Now The Snow Has Gone (for the moment)

Snow has gone for the moment so there has been some activity on the disabled yoiungster's plot with the aim of getting it open at the end of March, beginning of April. Sadly ,the free greenhouse that had been donated suffered badly in the gales and had to be removed. Some of the money from the table top sale was spent getting a replacement. A secure base with long steel pins has been erected and the greenhouse erected securely atop the base and glazed with twinwall Polycarbonate glazing. Mitchell landscapes of Malton have donated some more tree shredding mulch to top up the mulch that had been laid last year and two rose arches erected as entranceways into the plot. We have also had a kind donation from Dave Robinson of Robinson's Property Management of York in the form of a shed which will be purchased tomorrow and with a bit of effort we hope will be erected by the end of the afternoon tomorrow.

 

The boundary hedge has got several gaps that need to be plugged, so it is planned to get about 100 whip saplings of hawthornand beech from Castle Howard to  make the perimeter a little more secure and tidy. So we will need a few volunteers in a couple of weeks time on Sunday to get them planted. Another table top sale is in the offing but this time in aid of the allotment association to supplement the money raised from the annual subscription used to provide things like the manure, compost and the whip saplings for the boundary hedge. Date of the next table top sale will coincide with the opening of the disabled youngsters plot which will be opened by a local radio personality. So start thinking about donations of bric a brac, raffle prizes and saving up your money to come and spend at the table top sale.

Greenhouse Up and Running

Late summer seems to have been a busy time with various construction projects going on. During August I erected the framework of a large 12ft x 8ft greenhouse around a patch of brassicas and was then glazed it. Paving slabs have been laid upthe middle. The greenhouse was given to us for nothing on the proviso that I took it down. I'm very grateful for it and have almost filled it already with plants. Inevitably when you take down something like this some of the glazing nuts and bolts shear when you try to undo them and some of the glass gets broken. The only costs I have had has been in replacing some of the sheared bolts, topping up the W glazing and replacing some of the broken glass with twinwall polycarbonate. I purchased 2 packs of 10 sheets 2ft x 4ft panels for just over £40 each from a company called Nick Grey on the internet. So I now have some spare sheets for when more of the glass gets broken.

James Ingman's Plot - Early March 2010

Here are some photographs James took of his plot in early March. In the first one you can see his fruit cage structure built around the corner of his plot. If you look hard you might just see some green flecks in the bed in front of it. James assures us that they are winter onions and not blades of grass. He is a bit worried that they don't seem to have made much progress. Don't worry James they will romp away when (if) it warms up and you get them fed.

In the other corner of the plot is the greenhouse built from wood and sheets of polythene. A rebuild was necessary after the first attempt was part destroyed in high winds last autumn. At the edge of the greenhouse you see the cold frame awaiting finishing touches.

The first signs of spring are just evident with the Rhubard just poking through and starting to unfurl it's leaves. James is particularly fond of rhubard crumble so he is growing the right stuff. Wonder what he is going to put on it? I prefer custard on mine to be honest!

A lot of hard work has gone into cleaning the soil of weed roots and bramble residues and getting the bed next to the onions ready for potatoes, still a bit to do like get them planted.

Hope to have some more photos from James towards the end of the month, oh, we are almost there and snow is forecast for Wednesday, so beginning of April may be more realistic!