THE WEATHER THE LAST 2 DAYS HAS BEEN BEAUTIFUL. LUCKILY IVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO BOG END ON BOTH DAYS.
FRIDAY I DECIDED TO PUT TOGETHER A METAL GARDEN ARCH.
I BOUGHT SOME GRAPE VINES FROM WILKINSONS -A FIVER FOR TWO.
I PLAN TO GROW A GRAPEVINE OVER IT, HAVEN'T DECIDED ON A RED OR A WHITE YET.
THINK I'L GROW THE OTHER INSIDE MY RICKETY OLD GREENHOUSE-COME -SHED. WHO KNOWS , IT MIGHT EVEN KEEP THE THING FROM FALLING DOWN!
PUTTING THE ARCH TOGETHER WAS A PAIN IN THE REAR END.
MY FELLOW ALLOTMENTERS MUST THINK IM BARMY COS I TALK OUT LOUD TO MYSELF. THERE IS ALSO ALOT OF SWEARING - SO I APOLOGISE TO WHOEVER READS THIS.
I FINALLY ERECTED IT AFTER ABOUT 1/2 AN HOUR-HONESTLY,SHOULD'VE TOOK ABOUT 10 MINUTES. I HAVENT GOT THE BRAIN FOR PUTTING STUFF TOGETHER. IM MORE OF A DEMOLISHER.
I BOUGHT 2 SMALL VEGETABLE BAGS FROM POUNDLAND.
IM GOING TO GROW THE GRAPE IN ONE AND A CLIMBER OF SOME SORT IN THE OTHER..EITHER SIDE. IVE DONE IT THIS WAY BECAUSE THE SOIL IS VERY POOR AND VERY WET.SO ITL HAVE A GOOD START BEING RAISED AND IN BETTER SOIL. IVE CUT THE BASE OUT OF THE BAG SO EVENTUALLY THE ROOTS WILL TRAVEL DOWN TO THE GROUND BELOW.
SATURDAY I DECIDED TO PUT TOGETHER A PLASTIC WALK-IN GREENHOUSE WITH THE HELP OF MY HUBS. GOOD GOD -TOOK US WELL OVER AN HOUR AND A HALF.
COULDNT PUSH THE RODS IN FAR ENOUGH , PUT THE WRONG ELBOWS UP , USED THE WRONG SIZE RODS-I COULD GO ON BUT IM BORING MYSELF.
FINALLY FINISHING,MY HUBS LEFT TO SOOTHE HIS ACHING HANDS AND I WAS LEFT TO PUT ON THE COVER AND SECURE IT TO THE BASE.
FLAMING HECK-WHOEVER DESIGNED THE THING SHOULD BE ,SHALL WE SAY-SEVERELY REPRIMANDED. COULDNT GET THE COVER TO FIT SO LEFT IT IN THE SUN FOR A WHILE TO SOFTEN AND STRETCH. NO SUCH LUCK.
DOESNT REACH THE FLOOR AND I CAN ONLY ZIP UP ONE SIDE. I SHALL BE EMAILING THE SELLER. WATCH THIS SPACE. IF ALL FAILS - I'L NET IT. WASTE OF FLAMIMG MONEY. HAD IT A FEW WEEKS SO TOO LATE TO RETURN IT.
THE BIGTEST WILL BE NEXT TIME WE HAVE STRONG WINDS-WILL PROBABLY END UP IN ANOTHER PLOT.
HAPPY GARDENING PEEPS.
Saturday 16 February 2013
Wednesday 6 February 2013
MY LATEST ATTEMPT AT TRYING TO IMPROVE MY PLOT CONSISTS OF 2 THINGS..
1 - POTTING UP MORE SEEDS , PLANTING BULBS ETC...AND
2 - ERECTING ( OO VICAR ) A WALK-IN PLASTIC COVERED GREENHOUSE.
THE FIRST WENT FINE. ITS BEEN FREEZING OUT BUT AT LEAST THE SNOW HAS GONE.
THE SECOND, NOT SO FINE. MY DAUGHTER AMY HAS THE ALLOTMENT BUG AGAIN ( YAY) SO OFFERED TO PUT THE GREENHOUSE TOGETHER WHILE I DUG OVER A CORNER OF THE PLOT.
I SCRAPED BACK THE WOOD CHIPPINGS AND STARTED OFF WELL ONLY TO DISCOVER BURIED CARPETS.
WHY DO SO-CALLED ALLOTMENTERS DO THIS?
ITS BEEN PROVEN THAT ROTTING CARPETS GIVE OFF CHEMICALS THAT ARE DANGEROUS TO THE SOIL AND FUTURE PLANTING. SURE WE USE THEM TO COVER THE COMPOST BUT THATS TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN ACTUALLY BURYING THE THINGS.
NOW I HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO GET RID OF THEM.
THAT DONE I SCOURED THE SITE WITH MY RUSTY WHEELBARROW LOOKING FOR DISCARDED BROKEN FLAG STONES. THERES BEEN A LOT OF DUMPING AND FLY TIPPING AT THE SITE SO AT LEAST I HELPED TO CLEAR A BIT AWAY.
I ALSO GOT SOME OFF FELLOW ALLOTMENTER PAUL - HIS PLOT IS GOING TO BE MASSIVE WHEN ITS FINISHED. HES PUTTING UP STURDY WOODEN FENCES AT THE MOMENT AND HAS STARTED A CHICKEN COUP. GOING TO LOOK LIKE THE RITZ WHEN ITS FINISHED !
