Dykes Edge Allotment

Waking up from Hibernation...

2012-02-13T11:21:00.003Z

The winter months have been somewhat quiet, with little work done on my relatively low maintenance plot beside turning the soil in a few of my raised beds, a bit of mulching and a tiny bit of weeding. Without giving too much away, 2012 is going to be a year of transformation for Dyke's Edge blog in more ways than one, and like the seasons this chapter is about to end, and another is about to start...

Nothing to Report...

2011-11-16T22:31:00.003Z

Well, I really need to bring my readers up to date with some ground breaking plot news. Ah.. there's the snag, there is nothing to report! Literally, nothng... No crops to eat, that lush green gone barring a few alliums sitting patiently until next year and a few buds on fruit trees sealed tight waiting for winter to pass. Now that doesn't mean I havn't been to the plot, in fact I love this time of year and i'm getting rather excited about testing my radiator out! I am spending more time relaxing than work on the plot now, which makes a good change as there's plenty of time to do some more of the groundwork later right?

Out comes the gardening books, on goes the radio... and the heater. I recorded 31 degrees celcius in the shed and only several degrees outside last weekend. Already it is surving it's purpose, and it's only going to get colder! Just to think this time last year, freezing my toes of...

The only time you'll catch me sweating my socks off now is when a shipment of wood bark arrives, and that isn't very often these days!

Dan & Lexi's Chickens

2011-11-16T22:08:00.005Z

I've been meaning to get my teeth back into blogging for some time, but my lack of activity is a genuine true representation of a plotter who once had plenty of time on his hands last year, to one who has been plunged into a 9-5 life with now not so much time on his hands. And well it doesn't help finishing work and coming out into darkness.

Anyway, a recent holiday to my homeland of North Wales, I visited my friends Dan and Lexi and their back garden 7-strong free range chicken farm at the sunny seaside town of Kinmel Bay. Amidst a new-build housing estate, where children roam free and their parents completely unaware, lays their small holding behind an unsuspecting 6ft fence.

They have 7 hens... 3 rhode island red, 2 west sussex, and these french ones which their name escapes me. All of which are female of course, and each with varying rates of productivity which they are keeping close watch of... though all in all they wake up to a handful of eggs each morning which is all well and good as Danny who is of spanish..origin..ish, enjoys making his speciality dish 'spanish ommelette'. Which I will pretend just for the purposes of the blog, was very good! Maybe he'll actually make one for me next time i'm there...

I was genuinely surprised how easy they are to keep, they put themselves to sleep at night (the door just needs closing afterwards), and peck at the window when they want bringing out in the morning I am told. A quick shufty of their eggs whilst they're not looking, a scattering of seed, a top up of water, and job done.

I want some now!

Allotment Wildlife Continued... Squirrels

2011-11-16T21:56:00.004Z

Well what'd you know, look what I spotted on the way to my plot recently. A grey squirrel. A little upset it wasn't a red one, but that'd be lucky! I spotted him/her scurrying across the car park, probably trying it's luck at some of the bird feeders which are well topped up this time of year or maybe unearthing a few onion bulbs i'm told, who knows. The wildlife on our site, never fails to amaze me...

Shed Central Heating

2011-10-08T23:37:00.003+01:00

A slight fuel conversion has been taking place in the shed. I have decided to unify everything, out goes the gas (cooker and heater) and instead I have opted for paraffin as my new fuel choice. It's cheap and easy to get hold of. I can't say the new heater had anything to do with making that decision...

It's a little on the old side, art deco, 1930's i'd say but it works surprisingly enough. To go with it I have my chalwin paraffin stove for cooking my lunch when down on the plot, usually the favourite ASDA's chunky chicken and white sauce with rice. And some paraffin hurricane lanterns for when the light levels are low outside.

I was thinking of installing a log burner, but the "5 a.m.'r with binocs in the houses across" has been reporting every Tom, Dick and Harry that lights up a cigarette, has a steaming muck heap, bonfire or chimney chugging away that it is spoiling it for everyone now. Our allotment was there before them, I say!

Ah well, legs up, books out. This is the allotment life for me...

For the next few months at least!

Working 9 to 5 (and on the plot somewhere inbetween)

2011-09-15T18:11:00.002+01:00

Funny how one week can change to the next. Not just on the plot, or a change in the weather but in your life too. Today I had some exceptionally good news thrown at me. It turns out the company which I have just started to work for is moving, and would you believe it is moving just a 5 minute walk away from my plot!

I can picture it now, lunch on the plot, legs up on my deck chair, the birds singing, the bee's buzzing. Ah, tranquility!

I am thoroughly excited about the move, it is going to be a lifestyle change for better. But not until December at least.

Maybe, just maybe thinks will be picking up pace with the blog again!

Working 9 to 5

2011-09-07T17:30:00.011+01:00

I have to say, when you have not blogged for a while it takes a little kicking up your backside to get into the swing of things. The new 9-5 job (now over 2 months in) does have a lot to do with it though mind. Visits to the plot have been fewer and far between, reserved strictly to evenings and weekend.

