We had our first proper morning at the allotment on Sunday. We all trouped down – all being Rosie, Jenny, Hubby, and Julie-next-door, who is sharing in the space and supplying some much needed experience and knowledge. I drove down with Jenny and the tools, and everyone else walked.
Our plot.
You can see the first strip we cleared on the right hand side of the pic.
I think we’re more fortunate than most with our allotment facilities. First of all there’s “Pooh Corner”, which is what the toilets are named. These are such a blessing when I’m down there with the kids especially, and are kept very nicely. There’s a little hut that houses a shop, stocking a big range of seeds and handy things like mesh, potato bags, gloves, dibbers and manure. Amazingly there’s also a clubhouse (portakabin), with, wait for it, two ovens, a microwave, a freezer, a toaster, and a kettle.
Jammie, eh?
The plot has been unlet for the last couple of years, but a few members of the committee planted it up with lavender bushes, which they only cleared recently, and then covered with rolls of black plastic. It means that we have minimal weeding to do. However, there is bindweed on our plot. I am not too fazed by this – I know it will be a nuisance but we’ll manage.
We met one of our neighbours, who was very friendly and who kindly offered me a couple of rhubarb plants. She was very good with the kids too, as they asked lots of questions and pranced around the edge of her plot. Another lady stopped and introduced herself, and we chatted about the little watering cans I’d bought the children to keep on-site.
We made good progress clearing a strip, and when we’d finished Julie-next-door dug a trench along the edge of the cleared bit to deter the bindweed a bit.
We also have the loan of a metal workman’s shed, which has been hammered into place on the corner of the plot. We can use this until we get our own shed. Julie ND suggested looking in the local paper or on Freecycle.
The Shed
I spent a half hour down there today, which quickly goes. But I cleared a little more bindweed in the fine drizzle and managed to get mud all over my trousers. I guess I’ll need to get myself some more appropriate clothing.
