Return from Switzerland

I have now completed the seven months of work in Switzerland, had a holiday in Goa and started to tidy up the allotment. The photograph shows the view from the balcony of my apartment in Switzerland. Whilst I was away Ann hardly ever went down there and things had got a little bit out of hand. I demolished the compost heap and spread it out around the area that it was occupying, cleared an adjacent area of weeds and have rotovated. I have done some more areas, digging out weeds and then rotovating. The main weeds are milk thistle, bindweed, nettle and docks. With previous years work there is very little couch or squitch or wicks, whatever you call it in your area.

Last October I cleared the curcubrit bed and planted overwintering onions and garlic. They have shown good growth. I have just sown, parsnips, carrots, leeks, salad onions and Swiss Chard, Romanesco Broccoli along with some beans. I had prepared for climbing beans and put up the frames and supports only to find when I opeed the packet that the beans were dwarf French beans.

The allotment site is now beginning to thrive. Most of the plots have now been taken with only two plots left before people will have to go onto a waiting list. Contrast this with five years ago when Ann took on our plot. when only about six plots were in use and she could choose which one she wanted. A great deal of work has gone into clearing plots ready for people to take them on and the site is looking a lot less overgrown.

I'll follow up later with some photographs.