometimes we buy bags of manure from the garden centre and mix this with the compost.

Now the beds are looking tidy and are just waiting for the soil to warm up enough to plant or sow.  But there are other jobs which we have been getting on with. This time of waiting in the winter and early Spring is a good time to get on with  maintenance jobs around the allotment. Our allotments have been kept supplied with plenty of bark chippings from a local company. I have been using these to cover the non growing areas of my plot after weeding. They help to keep the weeds down and  make the place look tidy.

The pond has been needing a good tidy up and as soon as the weather improved I got my rubber gloves and a scoop and got rid of some of the mud and silt which was building up. I cut back some of the plants in the little garden around the pond and then covered the ground with some of the chippings. No sign of frog spawn yet, I just hope I didn't frighten the frogs off with all my work.

The greenhouses needed cleaning out and that's another job I leave for warmer weather. Once they were done I put the staging back in and I'm now ready to fill it with all the plants I'll be starting off from seed in the coming weeks. Already in there are sweet peas, broad beans, onions and peas sown in guttering. There are more seedlings at home which I'll gradually bring to the plot for growing on in the greenhouse.

Richard has been making a new fruit cage for the blueberries.  He bought a metal shelving system which he saw on offer and worked out that it would be cheaper than buying a proper fruit cage. He likes a project and this has kept him busy for a week or two. It's finished now and is great, its higher than the old one so I can stand up straight inside it which is much easier on my back.

The days are getting warmer now and work on the allotment will increase as I start to plant and sow in the ground. Its good to know that we are well prepared on the plot as we start the growing season.

Through the Garden Gate--February 2021

At last we started to have better weather in February and how lovely it's been to be able to get out into the garden and start doing some jobs . 

 One important job was to cut down the grasses which were looking like mounds of straw.  I could just see the new growth emerging from the base and this is the time to do this job. I didn't realize how many grasses I had in the garden until I started.  I found it hard work on my arthritic hands so with the tall grasses I resorted to using the loppers and this worked very well. 

Miscanthus before cutting back

Miscanthus after cutting back

The borders were looking a real mess with dead plant debris and leaves and I didn't know where to start. As I cleared each border I added a layer of mulch. It's not finished yet but looking much tidier. As I worked I could see new plant growth emerging. As usual I couldn't remember what some of the plants were--it will be a nice surprise when they start to get going and I can identify them.

Messy border

Looking better

Holly was taking a great interest in what I was doing

The bulbs have started to flower in the last couple of weeks, the warm sunshine has brought them out. So there are little pops of colour dotted about. 

We rescued a big clump of snowdrops which had been dug up and dumped on the allotment lane. I was so pleased to find them as I was wanting a few more in the garden.  I split the clump and it made a good number of little groups which I have now planted around the garden. It  will be nice to see them next year.

I have been trying to get rid of a Vinca plant which has been taking over one of the small beds beside the archway.  Its only been in there for two years and had rooted itself all over. I read somewhere recently that they can be a nuisance and the sort of plant you regret having planted.  That's definitely true for me!

This had taken over the whole of the bed

Finally got it all out!

As I have been working my way around the garden doing jobs I have been making plans for changes I want to make this year. Some plants have got too big for their space and need moving or splitting up. Garden work goes on and on and there's a lot of thinking ahead and looking forward to new things happening as the year progresses.

I am linking this post to Sarah's blog at 'Down by the Sea' for her monthly 'Through the Garden Gate' post