Despite the lack of my updates, things have been ticking over. The runner beans which were planted along the fence have been shared 50/50 between me and my new neighbour. What grows on his side is his, and what grows on my side is mine. A very simple rule really agreed between us which has worked.

I look around many plots on my site, and there are so many who have shut up shop well over a month ago now which I am really surprised by. Many of my beds are occupied, with outdoor tomatoes yet to come with a little sunshine, i've even got another bed of potatoes in destined to be ready around late October with a little luck. Then there are the cabbage white bitten brocolli and cauliflower which might recover?

Long-term, there are some more cabbage white bitten sprouts, some very healthy looking leeks and this weekend if I can get some space ready the onions will be going in! Note the words 'get some space ready'? I am not joking either, every bed is occupied until I rip something out.

The traditional harvest time is nearing, though really I have been harvesting most of this year something or other. I have a dozen apples, and loads and loads of raspberries. A little sunshine now please?

As for that pumpkin competition between my plot and over the fence, cobblers to him! Grrr...

The Shed... Continued

2011-08-10T20:08:00.003+01:00

I have been giving some attention to my man shed. I particularly like the idea of themeing the interior to make it more comfortable for those cold winter days which are not too far. I am drawing my inspiration from my home roots of the seaside. Already I have Sammy the Seagull my mobile feathered friend hanging on the ceiling, and now I have added a decorative fishing net across the window front and another ornamental one which has decorative shells in each of it's squares.

The subject of sheds if often a sore subject with plotters, recently there have been repeat break-ins on our site and a hole in the fence has been suspect as our site is relatively secure with a strong 'neighbourhood watch' presence.

Whilst I take some of my own precautions, there is nothing of real value in my shed but it must feel sickening for those who have had there personal space invaded. Sheds are a valuable shelter for those plotters who brave the harsher winter months and even the burning UV rays of the summer sun.

Plot Update

2011-08-10T19:07:00.005+01:00

The lack of presence on the blog illustrates just how busy a time of year it is for not just me, but all us fellow plotters. There has been much to do from getting the plot up to scratch for a recent open day, to the continual harvesting and cultivation on the plot.

Most recently, I have been harvesting blackberries every other day which are being frozen for later use in wine making. My broccoli continue to produce florets, and I have had a very successful crop of baby carrots. I have made successional sowings of broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts and potatoes which will be my autumn/winter crops.

The second crop of peas are starting to fruition, and with a little sunshine there will even be some raspberries, tomatoes and runner beans to look forward to.

As for this years trial crop, my tobacco (golden virginia) which I have 5 plants of, they are coming along a treat. During the early stages of growth, slugs were a problem though this was dealt with by regular spinklings of slug pellets. Whilst I consider myself a 'non-smoker', contradictory to that I also consider myself a 'social smoker' of tobacco that is! There are one or two plotters who pipe smoke, and I think there is something magical about the smell of this method of smoking. Now call me an old man, but I am going to give it a try!

Note: Growing tobacco for personal consumption is perfectly legal in the UK. However, it is illegal in some countries and their jurisdictions. So check first!

First Broccoli & Parsnips

2011-07-17T21:41:00.003+01:00

The latest from the plot... Time on the plot has been further strained. We had a beautiful week over here in Blackpool, though sadly the weekend has been a rather damp one. Wednesday evening I dug up a bed of new potatoes, of which there was so many I had to take the trolley home! The bed is to be replaced with broccoli, 8 plants of. Talking of broccoli, 5 spurs were removed from some which had recently come to fruition. Cutting back just the heads, I have left the plants intact in hope some smaller spurs will grow from them.

Besides broccoli, further spacing in the parsnip bed was necessary. Which, in the process I unearthed some very fine edible specimens which have been blanched and frozen for use in a Sunday roast at a later date.

Technology on the Plot

2011-07-10T09:52:00.002+01:00

Some of my more hardcore readers may have noticed that I have been somewhat distant from the plot lately, that has been equally reflected in my blog activity. Well, I have started a new job which has become even more demanding on me in terms of time and commitment. Trips to the plot have been restricted strictly to evenings and weekends (weather permitting).

The usual process of transferring my daily activity to the blog has been a few snaps on the plot, then uploading these to the web when I get home or can make time to do it.

Well I will be upgrading my personal technology later this week which will transform the way I blog from hereon. This means posts and photos can be created on the plot, and uploaded to the blog as close to real-time as possible. I will also have the internet at my finger tips, which Google can answer many of my gardening questions in the absence of the olde tyme plotter. I am expecting the phone to do many more things, perhaps there will be some gardening apps, or I can keep check on the weather. I will be sure to let you know.

Like Digging for Gold

2011-07-10T09:02:00.006+01:00

My latest harvest on the plot, an early main crop of potatoes called 'Record'. I have harvested them in them in their prime, with the top of the plants now in full bloom. Just a 3ft x 3ft patch was generous enough to give me at least 10lb+ of 1-2 inch sized new potatoes, loosely skinned. There is some great satisfaction in digging potatoes, it could perhaps be compared to digging for gold. Not that I have ever been digging for gold before, but this is certainly fun!