BACK AT BOG END I LAID THE FLAGS - BY LAID,I MEAN I DROPPED THEM ON THE BARE EARTH AND TRIED TO LEVEL THEM - THEN BRACKETED 3 SCAFFOLDING BOARDS TOGETHER FOR THE FLOOR.
MEANWHILE - AMY'S STILL STRUGGLING WITH THE GREENHOUSE FRAME.
AFTER COMPLAINING OF FEELING SICK -SHE WENT HOME. IVE NOT TOUCHED IT - SHE WANTS TO DO IT HERSELF , SO FOR THE TIME BEING I DONT MIND- ITS STILL TOO WINDY AND WILL PROBABLY END UP IN SOMEONES ELSES PLOT.
IN THE MEANTIME , THE GLASS PANES IN MY RICKETY POTTING SHED HAVE STARTED TO SLIDE OUT.THE TARP I PUT UP A WEEK AGO HAS STARTED TO TEAR AS WELL.
AT LEAST THE FLAT ROOFED SHED IS STILL WATER PROOF- THO I HAD TO HAUL SOME WOODEN PALLETS UP TO HOLD DOWN THE TARP. HOW THE WIND MANAGED TO WORK ITS WAY UNDER IT IS BAFFLING ME!
ON A SAD NOTE ...A GUNNER I PLANTED LAST SUMMER IN THE WETTEST SPOT HAS DIED. GUTTED - NO IDEA WHY , THE GARDEN CENTRE GUARANTEES ITS PLANTS FOR A YEAR BUT I NEVER KEEP RECEIPTS OR LABELS FOR THAT LONG!!
ROLL ON SPRING - WHEN MY LOVELY PLOT NEIGHBOUR CARL IS GOING TO COLLECT A TONNE OF COMPOST FOR ME. THAT WILL FILL MY REMAINING 2 RAISED BEDS AND I CAN PLANT IN EARNEST.
1 - POTTING UP MORE SEEDS , PLANTING BULBS ETC...AND
2 - ERECTING ( OO VICAR ) A WALK-IN PLASTIC COVERED GREENHOUSE.
THE FIRST WENT FINE. ITS BEEN FREEZING OUT BUT AT LEAST THE SNOW HAS GONE.
THE SECOND, NOT SO FINE. MY DAUGHTER AMY HAS THE ALLOTMENT BUG AGAIN ( YAY) SO OFFERED TO PUT THE GREENHOUSE TOGETHER WHILE I DUG OVER A CORNER OF THE PLOT.
I SCRAPED BACK THE WOOD CHIPPINGS AND STARTED OFF WELL ONLY TO DISCOVER BURIED CARPETS.
WHY DO SO-CALLED ALLOTMENTERS DO THIS?
ITS BEEN PROVEN THAT ROTTING CARPETS GIVE OFF CHEMICALS THAT ARE DANGEROUS TO THE SOIL AND FUTURE PLANTING. SURE WE USE THEM TO COVER THE COMPOST BUT THATS TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN ACTUALLY BURYING THE THINGS.
NOW I HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO GET RID OF THEM.
THAT DONE I SCOURED THE SITE WITH MY RUSTY WHEELBARROW LOOKING FOR DISCARDED BROKEN FLAG STONES. THERES BEEN A LOT OF DUMPING AND FLY TIPPING AT THE SITE SO AT LEAST I HELPED TO CLEAR A BIT AWAY.
I ALSO GOT SOME OFF FELLOW ALLOTMENTER PAUL - HIS PLOT IS GOING TO BE MASSIVE WHEN ITS FINISHED. HES PUTTING UP STURDY WOODEN FENCES AT THE MOMENT AND HAS STARTED A CHICKEN COUP. GOING TO LOOK LIKE THE RITZ WHEN ITS FINISHED !
BACK AT BOG END I LAID THE FLAGS - BY LAID,I MEAN I DROPPED THEM ON THE BARE EARTH AND TRIED TO LEVEL THEM - THEN BRACKETED 3 SCAFFOLDING BOARDS TOGETHER FOR THE FLOOR.
MEANWHILE - AMY'S STILL STRUGGLING WITH THE GREENHOUSE FRAME.
AFTER COMPLAINING OF FEELING SICK -SHE WENT HOME. IVE NOT TOUCHED IT - SHE WANTS TO DO IT HERSELF , SO FOR THE TIME BEING I DONT MIND- ITS STILL TOO WINDY AND WILL PROBABLY END UP IN SOMEONES ELSES PLOT.
IN THE MEANTIME , THE GLASS PANES IN MY RICKETY POTTING SHED HAVE STARTED TO SLIDE OUT.THE TARP I PUT UP A WEEK AGO HAS STARTED TO TEAR AS WELL.
AT LEAST THE FLAT ROOFED SHED IS STILL WATER PROOF- THO I HAD TO HAUL SOME WOODEN PALLETS UP TO HOLD DOWN THE TARP. HOW THE WIND MANAGED TO WORK ITS WAY UNDER IT IS BAFFLING ME!
ON A SAD NOTE ...A GUNNER I PLANTED LAST SUMMER IN THE WETTEST SPOT HAS DIED. GUTTED - NO IDEA WHY , THE GARDEN CENTRE GUARANTEES ITS PLANTS FOR A YEAR BUT I NEVER KEEP RECEIPTS OR LABELS FOR THAT LONG!!
ROLL ON SPRING - WHEN MY LOVELY PLOT NEIGHBOUR CARL IS GOING TO COLLECT A TONNE OF COMPOST FOR ME. THAT WILL FILL MY REMAINING 2 RAISED BEDS AND I CAN PLANT IN EARNEST.
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