Malcolm Smith's
Allotment Diary

 
2009

 

Front Page Diagrams Growing Schedule

2008 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2010

 
 Thu 1 Jan 2009
Weather : Frost. Overcast and cold.
Progress : No work today.

Fri 2 Jan 2009
Weather : Frost. Sunny spells and cold.
Progress : No work today, just went along to get some Sprouts then met my son walking the baby on my way home. The seed catalogue arrived from Marshall's in the post today.

Sat 3 Jan 2009
Weather : Frost. Sunny and cold.
Progress : No work on the allotment today but I got my seed list compiled. As it turns out, I have enough seed left over from last year to fulfill this years requirements.

Sun 4 Jan 2009
Weather : Frost. Dull and cold.
Progress : No work today apart from getting a stem of Brussels Sprouts.

Mon 5 Jan 2009
Weather : Frost. Wet start. Dull and cold wind.
Progress : No work today apart from getting a stem of Brussels Sprouts.

Tue 6 Jan 2009
Weather : Frost. Dull and very cold.
Progress : Popped in for a Winter Cabbage. Still ice everywhere after two weeks.

Wed 7 Jan 2009
Weather : Frost. Dull and very cold.
Progress : No work today. Daytime temperatures have been in low single figures for a couple of weeks now.

Thu 8 Jan 2009
Weather : Frost. Dull and cold.
Progress : No work today apart from getting a stem of Brussels Sprouts.

Fri 9 Jan 2009
Weather : Frost. Dull and very cold.
Progress : I took the collected kitchen waste to the compost bins today. There was hoare frost over all the foliage and the dead Asparagus foliage looked enchanting covered in ice particles.

Sat 10 Jan 2009
Weather : Frost. Dull and very cold.
Progress : No work today. The hoare frost remained on the trees all day again today.

Sun 11 Jan 2009
Weather : Bright start. Dull later.
Progress : The first frost-free night for ages but the ground is still frozen. Went to cut a Winter Cabbage then tried to dig some Scorzonera but the ground was frozen solid.

Mon 12 Jan 2009
Weather : Wet and windy all day. Warmer
Progress : No work today.

Tue 13 Jan 2009
Weather : Sunny and warmer start.
Progress : It was great being able to get onto the allotment and start doing some work. Did a bit of tidying up then completed the weeding of plot 2c. Weeded between the Raspberries and Loganberries. Harvested a Turnip which was in surprisingly good condition considering it has een frozen for several weeks.

Wed 14 Jan 2009
Weather : Sunny again after a foggy start.
Progress : No work today as I was attending on the plumber at home.

Thu 15 Jan 2009
Weather : Cold and dreary.
Progress : No work today apart from cutting a Winter Cabbage, the day was miserable and I didn't have the constitution. Whilst there, I noticed that the council have renumbered all the plots and put up nice little signboards with the number on. The numbering was previously quite perplexing where plots had been split up and become different shapes.

Fri 16 Jan 2009
Weather : Damp and dreary.
Progress : Back to work today. Turned in the top dressing on plot 2a. Noticed that the first of the Broad Beans planted in plot 2b last November are starting to show. Dug up enough Jerusalem Artichokes from three plants to fill a bucket.

Sat 17 Jan 2009
Weather : Sunny.
Progress : Completed the weeding through Soft Fruit area 2 then pruned the Blackcurrants and Gooseberries. Sprinkled some lime around the Gooseberries. Pruned the Apple and Cherry trees and tried to get them into some sort of proper shape. Hoed between the Asparagus to loosen the weeds. Cropped the first of the Eskimo winter carrots which are pale in colour but look good at first glance.

Sun 18 Jan 2009
Weather : Sunny.
Progress : No work today

Mon 19 Jan 2009
Weather : Overnight wind and rain. Dull day.
Progress : Went up to dig some Scorzonera which I found to be good sized roots. They came up more easily than previous years, probably due to the soil having been deeply dug. Took a stem of Brussels Sprouts also.

Tue 20 Jan 2009
Weather : Sunny but cold.
Progress : No work today.

Wed 21 Jan 2009
Weather : Heavy frost. Sunny.
Progress : Brought a dozen bags of stable manure to the allotment. Pruned the Red Currants. Weeded the Aspargus and spread some of the very old horse manure. Did the same for the Rhubarb. Cut some Purple Sprouting Broccoli and dug a few Winter Carrots which are a good size and have not been affected by Carrotfly. Had a chat later with another allotmenteer who mentioned about Moles Seeds on the internet who sell by the ounce.

Thu 22 Jan 2009
Weather : Heavy overnight rain. Sunny spells.
Progress : Just popped in for a Winter Cabbage. Ate some of the Eskino winter carrots today and they were very tender and tasty.

Fri 23 Jan 2009
Weather : Heavy overnight rain and strong winds. Sunny spells.
Progress : No work today.

Sat 24 Jan 2009
Weather : Heavy overnight rain and strong winds. Sunny spells.
Progress : No work today.

Sun 25 Jan 2009
Weather : Heavy overnight rain and strong winds. Sunny spells.
Progress : No work today. I think this has been the most inactive month that I have had on the allotment since I started.

Mon 26 Jan 2009
Weather : Sunny spells and heavy showers.
Progress : Only called in to gather a stem of Brussels Sprouts.

Tue 27 Jan 2009
Weather : Frost. Dull.
Progress : No work today.

Wed 28 Jan 2009
Weather : Misty start.
Progress : Only called in to get some Curly Kale and a Turnip.

Thu 29 Jan 2009
Weather : Some sunny spells.
Progress : Started by digging some Scorzonera and cutting a couple of Winter Cabbages and some Purple Sprouting Brocolli spears. I wanted to clear out the compost enclosure in area 1 ready to refill it as I have a lot of stuff to put into it. I put the reaminder of the existing compost into the old tin bath for use later. I then realised that I could use some of it straightaway by starting to double-dig plot 3d which I then did. Had a good chat with one of my neighbouring allotmenteers who has been away since before Christmas. We had a laugh when he told me that when the plots were renumbered, each end of his plot has totally different numbers.

Fri 30 Jan 2009
Weather : Some sunny spells.
Progress : No work today - being a Grandad and looking after the little 'un. Used the last of our stored Onions in dinner tonight - they have lasted extremely well considering so many of the were blighted this year.

Sat 31 Jan 2009
Weather : Overcast and very windy.
Progress : The forecast predicted sunshine today but there was hardly any. Barrowed a large bag of wood chippings to the allotment today to start restocking the enclosure in area 1. I had to refurbish and re-erect the panels first of all. Double dug another trench in plot 3d.

 
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