Now this raised bed is cleared, it is ready to make way for some Cauliflower or Broccoli plants which I sown earlier. Space overall on the plot is at a squeeze with almost every bed in full use.

First Year On The Plot

2011-07-05T17:53:00.010+01:00

1 Year Ago...

For a moment then, I almost forgot that just recently I am celebrating my 'first year on the plot'. I received my plot on the 3rd July 2010 and doesn't time fly? Well really, no it doesn't. It drags! Which, I don't think is a bad thing!

I once remember Paul McKenna talking about the concept of time, the psychological techniques which can be applied to speeding up and slowing down time. Now we all know time is constant in reality, but if there is one thing I have learned with allotmenteering is that there is always something to look forward to. That recurring feeling has a tendancy to slow things down a little. Well it does for me anyway.

Remember that feeling when you were a child, looking forward to christmas morning. Waiting and waiting for that one moment in the year to come when under the tree I knew that there would be a scaletrix, a toy garage or a train set waiting for me. Well I have gotten older and things have changed, but that concept is still quite the same if only a little simpler.

Already I am looking forward to pulling up parsnips and unearthing potatoes, this years late raspberries and next years strawberries. Besides that, I can't wait for my log burner, the smell of whisps of smoke amidst the bitter cold air outside. Each month is magical for it's very own reasons and you gain a real respect for each of the seasons.

Through tending this parcel of land, I have met new people and made friends along the way. I have founded new skills and yet used practically every skill that I do have. Now how many old time allotmenteers would have thought that a computer is as equally as important as say a spade or fork?

Allotmenteering is perhaps one of very few hobbies which encapsulates so many different interests and leisure time activities, from horticulture, gardening, DIY, cooking, preserving, wine making/brewing, socialising, reading, blogging, apiculture, smallholding, ornithology, photography, keeping fit and the rest. Allotmenteering is a lifestyle change for the better.

So let's get out our allotment cups, mugs or for those who choose not to have those luxuries, simply cup your hands together. Here is to my first year on the plot.

The plot now...

Cheers,

Craig Rockfield!

Gooseberry & Grape Fruit Wine

2011-06-30T18:58:00.007+01:00

Somewhere outside the plot, I had previously identified several untamed gooseberry bushes growing amidst the ravages of no-mans land. I have waded waist deep through stingers and thistles to reach these prized gems. These small dark gooseberries are of an unknown variety, they are not by any means tame either.

I managed to harvest a good 1lb weight worth, and I have made up for their shortfall with a large handful of red grapes to make some 'Gooseberry & Grape wine'. Now that the must has been watered down, it's colour has changed from ruby red to flamingo pink!

It's colour will certainly make this a characteristic fruit wine for sure. When it comes to labelling, rather than the traditional named titles I have previously given them, I think I will call this one 'Pink Flamingo'! that should give Blossom Hill and Jacob's Creek a run for their money.

The Last Corner

2011-06-28T22:21:00.004+01:00

For most part of Dyke's Edge blog, the camera has evaded parts of the plot that I don't want you to see. Slowly but surely, my progress has crept across the plot and that progress has been well photo documented. Now, only the last corner of the plot remains to be cultivated. Work has commenced in clearing the area which has until now been my allocated for stock piling materials and construction waste.

All materials that I intend to keep have been allocated a small slither of space toward the central back of the plot, thus keeping everything looking neat and tidy. Just the way I like it.

With competition time too nearing, I must get my act together quickly!

Insect Life Cont... Caterpillar Peacock Butterfly

2011-06-28T22:16:00.004+01:00

Spotted this little critter walking across a path on my plot today. Soot black with illuminescent dots. I hadn't a clue what kind of caterpillar it is, but it sure was kind of scary looking. So with the help or Iris, I now know that it is that of the 'Peacock Buttefly'! Thanks Iris.

Dyke's Edge Blog Awards

2011-06-27T23:05:00.007+01:00

With the blog near celebrating it's first birthday, it has to be said that part credit for it's prosperity is due to a handful of supporters of Dyke's Edge blog, themselves too allotment & gardening bloggers. Those bloggers in particular mentioned below need be recognised for their hard efforts in our allotment blog community, for they have an active presence in our blogosphere. Their generous mentions and kind links have a profound knock on effect by generating new readers and visitors here at Dyke's Edge allotment blog and the many others which they endorse.

The Gold Award goes to 'Green Lane Allotments',
which can be found at glallotments.blogspot.com
who gave the most referrals to Dyke's Edge blog in the past year.

In second place, the Silver Award goes to 'Allotments for You'
which can be found at allotments4you.com,
who gave the second most referrals to Dyke's Edge blog
in the past year.

In third place, the Bronze Award goes to 'Allotment Heaven'
which can be found at allotmentheaven.blogspot.com,
who gave the third most referrals to Dyke's Edge blog
in the past year.

These three bloggers are given the 'Top Referrer' award for they have generated substantial traffic and endorsement to Dyke's Edge blog over the past 12 months. May I thank each and one of those for their tremendous efforts on their own blogs, you are all true ambassadors of the allotment & gardening blog community. May I also thank the many other bloggers who have not been mentioned who have endorsed and supported Dyke's Edge blog and thankyou for your continued and loyal support.

