It was such a nice evening yesterday that I spent an hour on the plot before it got dark. I planted the parsley and sage plants we were given, as well as the globe artichoke tubers I'd bought, and a row of peas to fill a gap between two beds. My radishes and spinach has started to come up, and the onion sets are now about 3 inches (~7cm) high or more. My beetroot, half row of spring onions and single row of carrots don't seem to be doing much at all, but maybe it's still a bit cold at night for them to germinate.

'erbs

Not a lot to report on the plot at the moment. We could only spend a short time down there at the weekend, as we were quite busy (sorting out things for our fast-approaching wedding). However, during the weekend we visited some of Anne's family, and when we mentioned that we were thinking of creating a small herb bed on the allotment, my soon-to-be brother-in-law disappeared into his garden, returning with half a tray of parsley plants, a chunk of sage with roots attached and some rosemary cuttings! What a nice chap.

Yesterday I spent half an hour browsing around the gardening department of our local Wilko's and came away with, amongst other things, two bags of vermiculite, some hormone rooting powder, and some globe artichoke tubers. Anne and I both think the artichoke plants on some of the plots at our site look great, so I thought I'd give them a go.

I transplanted some rosemary and sage cuttings into 50:50 compost and vermiculite last night, hopefully they will take and we will soon be on the way to our herb bed!

Anne and I both spent almost all day on the plot today. I started off in the morning by constructing a coldframe. I screwed four glass panels to four 'corner posts' (actually tree stakes) that anchor the frame into the ground. Three more panels sit on top as a lid. These are currently just resting on top of the frame, held in place by sisal 'guy ropes' to stop them taking flight across the allotments in a high wind (very dangerous!). I might modify the frame to fix the panels in place more permanently, although it is useful to be able to slide them about to provide ventilation, or remove them completely to get good access. The coldframe is placed over a previously manured bed, and judging by the condensation appearing on the glass it was heating up nicely in there!

The coldframe (minus guys ropes for securing the lid)

After giving the grass a much needed haircut, both Anne and I did some digging. I prepared the potato bed and planted my seed potatoes, and Anne dug over another bed that will probably be used for brassicas. She also forked over a strip alongside the shed and planted about 20 sunflowers. If they all germinate (and survive the slugs) they will look very nice.

I also sowed some beetroot and radish into my new coldframe, sowed some leeks into module trays (also residing in the coldframe for now), and some trailing nasturtiums into small pots - once they grow big enough to be able to survive the slugs these will be used in the 'flower bed' or to provide ground cover under the sunflowers.

The photo below shows my plot from the 'shed end', with the new coldframe on the right with garlic doing nicely in front of that, mature leeks on the left and my incinerator smoking away nicely! Behind that is the final area of my plot that needs cultivating this year, after spending last year under black plastic the brambles and bindweed are much reduced, but it's still heavy going!



From the other direction you can see my new potato bed (just planted) on the left, the newly-dug (possibly) brassica bed on the right. Just in front of the coldframe I have a few rows of spinach (one under the small white cloche as it's sprouting), some spring onions and some onion sets that have put on a growth spurt over the past fortnight.



The final picture for today is of the lovely Anne, taking a well-earned rest during a sunny spell!

Have camera-phone, will blog

I've just got a new toy - a mobile phone with a camera. So now I can add more photos to my blog without having to remember to cart my digital camera down to the allotment.

This is a first try to see how they come out. Just a picture of one windowsill in our flat that is currently taken over by pots and seed trays. Nearest the camera are butternut squash and courgette plants, followed by capsicum and pumpkins (yet to germinate), a seed tray each of rocket and mixed salad leaves (only just poking their heads above the compost) and at the far end two module trays of marigolds, which are a bit of an experiment. They're from seed I collected from our own plants last year, so I don't know if they will grow or not. On the floor is a tray of potatoes (Foremost variety) that are chitting nicely and will go into the ground very soon.

Brr...

Despite the current warm sunshine on my way to work this morning, apparently we're in for a cold snap over the next few days. Checking my favourite weather forecasting site, tonight the temperature in my area could drop to -3ºC, and tomorrow night -7ºC!!

Brr indeed.

I shall be visiting the allotment after work tonight to try and protect my more tender plants and seedlings with pop-bottle cloches and fleece.

I just discovered that I have been linked to by another blogger! The first time ever, I didn't think anyone else was interested enough to read my ramblings.

Thank you Jane! Yours is a great site, loads of useful info that I just know I'll be using.

Mainly 'cosmetic' jobs done on the plot this weekend. I finished creosoting the shed while Anne cleared the 'flower bed' area in front of it. We then re-covered the bench area right next to the shed with a double layer of weed suppressing membrane and added a deep layer of new wood chips. I started strimming the paths and grassed area, as it was getting a bit out of hand.

I did manage to plant some things - another row of spinach and half a row of spring onions. I also 'rescued' the clematis we planted in a pot last year (it didn't do very well) and planted it in the ground in the centre of the sweet pea wigwam. Hopefully it will enjoy itself more there. There's quite a bit more digging over of beds (and making new ones) required before I can plant anything else.