Feb Fun.

Seed bed. Not quite the bed I was hoping for on a cold morning, however out comes the spade,fork and rake and the start of the prep work for the spring months ahead.

This patch area pictured , had green manure last year that was cut down at the end of summer and covered over the winter. Dug over and left to break up for a few weeks and now had a final dig over and rake. It's a bit to early to get the seeds in as there is still frost and the ground is still cold and very wet.

I took a walk around the site and took some pictures and uploaded them on the Heath Road Caterham Allotment Blog. Why not take a look !

Birr Vember !

Down the plot yesterday and I note that the first frosts have hit here in Caterham, quite late in the year I though until I was corrected by the old hats on the plot.

The green manure has spurted up and appears to give a decent cover to the empty spaces, fingers crossed this will mean less weeds come spring !

The onions and garlic have all ready started to sprout, and the leeks are well underway developing nice thick stalks.

I have finished moving the strawberries and raspberry canes, and a number of flower bulbs have been set in the borders to brighten up the plot for next year.  A further job completed was the cutting down of the artichoke stalks so the winter winds don't pull up the tubers like last year. All in all not a bad days work.

Allotment Photos

Allotment piccies today !

Longest day of the year 2010

Today is the longest day of the year 2010, and the end of the spring harvest !
Down here at the allotments in Caterham it is clear that Midsummer is upon us and planning now for Autumn and winter crops should be underway (Or at least considered).

Things to grow this month ;

Another row of beetroot , Spring Cabbage for next year , Chicory ,Another row of carrots ,More lettuce , spring onions, and few more rows of cabbage , cauliflower and kale.

Jobs to do;
Turn the compost heap,weeding , pea and bean care , heavy watering the potatoes.
Sort out water collection and guttering for next year.
Dig over and cover summer manure area.
Build that dammed greenhouse !
Net cover the brassicas.
Lift garlic.

(Update this with pictures later!)