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After a week without significant rain the soil is in good condition for raking down into seedbeds and sowing. Almost all the digging is now done, but with a quarter of the plot put down to crops for winter and over-wintering for spring cropping there is still much clearing and subsequent cultivation...
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The dry weather last weekend meant that the winter digging and rotovating is almost up-to-date, but the soil temperature is still about 4C; it risky to sow outdoors until soil temperatures reach 7C. However there is still plenty to do – allotment gardening is after all very much to do with preparation...
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This what I would have done on the allotment this weekend had the weather been sufficiently inspiring to tempt me away from the many long overdue DIY tasks abou the house: With weeks and weeks to go before any significant sowing or planting needs to be done, I am very relaxed about working the plot or...
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People have asked what are you going to do in your allotment this weekend? Since, where no snow actually lingers, it is covered with 5cm of mud on 5cm of frozen soil the answer is very little. None of the produce will get any better from now on so it is dig and use root crops (carrots, celeriac, parsnips...
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Recent dry, sunny weather allowed the slugs and the first wave of weeds to be tackled. Subsequent rain restored soil moisture leading to ideal seed bed conditions. The downside was that weeds germinated in hundreds, but just in time the weather turned dry and vigorous raking again polished then off....
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The first of the 2009 has arrived on the dinner plate – spinach ‘Napoli’ sown in March as a thick row was gathered by cutting off plants at ground level leaving a plant every 20cm to grow larger for the next cutting. My sandy soil can make leaf crops very gritty, so at least 3 washes are needed to get...
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At last allotment work is easing off and the plot is mostly up to date. I have to say I am relieved – it has been a bit hectic harvesting and replanting at the same time. With only six weeks or so of growing weather left, plants must not run short of nutrients. However everything looks mighty lush and...
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Planting-out is nearly done with celery, celeriac and tomatoes going out last night. This followed planting of summer and early autumn cabbages, cauliflowers and calabrese as an intercrop in between where the winter cabbages, sprouting broccoli and kales will be planted at the end of the month. The cool...
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I felt a twinge in my back while moving furniture on Saturday, so thought it best to take it easy this weekend. My greenhouse has been lying in pieces since moving house, and since I will need it soon for transplant raising and assembling it is a nice easy stand up job that should help my back, I spent...
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