Water Store Bay

2011-06-27T18:04:00.002+01:00

Elsewhere on the plot, I have been working on my water storage bay to the left of my store. I will be using the store roof next door to capture rain water for my thirsty plants via drainage pipers. If all goes to plan, the butt to the right will have an overflow to fill up the additional butt to the left which I also have a tap for.

A new Rustic Oddity!

2011-06-27T17:52:00.006+01:00

Having a little rumage around 'no-man's land', I came across this quite possibly vintage number plate 'L R 178T'. Dirty, scuffed, scraped, battered, dented, how more rustic can you get! I think my little woodstore could eventually become a collage of rustic show pieces. I've the set of old keys, the fire scorned oil lamp, the horse shoe and now the number plate!

This is where I am going to be a little cheeky, if anyone has anything rustic laying around that they would like to appear on Dyke's Edge 'Store of Fame', then drop me a line at craigrockfield @ hotmail . co . uk (established bloggers/readers only please, no anons). Anything considered... so long as it's not modern or clean. It must be able to endure the elements and become more rustic with age!

Fruit & Veg Bushel Crates

2011-06-26T19:37:00.009+01:00

I feel right chuft with myself today. I was having a little gander on the web at old wooden storage crates just the other night, and I spotted some rather rustic looking apple boxes selling for over twenty quid each plus postage! Gee wizz I thought, pricey for a few pieces of wood to hold your harvest in.

Example of an old french apple crate

Anyway, I did like the apple boxes as I do love all the rustic looking and days gone by stuff, farmhouse style etc. So in just short of two hours on my plot, I found an unused pallet which was about to be burnt, grabbed a few nails, a quick recharge on my toy jigsaw and Bob's your uncle, Fanny's your aunt! O.k., the lettering was a later addition on my computer, but thats the real thing folks.

Now all I have to do is make some more!

Plot Map

2011-06-25T09:05:00.005+01:00

I have drawn up the latest blueprints of the plot. So far there are 21 completed beds including that adjacently right of bed no.15. This is a temporary layout which will be subject to change next year when some beds will be merged to form larger ones. This plot map also gives an idea of the completed coverage excluding the pond/wildlife section in the bottom right area. Find below annotations on the specific beds.

No.1 Raspberries (permanent bed).
No.2 Blackcurrants (permanent bed).
No.3 Potatoes (temporary), 2012 season strawberries (permanent).
No.4 Potatoes (temporary, 2012 season strawberries (permanent).
No.5 Gooseberry, Redcurrants (permanent).
No.6 Tomatoes (temporary) to merge with No.7 during 2012/2013.
No.7 Vacant (temporary) to merge with No.6 during 2012/2013.
No.8 Pumpkin (temporary) to merge with No. 9 during 2012/2013.
No.9 Welsh Onions (temporary) to merge with No.8 during 2012/13.
No.10 Brocolli (temporary) replaced with fruit shrubs during 2012.
No. 11 Garlic (seasonal bed).
No. 12 Tomatoes (seasonal bed).
No. 13 Parsnips (seasonal bed).
No. 14 Spring Onions (seasonal bed).
No. 15 Tobacco Plants/Sunflowers (seasonal bed)
No. 16 Vacant (seasonal bed)
No. 17 Carrots (seasonal bed)
No. 18 Peas (seasonal bed)
No. 19 Strawberry Nursery (seasonal bed)
No. 20 Vacant (seasonal bed)
No. 21* Vacant (possible herb bed).

How does my plot grow?

2011-06-25T08:45:00.009+01:00

I have decided to have a bit of a reshuffle on the plot, making a few radical decisions along the way.

I have removed all bushes adjacent to the decked area, though typically not the correct time of year to move fruit shrubs it had to be done regardless. Unfortunately this patch had proven particularly difficult to weed with the threat of mares tail moving outward from beneath the decking.

More seasonal crops will make this section more manageable with tobacco plants and a backdrop of sunflowers for this season anyway.

A poor garlic harvest has now been replaced with tomato plants.

The fruit shrubs have all been moved to the perimeter bed.

The brocolli have come on tremendously over the past few weeks.

My first time success at growing parsnips? We shall see come harvest time.

The grapevine has been removed in favour of a rampant gojiberry!

Bed no.21 is home to next years leeks.

Strawberries have been moved to their own nursery bed, and replaced with two thriving blackcurrant bushes.

The potatoes are taking over this corner of the plot!

Staggered spring onions, only those which were later staggered are looking very disappointing.

Lilly Display

2011-06-23T23:33:00.004+01:00

For a limited time only, lillies will be on display at Dyke's Edge plot. One of my favourite flowers, it is just a shame their magnificent blooms are short-lived. The first flower opened today!

A neighbouring plotter raised his concern with me over some strange happenings with his lilly plants. Small holes, stunted growth and signature slug like sludge on the leaves and stems. I am saddened to say his plant is infested with the bright red lilly beetle. This is a non-native species which really should be reported to DEFRA who will visit to collect samples and record the findings. Lilly Beetles have migrated further northward in the UK due to our increasingly warmer summers and are considered a major pest of the lilium species. Fact: female lilly beetles are able to locate lillies by odour alone.

