up until today we have had snow.sometimes heavy,otherwise just a scattering.
its lovely to look at but a nasty reminder that we cant plant out or do the everyday things we normally do in spring.
ive still not been able to fill my last 2 raised beds but found a vegetable planter in Asda for the pricely sum of £3.50.it measures roughly 4' square and about 10" deep.a real bargain.  it has 12 compartments so have decided to use it for my tomatoes. i have also put it inside one of my raised beds frames so it looks in use.

yesterday i pushed  about 8,  8' bamboo canes into my boggy soil against a low fence and used twine to weave around  them. im going to plant my runner beans (when weather allows) there in grow bags. it will also act as a screen as my plot is very open at the front. i dont mind that but it looks uninteresting. height always makes things more interesting. just hope it stays where it is and no vandals come along to ruin things.

we havent had trouble for awhile in our plots (touch wood) except for the dumping of green waste on empty land. the sad thing is - its being done by  fellow allotmentors who should know better.the whole point of composting-is to do exactly that! compost-on your own plot. 
a pal of mine had words when he saw them doing it but they were aggressive and uninterested. shameful-the land they dunped on could be used for a plot-all allotments have waitings lists.

our local coucil is not funding anything this year . we have potholes the size of small continents-dangerous to walkers and vehicles.yet they plan to raise our rents.
 disgraceful-the rents should be paying for the maintenance !!

rant over. today is dry-no snow...will go to plot later for a short while. ive offered to help my neighbour erect a shed on their plot if they need help so watch this space.

happy gardening

Ah  spring -wherefore art thou??

We had hail today,and rain. With  more freezing weather to come!! o come on!!
Not only cant we get anything in the ground but the seedlings weve all potted on are suffering.
Tho mine seem fine (so far) my fellow allotmenters are losing theirs.

 The frogs will soon think its time to emerge..what a shock awaits them! Their population will suffer again this year.As will the bees and other wildlife.

Nature can be very cruel -some think of it as a sort of 'cleansing'.. mother natures way of  punishing us for ruining the planet, but the innocent suffer along with the guilty.

Hopefully , we might have a longer ,warmer summer. We/ll just have to delay things.

Fingers crossed springs comes very soon with warm ,sunny weather.

Good luck fellow gardeners. Lets see how we all do.

whoa is me

SPRING HAS SPRUNG -  AND WITH IT HAS COME BAD NEWS.

WENT TO THE BEBINGTON RD. ALLOTMENTS AGM LAST NIGHT.MY FIRST TIME SINCE I GOT MY PLOT LAST JUNE. 
GOT A LIFT FROM MY ALLOTMENT NEIGHBOUR CATHY. QUITE A GOOD TURN OUT AND REFRESHMENTS TOO.
THERE WAS ALSO A COUPLE OF RAFFLES-I DIDNT WIN-SOB.
MET UP WITH FELLOW ALLONTMENTERS AND HAD A BRIEF CHINWAG.

AS THE MEETING WENT ON AND THINGS WERE DISCUSSED , IT CAME UP THAT WE ARE MOST PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE A STEEP INCREASE IN OUR RENTS.
BY STEEP,I CAN ONLY PRESUME IT WILL BE THE SAME AS OTHER COUNCILS-SOME UP TO 300% INCREASE!!
AT THE MOMENT I PAY £32.00 A YEAR - RUMOURS SAY IT COULD GO UP TO £100.00

THERE IS NO WAY I CAN ,  OR WILL PAY THAT AMOUNT.
 I WAS ALWAYS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE PURPOSE OF ALLOTMENTS CAME ABOUT AROUND THE 1ST WORLD WAR.

IT WAS TO HELP PEOPLE FEED THEMSELVES AND OTHERS. FOOD WAS SCARSE AND RATIONED.SOME PEOPLE WERE,IN FACT,STARVING-HENCE THE ALLOTMENT IDEA.

IVE BEEN TOLD THAT COUNCILS  HAVE TO PROVIDE ALLOTMENTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF GROWING PRODUCE.TO FEED THEMSELVES HEALTHILY AND CHEAPLY.
SURELY THERE MUST BE A LAW SOMEWHERE STATING THIS-
HOW THEY CAN JUSTIFY THE INCREASES ARE SCANDULOUS.

OUR COUNCIL (WIRRAL BOROUGH) HAVE STOPPED ALL FUNDING TO OUR SOCIETY. NO FUNDING.NO REPAIRS AND NO MAINTENANCE. THE ROADS AND PATHS ARE CRUMBLING AND DANGEROUS YET THEY SEEM INTENT ON HIKING UP OUR RENTS WHILST DOING NOTHING!! WE HAVE REGULAR BREAK INS,SHEDS SET ALIGHT AND FLY TIPPING!

IT SEEMS THE NEXT STEP IS TO GO 'SELF MANAGED'...WE HAVE TO HAVE A YES FROM THE MAJORITY OF THE PLOT HOLDERS AND SOMEHOW,FUND OURSELVES. 
IF WE GO DOWN THIS ROOT,IT WILL BE HARD GRAFT.
THE IDEA IS BEING MULLED OVER SERIOUSLY...WATCH THIS SPACE.

OH-DID I MENTION? I WAS VOTED IN AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE AT THE MEETING TOO. I'L DO MY BEST TO HELP THINGS ALONG.