Asparagus Ahoy!

Here is the Asparagus ready for harvesting....

....and here it is ready for steaming.

Supper!

We had a late supper of freshly picked asparagus last night. What a luxury. I finished the greenhouse this afternoon (see below) and then went back again this evening to do a few miscellaneous jobs. I screwed some more timber to the unfinished bed, started painting the shed door with 'ducksback', WD 40'd the greenhouse door in an optimistic bid to get it to run more smoothly, and hoed the visible horsetail from the asparagus bed.

Glass Act

The greenhouse is now all systems go as I cut and fitted the last piece of glass this afternoon (apart from a bit of 'ventilation' top centre at the far end)....

....and here are some plants feeling the benefit. The Cosmos in the centre are leggy because they were through before I even looked at them!

Chit Chat

The first of the early spuds are breaking through! I am supposed to be covering these in manure and groundcover - better get a move on.

Flag Heap

The heap of flags which has been darkening my path for a year or so now is at least getting a little smaller!

Greenhouse Update

I am still missing a couple of panes of glass as my cutting to shape 'wasted' a few yesterday. I cut bits of tin can to make longer supports for where the glass overlaps by more than it should and cleverly cut my thumb on reaching into my pocket. I was going to call on David on the Moss for a few panes but I bumped into him in the nursery next door to his place and he said "Give me a ring in about a week."! I didn't like to say it was an emergency but I will have to get some before then. Surely I won't be reduced to paying for new glass!

As the g'house was nearly sorted I started moving pots etc back from the shed & gave the shed the beginnings of a good tidy as well. And I raked the old foliage from the strawberry bed and had a bit of a go at the dandelions with the shears.
What a shame that I didn't get down at all today. But I did sow Corgettes, Climbing French & Runner Beans, 4 varieties of tomatoes ind some lobelia into pots ot modules in the shed at home.

April is the Cruellest Month...

This poor guy has got a long time to think about it before bonfire night!!!

Glass Update

I spent a fair bit of time yesterday (Tuesday) cleaning the old glass I got from the Moss and fitting it into the greenhouse...

...and here are the results.

Garlic Update

The garlic is thriving and not letting the chicken wire cramp its style!!!

Dandelion Downer

Weeding hasn't even crossed my mind yet this year and yet the (very small) lawn is full of dandelions.

Frank Lee Memorial Nestbox

I put a bird box up on the shed yesterday. It is for my Dad who is very ill. Actually its for me but you get my drift...

Bed Update

I got a bit further on with the new bed today. I had to take some of it apart to firm up the corner posts and get the groundcover under it properly. It was rather a frustrating job really. The soil is riddled with perrenial weeds so I will dig it over a couple of times and add manure before keeping it well covered for a year or two. I might plant potatoes in this one as well. I am going to build it up the extra level - the top planks haven't been screwed on yet though. I will sink a post half way down each side and screw to it to try and counteract the effect of the warped wood.

More Gravel!!!

I didn't have time for any more flagging today but I did put a bit more gravel down to make it look respectable.

Pentland Pending...

Here are the pentland Javelin waiting patiently to be planted out...

Ready to Go...

...and here they all are in position ready to be trowelled in. (Thanks as always to Uncle Peter who showed me how much time could be saved by putting everything in position first.) Once they were in a I scattered a few handfuls of pelleted chicken manure over the soil. I am intending to cover the bed in manure from the communal heap tomorrow and then cover it with groundcover to supress weeds. I will cut holes for the haulm when it pushes against the material. This used to be the coping stone bed and was full of horsetail and convolvulus but the groundcover seemed to keep it at bay last year when I grew pumpkins and squashes in the new bed. Of course I dug out as much root as possible as I made the bed but it is impossible to get it all - especially the horsetail.

Red Duke of York

Most of the tubers were Pentland Javelin but I did also put in ten of Red Duke of York for a bit of variety.

Asparagus Bed Update

I have been making preparations for sorting the asparagus bed good and proper. I'm widening and levelling the path ready for the wooden frame to keep things manageable.

Gravel Update

As there is now a layer of groundcover beneath the flags I am leaving large gaps and filling them with fine gravel. The idea is that as the weeds can't develop large roots I should be able to get to them easily in a loose medium. I always thought the flags were too close together before as you could never have a really good go at getting things out.

More Flagging

I managed to get stuck in to some more flagging this afternoon after a trip to B & Q for more sand. (+ wood for beds, fenceposts etc). I managed to get another ten laid.

Getting There...

This area of the allotment is slowly but surely taking shape!!!

Potato Bed Update

Once I couldn't stand any more flagging (it's a good sign when you can't be bothered to even try and get them level) I prepared the bed for the first earlies...

Laying Flags!!!

I had a rush of blood to the head today and went to B & Q for some bags of sand this afternoon. I got six slabs laid this evening and am hoping to do some more tomorrow!!!

'Usual' View

Here is the 'usual' view for those of you getting withdrawal symptoms. Actually I do find it useful to be able to go over these views and see how things have changed over the seasons. I'm wondering about access to the shed roof for a different angle on things - could be interesting...

Glass Update

I started washing & refitting the glass in the greenhouse today. I find it quite a fiddly job what with things not being quite straight and so on. It will be satisfying when it is finished, though. I need to get it done as i'm just about to start sowing stuff at home and I need to be able to transfer things here as soon as they are ready.

Looks Like Spring!

It's good to see the spring sunshine filtering through the fresh new berry leaves.

Bed Prep...

I have got a bit further with the new bed today. I dug out a flat strip for the path and dug a hole for the fence post. Doesn't sound like much but it was surprisingly time consuming!

Purple Sprouting Update

The psb is still going well - delicious! I have seen the first Asparagus spear poking its nose through today though so we may get a bit of an overlap.