My advice would be to dispose of the plants and soil and advise anyone else with this problem to do the same. I completely replenished my stock last year and the plants now are in perfect health. Fingers crossed they don't find their way across the dyke.

Shelling Peas

2011-06-22T22:18:00.005+01:00

This has to be one of the most tedious harvesting jobs on the plot. Love it or loath it, it has to be done. Already I am on my forth basket worth and there is no sign of them stopping yet. I am beginning to wonder what I have let myself in for with this crop! I have only planted a 4ft x 4ft sq. bed in block formation which is not particularly much and there is another bed on it's way!

Unlike picking strawberries and consuming them as you go along, I have found the peas to be rather labour intensive when it comes to harvesting. First you have to struggle looking for those hidden behind the foliage in order not to miss a single one that is ready. Then, you have pod each and every one of the buggers afterward. A full basket of unpodded peas can quickly scale down to a cup worth which I find particularly deflating. On the upper hand, their taste scales better than those found in the supermarket!

Something in the Air

2011-06-22T12:40:00.004+01:00

I call upon my readers for help. More noticeably lately... whenever I visit the allotment I am overcome by a great tiredness. It gets so bad that I am yawning constantly, my head is rolling over itself and I am compelled to fall asleep in my deck chair.

It is causing quite a problem for I am getting little work done lately! I know I wanted to relax more on the plot for all my hard efforts in the past year, but not this much. The strange thing is it only happens when I arrive there and have been there half an hour or so.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Allotment Wildlife Continued... Baby Frogs

2011-06-18T22:01:00.002+01:00

A quick visit to a neighbouring plotters wildlife santuary over the other side of the dyke, I was surprised to see his latest spectacle. 'Baby frogs', in there hundreds! His bark chipped floor was practically crawling with the little things, they were everywhere. This was the first time i'd ever seen baby frogs. I had seen tadpoles, juveniles and adults, but never babies. For a measure of size, here is one photographed against a standard sized trowel. Ain't they cute?

A bit of Competition... Continued

2011-06-18T21:45:00.003+01:00

The situation has been very tense over at Dyke's Edge. My new neighbour has become a little too close for comfort where our competition is concerned. I am convinced his newly installed mole deterrant is a secret spy camera monitoring my every motion around my pumpkin patch. I will not be outwitted by his taunts, for I have the knowledge and the know-how to create the largest pumpkin this world has ever seen, it will put even James's giant peach to shame, you will see, you will!

My one and only single pumpkin pictured above. Planted some days after my neighbour, already it is catching up!

On the other side of the fence, I managed to get this shot when he wasn't looking!

A bit of Competition

2011-06-16T21:53:00.005+01:00

I have £1 of my sterling at stake between myself and my new neighbour Lee, for we have agreed to conjure our very own pumpkin competition. Our goal is to grow the biggest pumpkin possible, through whatever means possible before Halloween. I am giving nothing away of what little knowledge I have about growing giant pumpkins, he could well be reading this.

There has already been subtle taunts across the fence, "I'm just giving my prize winning pumpkin a water" I snigger occasionally. A vocal diversion for me really giving them a feed with some of my pretend secret Giant Pumpkin plant food. I told you, I am giving nothing away...

From what I read, growing giant pumpkins is down to several things. The weather, soil, feeding, genetics and luck. My variety 'Jack o Lantern' I have since discovered is not really notorious for growing giant pumpkins, so therefore I will have to compensate for this handycap in other ways. For now, I remain confident and unnerved.

Lee's strategy at a glance appears to be growing as many pumpkins as possible, with the potential of one of them being a giant. I however have decided to take a different approach, one single enormous pumpkin, which grows so big i'll need a JCB to unearth it from it's position. Either that or it'll need hacking up with a chainsaw. Giant pumpkin growing, bring it on!

Keep watching the blog to see how we get on.

More photos and news to follow...

Onions, Shallots and Peas

2011-06-13T19:02:00.003+01:00

Harvest output has stepped up a mark on the plot. I have long been waiting for anything more than mediocre portions, and it is only more recently that anything substantial has left the plot.

The red and white onions have both been lifted, they come in various sizes which does not bother me at all. From small bulbs to show winning size (I wish), the size and quantity can be chosen for the meal in mind. There were many which failed to bulk up enough to form a bulb shape, these were simply diced fresh and frozen in bags.

The shallots were practically pushing themselves loose, digging was not necessary. I have plenty of 'golf-ball' sized onions which will be great for pickling.

And with an alternate weather pattern of showers and sunshine, the pods are bulking up very nicely indeed. There was enough today to fill half a basket, which once shelled filled a large sized cup. They made a nice side portion with my dinner on the plot! For dessert there was a small handful of sun ripened strawberries.

Bottled for the Plot

2011-06-13T18:28:00.004+01:00

With all my wine now bottled at home, only two of these special 2010 vintages will make residence on the plot. Here they will sit patiently maturing in anticipation of some special allotment occasion! Pictured above, they look fantastic sitting elegantly against the backdrop of my plot.

