I’ve wanted to keep chickens for years, but we’re not allowed to keep animals on the allotment and the moorings manager might have a word or two to say if he discovered us keeping poultry. Maybe one day if we have land of our very own. In the meantime I have the next best thing, … More In Lieu of Chickens
I recently hit a landmark birthday and I have to say the allotment did really well out of it. I mentioned in my last post that Rob bought me a few fruit trees – they’re settling in well and putting on new growth. Apple ‘Red Devil’: Pear ‘Doyenne du Comice’: and cherry ‘Kordia’: I also … More The Big Four-Oh, and Other News from the Plot
Back in February I revealed my allotment plans for the year. I didn’t want to leave too much wriggle room as I was worried without structure I’d sow the entire contents of my seed tin (it’s a secret, overcrowded place where no one dares venture alone). My plans, therefore, had to be adhered to without … More Going Off Piste, and Other News from the Plot
Work on the living fence has been going well, and we’ve not seen any recent evidence of rabbits on the plot. However, when I arrived today two very cute muntjac deer bounded away down our snicket. I stood for a while and contemplated their beauty as they disappeared amongst the treeline. And then I checked … More Oh, Deer!
It’s been a busy week on the plot as shed work continues. I’ve painted the inside walls to protect the pallet wood. We’ve used four 5 litre cans of Cuprinol wood stain so far (in shade Silver Copse). Rob helped paint the ceiling as finishing it meant he could start laying the floor. I’ll need … More Shed Update, Cold Frame Construction, and Other News from the Plot
Since we have only had our plot since March last year we are still trying to find our feet. Our philosophy in 2017 was ‘try it and see’, and this best sums up every decision we made, every plant planted, and every structure built. 2017 was about getting to know the plot (clayey, compacted and … More 2018 – Allotment Aspirations
We have been collecting pallets since April with the goal of eventually turning them into a shed and, as you can see from the featured image, we are nearly there. Our family worked enthusiastically and tirelessly (and without being put under any duress) to build our shed over a very cold weekend at the beginning of … More Building a Pallet Shed, and Other News from the Plot
I was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed by the plot. I have no routine, I’m out of my depth, and I don’t fully know how the year affects the site. With the turning of the season into autumn I was left floundering and wondering, “what do I do next?” Luckily for me, that question … More Falling into Autumn with a Bump
If you have read any of my previous blog posts you will be no stranger to the fact that we have a rabbit problem on an industrial scale. There is a warren in one of the abandoned plots adjoining ours. The allotment association has no plans to tackle the issue and has left it to … More Rabbit Proofing Methods: Tried and Tested.
This week I’ve been digging a new flowerbed. I’ve been dying to get started on the area around the hazel tree near our gate. This end of the allotment has been neglected since we took the plot on in March. The ground is heavy clay and tough to dig, although there’s been plenty of thistle … More Starting the Flower Beds
We have potatoes! These are our second early Maris Peers. We waited a week or so after the flowers had faded before digging, and this just happened to coincide with family visiting so we had extra hands to rummage and join us in our first toast to the land. And, for favourable future harvests, we buried … More Our First Harvest, and Other News from the Plot
I admit it, I cried on Saturday. When I arrived at the plot I was met by a fleeing rabbit and I tried to follow its route of escape, but it was too quick for me. And by then the damage had already been done. Chicken wire and netting was no match for it and … More This is a Low
I drew the line in the sand today – except I didn’t because we don’t have sand and the clay is so hard there’s currently no drawing anything in it. What I actually did was yell, “JUST BUGGER OFF WILL YOU,” across the abandoned plots beside us, and, because my inner charm was flowing, “OR … More A Declaration of War
I arrived at the plot a few days ago to find another hole in the fence. Rob patched it today. I could’ve missed it on my original round of fence mending, but I highly suspect the rabbits are devious enough to wait until we leave before making a concerted effort to break in again. They’re … More It’s a Nature Conspiracy
When I arrived at the plot today I noticed there was a little dip in the woodchip path near our gate. From certain angles, and if you squinted hard enough, you could picture a rabbit having made such a dent. But not on our plot because we’ve bunny proofed it. I didn’t spend too much … More Outfoxed, or Should that be Out-Bunnied?
A Whole Plotta Love 
You must be logged in to post a comment.