Went up there today with my little helper. Thanks mate !
Saturday, 5 January 2013
Things are moving on
A couple of things to report today !
Firstly, I transplanted my 250g toughball onions last night. They had reached the crook stage so I took them out of the seed tray and into pots. They are still under lights for 13 hours a day and have perked up overnight. They will be under lights until March sometime. Most of the chilli plants are also up and looking ok.
Secondly, I managed to get most of the framing up for the long carrot greenhouse yesterday. Going to go up again this afternoon and finish off if I get time. (Picture to follow)
Firstly, I transplanted my 250g toughball onions last night. They had reached the crook stage so I took them out of the seed tray and into pots. They are still under lights for 13 hours a day and have perked up overnight. They will be under lights until March sometime. Most of the chilli plants are also up and looking ok.
Secondly, I managed to get most of the framing up for the long carrot greenhouse yesterday. Going to go up again this afternoon and finish off if I get time. (Picture to follow)
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Away we go !
Been mostly sitting at home this Christmas and going stir crazy. Cant get on the allotment at the moment because it`s a mire. Santa brought me some grow lights so I have started some Toughball onions off and they came up in 3 days (Medwyns). They are now under lights for 12 hours a day. I`ll prick them out next week probably. I`ll also start some Vento off next week sometime
I also started some shallots off with a bit of heat underneath them. These are for eating not for showing.
I`m having another go at some hot chillis this year. I always struggle to produce anything with them and I think the lights will make a big difference. They are sooooo slow to grow initially but they should get off to a good start and be a decent size before they go into the tunnel.
I also riddled the topsoil for the carrots, it`s done now and just needs to be sterilized when I get the opportunity. Million and one jobs still to do !
I also started some shallots off with a bit of heat underneath them. These are for eating not for showing.
I`m having another go at some hot chillis this year. I always struggle to produce anything with them and I think the lights will make a big difference. They are sooooo slow to grow initially but they should get off to a good start and be a decent size before they go into the tunnel.
I also riddled the topsoil for the carrots, it`s done now and just needs to be sterilized when I get the opportunity. Million and one jobs still to do !
Wednesday, 19 December 2012
I thought it was gonna be good but !
I spend a fair amount of time and effort making compost for the allotment. I,m pretty much the only person on our site that does this but I came to the conclusion a while ago that there is nothing better for keeping your soil healthy.
I try and make a bin full at a time. It will decompose faster and generate more heat if you do it this way. The key to making good compost is to layer and alternate your ingredients. I layer carbon and nitrogen rich materials in turn and put some alfalfa straw inbetween each layer. I use green materials off my allotment plus any veg that I cant`t use anymore, eg, swede that has gone woody, bolted leeks and onions, grass and comfrey. For the carbon, I use leaves and shredded paper (The Jehovah`s Witness Watchtower magazine makes great shreddings;-)
I make 6" layers of each type and put a handful of alfalfa inbetween. I use a product called Alfa-A which is basically a horse feed. It contains pure alfalfa which is dried and a small amount of molasses added. The molasses is a great addition because it`s a natural sugar which the bacteria love.
Within a week of a full bin being made, it will have sunk by 2 thirds. I will then fill the bin back up another couple of times before I leave it. The alfalfa generates some heat because it has a fairly hign nitrogen content and this helps the decomposition process.
Then it`s a process of turning out the bin after about 8 weeks into an empty bin. This helps to introduce air into the mix and speed up the process. During the spring and summer I can make good compost in around 4 months. I tend to use it as a top dressing in spring. It`s great for "waking up" the soil after the winter.
Analysis results below. This stuff is so rich I wouldnt put a seed anywhere near it but as a dressing, the numbers look amazing.
I try and make a bin full at a time. It will decompose faster and generate more heat if you do it this way. The key to making good compost is to layer and alternate your ingredients. I layer carbon and nitrogen rich materials in turn and put some alfalfa straw inbetween each layer. I use green materials off my allotment plus any veg that I cant`t use anymore, eg, swede that has gone woody, bolted leeks and onions, grass and comfrey. For the carbon, I use leaves and shredded paper (The Jehovah`s Witness Watchtower magazine makes great shreddings;-)
I make 6" layers of each type and put a handful of alfalfa inbetween. I use a product called Alfa-A which is basically a horse feed. It contains pure alfalfa which is dried and a small amount of molasses added. The molasses is a great addition because it`s a natural sugar which the bacteria love.