Picture of the Day

2011-06-10T20:35:00.001+01:00

I had to laugh when this is what I saw as I arrived on the plot late this afternoon...

Plodding On... Continued

2011-06-09T21:30:00.005+01:00

The past week, I have had all sorts thrown at me on the plot. Moles wrecking havock with my crops. They have proceeded southward in real terms toward Lee's plot, who notifies me he will be installing a mole deterrant tomorrow. Their trail goes from the front of my plot, beneath my first strawberry bed, into the potato bed then under the path to the garlic bed. Along the second strawberry bed, beneath the parsnips to where they now reside on the verge of both plots.

On top of that my shed has been infested with mice, the little blighters had nibbled through half a box of breakfast cereal which is my saviour during early morning starts on the plot. They're little pellet like droppings are scattered all over my kitchen unit shelves which will now need to be sanitised down and, I will be deploying a little mouse trap for their next arrival.

A new 'rustic oddity' too has arrived on the plot. Well here we have an old tin bath tub! I can't quite imagine myself sitting inside this if I am honest, but a few flowers will look the part though.

And back of the plot, bed no.20 has been installed! It is now the home to a scattering of dwarf french beans!

Meet My Neighbours

2011-06-09T20:19:00.006+01:00

Last year, I published a post about one of my neighbours plots who received their plot a few months before me, this was their plot then...

31/07/10

And this is their plot now...

Not a lot to update in over 10 months as you can see. Quite frankly, I find the lack of commitment by some plotters disgusting. It seems unfair that those who are keen to make an enthusiastic start and a loyal commitment to allotmenteering, have to wait whilst those who qued before them decide if they want to continue or not. Then there is the case of the lack of promptness on the part of the council and/or committee to rid these people quick enough to increase the turnover of plots.

Here is a good example of a neighbouring plot directly adjacent to me. 'Lee' received his plot just two months ago, he was welcomed by a blank canvass of couch grass and other perennial and annual weeds, just look what can be done with a little hard grafting and some enthusiasm. Well done Lee!

On the Plot

2011-06-05T23:30:00.006+01:00

A month or so back, I mounted 4 box planters along the frontside of my allotment fence. In which, I planted some alyssum's (snow carpet white). Already they show promise of my vision of the front of my plot being addorned by this blanket of flora as you approach. I chose this flower for it's simplicity more than anything, I did not want anything complicated just a simple wow factor.

Elsewhere on the plot, the signs of any weighty harvests show glimpse of promise. My pea bed is teeming with pods and it may only be days away now before they're fate is determined as to whether they meet my belly first or make it to the table, one plotter has already caught me picking off the lone stragglers!

There has been the odd handful of new potatoes and baby carrots, though things should become a little more significant from hereon. It is still a learning curve, and the lessons learnt this season can only better my next.

Winemaking... Continued

2011-06-05T22:59:00.004+01:00

Last September some of my readers will remember, I had a go at making my first batch of homemade fruit wines. I made two demijohns of Blackberry & Elderberry fruit wine, and Plum Fruit wine which have both been fermenting away since last September. The fermentation process has since come to an end, and they are now ready for bottling. I have also had a go at making my own wine labels (pictured above), this will certainly give that finishing touch along with some genuine bottling corks.

I have now sampled both of the wines, and there is nothing ill-tasting about them whatsoever, other than being slightly on the sweet side at the moment. There is plenty of time for them to mature further and acquire more distinctive flavouring whilst on the rack. For a first attempt, I am very pleased with the quality of my homemade produce.

These will certainly make a unique gift for christmas, birthdays and other special occasions.

Superstition

2011-06-03T22:54:00.008+01:00

For sometime, things had been going splendid at Dyke's Edge allotment. Cuppa's coming forth, materials plentyful, crops blooming, the birds singing. Like the seasons, there has been change in the air. One of my dearest neighbours who has been a rock to me since day one has taken some much needed time out, whilst two other fellow hardcore plotters Mr Pea and Mrs Bee have been effectively evicted for matters which need not be discussed here. The news of both is a real shame.

The ill-fortune appears to have spread somewhat, at some point today all of my bluetit chicks had vanished from my bird box and I am certain they were not ready for flight. This one was found drowned in my recently installed pond on the opposite side of the shed? I was really hoping to get some great shots today, as only yesterday they could be seen resting their heads on the opening of the box peering out inquisitively. It is a real shame and it breaks my heart at the thought of seeing them go ill-fated, for they were just innocent fluffy creatures.

Then second to that, I have become a victim of soil rats (moles). They have wrecked havock with my strawberry bed destroying my most prized plants which, I have had to resort to relocating many elsewhere on the plot in pots and such. In almost a year there has been no evidence of any moles on my side of the Dyke, now they come like a plague of locusts. Their trail shows they continue to proceed toward my main crop potatoes in the deep bed next door. Have they come to reclaim what I have taken from them before? (see moles label).

Elsewhere on the plot, my potato crop had been wrecked in the gales and as a result lifted earlier than expected, and my grapevine appears to have gone back into dormancy!

I do question the acquiring of a recent horse shoe I accepted from two fellow plotters as a token on their departure. It never brought them any luck evidently, and it is bringing me no luck either. It will have to be cast back into the chasms of mount doom from wherest it was forged. For it brings no luck here. I should stick with just the one I already have?

Call me superstitious, but so much has happened in such little time. What next I ask?

Bluetit Chicks

2011-05-26T20:16:00.004+01:00

Another exciting mention for the Dyke's Edge allotment diary. Over in the nest box, I have about 7 or 8 recently hatched newborn bluetit chicks being constantly fed by their parents. The good news is mummy and daddy don't seem too fussed about me being around the plot, and I am able to work as well as watch them quite unintrusively just several feet away from the box. They seem to like perching on the bell before making a quick dash inside. One plotter in particular is a little envious of me, as despite him having a dedicated bird sanctuary behind the back of his plot with several bird boxes scattered in the trees, none have taken to them. I still insist it is that lucky horse shoe of mine, it has brought nothing but good luck to my plot.

Mushrooms... Continued

2011-05-25T21:25:00.004+01:00

Unidentified No. 8

This has to be one of the most novel types of mushroom I have seen yet. It looks a little like popcorn or lemon swirl bon bons. They look almost edible!

Lottie Broth

2011-05-25T21:11:00.005+01:00

Today was an important day for the Dyke's Edge diary. For it was the first day that I have ever made a dish using ingredients mainly from the plot (and a neighbours plot) instead of opening a tinned can for a change. My very first 'lottie broth' as I like to call it, comsisted of an enamel camping bowl full of the tiniest new potatoes, 3 or 4 premature white onions diced, 1 undeveloped clove of garlic, 6 straggly baby carrots, 3 needle shaped parsnips, 1 asparagus tip off Debbie my neighbour, a handful of rice, an oxo stock cube and sprinkle of salt. An hour on simmer, job done! And, it tasted Grrrreat!

I Couldn't Resist

2011-05-22T20:17:00.005+01:00

All these crops in the ground and still nothing to take home yet. No strawberries ready, no peas to unpod, not even a baby carrot. Everything is still very premature. Well... there are a few onions which are half swelled, now that doesn't mean they are not edible! The thought of a cheese and freshly dug baby onion sandwich got the better of me, just the one onion that is! For all the work I have put in, I deserve just a little taster. Don't we all agree?

Strawberry Pollination

2011-05-19T23:41:00.004+01:00

My gamble with pruning back some of the older strawberry leaves has hopefully paid off. Today there were bumble bees buzzing all over my strawberry plants which have put on a great flower display if anything yet. Already some of the strawberries are beginning to swell, I cannot wait to be picking them! I have waited almost a year for this moment.

How Does My Garden Grow

2011-05-16T21:15:00.007+01:00

An update on the growing progress on my plot. From the front, the plot looks a healthy lush green. Bed No.1 (strawberry bed) is showing very high yields of berries though I have had some concerns over pollination. Bed No.2 is host to main crop potatoes which have started to poke through. Bed No.3 is halved, one half is occupied with shallot onions which are taking their time, with the other half still waiting for main crop potatoes to poke through. Bed No.4 (raspberry bed) is showing plenty of new growth with canes pushing through the soil, with some canes cut half way for an earlier crop which are already showing flower. Bed No.5 (garlic), the stems are bulking up nicely. Bed No.6 (Welsh Onions), are continuously producing fresh foliage which has been cut repeatedly since early spring. Bed No.7 (Red Onions), the bulbs are beginning to swell though the sizes vary from no increase in girth to a few inches across. Bed No.8 (White Onions), the bulbs are beginning to swell though the sizes vary from no increase in girth to a few inches across. Bed No.9 (Roma Tomatoes), these have recently been planted to replace the mixed salad. Bed No.10 (Peas Kelvedon Wonder), already 3ft high and flowering. Bed No.11 (Parsnips), initial sowing has proved successful with perfect rows of parsnips. Bed No.12 (Spring Onions), 8 rows staggered across two sowings, look very promising. Bed No.13 (Strawberries), planted later than the first strawberry bed, showing lesser growth and yield. Bed No.14 (empty), previously host to rhubarb crowns, since removed to be replaced with seasonal crop. Bed No. 15, divided into two, one half is host to carrots, the other lettuce. Bed No. 16 (New Potatoes), looking very healthy with dense foliage. Bed No.17 (Redcurrants & Gojiberry), recently planted fruit shrubs, establishing well. Bed No.18 (Blackcurrants & Gooseberry), recently planted fruit shrubs, establishing well. Fruit Tree (Apple), promising crop of 20-30 apples.

Bed No.16, showing a promising crop of New Potatoes

New Potatoes in Potato Grow Sacks look equally promising.

Kelvedon Wonder Peas, my pea crop rivals
others I have seen around my site.

Toastie Toe's... Continued

2011-05-16T20:57:00.006+01:00

Who remembers this picture taken back last December when I was the only person silly enough to be working out in temperatures as cold as minus 8 degrees celcius.