Within a week of a full bin being made, it will have sunk by 2 thirds. I will then fill the bin back up another couple of times before I leave it. The alfalfa generates some heat because it has a fairly hign nitrogen content and this helps the decomposition process.
Then it`s a process of turning out the bin after about 8 weeks into an empty bin. This helps to introduce air into the mix and speed up the process. During the spring and summer I can make good compost in around 4 months. I tend to use it as a top dressing in spring. It`s great for "waking up" the soil after the winter.
Analysis results below. This stuff is so rich I wouldnt put a seed anywhere near it but as a dressing, the numbers look amazing.
http://www.dengie.com/pages/products/alfa-a-and-hi-fi-ranges/alfa-a-original.php
Crimbo
I have it on good authority that Santa is going to bring me some new grow lights. I have obviously been a good lad !
My tunnel is finished. There, I said it !
Main bed laid out, 2 raised beds made, fitted and filled with compost. Stump carrot bed filled with sand and ready to go. I also started to prefab the long carrot house at home. If can can sneak away over Christmas, I will get it finished also.
Merry Crimbo.............
My tunnel is finished. There, I said it !
Main bed laid out, 2 raised beds made, fitted and filled with compost. Stump carrot bed filled with sand and ready to go. I also started to prefab the long carrot house at home. If can can sneak away over Christmas, I will get it finished also.
Merry Crimbo.............
Sunday, 4 November 2012
Other stuff I like !
I managed to get all the concreting done for the new greenhouse base. It needs to be solid because it will have lots of sand sitting on top. It`s got 8 posts in which is more than I would use for a regular deck. Now I can start to prefab the greenhouse structure at home and then put it together on the allotment. It wont see any plastic until next year (cant see any point of getting it ripped to bits over winter)
On a different note, I started to make fishing lures this year from wood. I do a desk job at work so it`s nice to do practical stuff at home cos I`m from a trade background and I dont think you ever lose the urge to tinker with stuff. It`s one of the reasons I love allotment life so much I think !
So, being a lure-making novice, I have had a go at 3 of them and they turned out pretty good. There is a pike trolling lure at the top, a perch trolling lure in the middle and a pike jerkbait at the bottom. Not too shabby methinks !
They just need a coat of epoxy and thats it.
On a different note, I started to make fishing lures this year from wood. I do a desk job at work so it`s nice to do practical stuff at home cos I`m from a trade background and I dont think you ever lose the urge to tinker with stuff. It`s one of the reasons I love allotment life so much I think !
So, being a lure-making novice, I have had a go at 3 of them and they turned out pretty good. There is a pike trolling lure at the top, a perch trolling lure in the middle and a pike jerkbait at the bottom. Not too shabby methinks !
They just need a coat of epoxy and thats it.
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Been a while but busy nonetheless
Been a while since I posted but things are moving on the allotment.
Just a word first about my second year growing veg for show. First of all, it would be unfair to blame the weather for my performance this year. If I,m honest, I have learned lots (again) and I think it will stand me in good stead for next time. I grew long carrots for the 1st time and was fairly pleased with them and although I didnt make it to an NVS event, I did produce a set which won locally. I`m currently building a new greenhouse for next years long carrots, and the stump bed is finished and filled with sand in the polytunnel.
It was all a bit of a rush this year so I`m pleased I got the jump on things and started to prep early.
See pic of the long carrot greenhouse base below.
Onwards !
Just a word first about my second year growing veg for show. First of all, it would be unfair to blame the weather for my performance this year. If I,m honest, I have learned lots (again) and I think it will stand me in good stead for next time. I grew long carrots for the 1st time and was fairly pleased with them and although I didnt make it to an NVS event, I did produce a set which won locally. I`m currently building a new greenhouse for next years long carrots, and the stump bed is finished and filled with sand in the polytunnel.
It was all a bit of a rush this year so I`m pleased I got the jump on things and started to prep early.
See pic of the long carrot greenhouse base below.
Onwards !
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