Since then, I have moved up in the allotment world. Today was not near as cold as it was last December, but not even the shelter of my homely shed was enough to keep the chill off me. It was damp and wet outside and constantly raining with a howling wind. I made an emergency trip to the local hardware store and picked myself up this gas heater which accompanies my gas stove quite nicely.

In a few short mins the shed was back to a more comfortable 20 or so degrees. Back to reading that book, beats working out in the rain anyday! I just best watch that gas bill of mine though mind.

Book 'Your Allotment'

2011-05-14T22:32:00.008+01:00

I am a little more fortunate than most, for that my payday is weekly. I am even more fortunate that my wages are made available with my bank on a Saturday, prior to full clearing on a Monday. Every Saturday, I like to treat myself to a little something... or a few somethings for the plot. I do spend my money quite shrewdly and like to find a bargain. Tesco's had an offer on garden chemical products 'buy 2, get the 3rd free', so I picked up some premium weed killer 'with visible results in one hour'!, sounds good to me, plus two bottles of miracle grow. I then spotted a book which was on my wishlist from last time I visited Dobbies... the only reason I did not buy it was that it was a pricey £14.99, well Tesco's had the same book reduced to £4.99, that's more like it I thought.

The book is entitled 'Your Allotment' by Clare Foster. I think what captivated me about the book, is this quotation from the 'Smallholder Encyclopaedia, 1937'. It reads...

'Allotments have proved a great boon to many hundreds of thousands of men - particularly the unemployed - in providing them with an interesting spare-time occupation and enabling them to enjoy home-grown supplies of vegetables... During the period of national depression, there is not a doubt that allotments were the salvation of many. Even now they are doing a great national service and are to be seen in every town and village throughout the country'.

At the time I read that, it fit me perfectly. I was unemployed during a time of national depression, the word recession springs to mind. My allotment was and still is my salvation. Allotments may be perceived as simply a place to grow your own food, but there is certainly much more to them than that.

The book goes on to cover other all you need to know about allotments, 'the first steps', 'preparing the soil', 'sowing and growing', and 'getting the most from your plot'. But as with all books, I like to look at the many different perspectives to things, and make up my own mind from that.

This book is certainly recommended.

Feature: Allotment Sheds, part 2 of 2

2011-05-13T18:25:00.006+01:00

A few more photographs of sheds for you. I had to be careful as I had been touring parts of the site which I have never previously wandered down. There were one or two plotters wondering who I was and what I was up to, but after explaining quite lengthilly it was for my blog, they were still none the wiser what on earth I was on about.

Windowless..

The pallette shed...

Now I want a rocking chair like that!

This one could probably stand up to a hurricane!

Camouflage Green

'Paula's Gaff'

This one looks a bit posh!

Erecting a Trellis

2011-05-13T18:07:00.005+01:00

Over at the entrance of my plot, I am in the process of erecting a trellis along the left hand side edge. Beneath the trellis will be another box planter similar to those already along the fence and in which I will be growing some kind of flowering climber. The display will look spectacular, well that's my wishful thinking anyhow.

Feature: Allotment Sheds, part 1 of 2

2011-05-10T22:41:00.010+01:00

This is a special Dyke's Edge 2-part photographic feature on allotment 'Sheds' around my site. Sheds are for most an allotment essential, they keep us dry when it's raining, warmer when it's cold, they offer a safe haven for the most basic of tools, and for those few of us who dare to admit, a place to discreetly go to the toilet with a bucket in one hand and loo roll in the other! There are many other trivial purposes these sheds have, each to their own I say.

On my plot, I like to sit through the rain and read the odd gardening magazine or cook up a meal. I now even have a radio and hopefully look forward to having a small clean burning log burner this winter.

Well if you havn't seen it before already,

here is my shed at Dyke's Edge allotment.

Can this even be considered as a shed?

This one looks more like a bungalow...
and by size of things it isn't far off one either!

I had to enquire... "is this a loo?", 'no it's a shed'.

This one looks a little patchy...

Shed with 'through to' greenhouse.

The door reads 'the office'?

Shed under construction...

This shed clearly has subsidance issues...

Looks a little creeky...

This one looks more like cardboard box...

'The doors open'...

In need of a lick of paint...

Was once attached to a greenhouse?

Strawberry Plant Pruning

2011-05-10T22:18:00.005+01:00

Call me brutal, but I have pruned back most of the primary strawberry plant leaves (older leaves). To have looked at the bed, the prospect of any crop looked quite pityful for most of the flowers were concealed hidden beneath the foliage. There has also been a lack of bees around my part of the site, and I hope this collage of flora will display itself as a beacon to any prospective passers by. The pruning has also allowed me to do a bit of weeding and some sprinkling of fish blood and bone around the plants. New leaves will develop from within the crowns, by hopefully which time the plants will be have been pollinated successfully to bare some very fruitful and high yielding crops. Fingers crossed.

Plodding On... Continued

2011-05-09T21:25:00.004+01:00

Weather has been the true dictator at late. After one of the dryest and warmest April's on record, May is playing catchup with April's showers. Heavy downpours have been very intermittent here in Blackpool and have offered some relief where watering is concerned at least.

The latest addition to my plot is this 'must have essential', the 'radio'. This particular model the Grundig FR200 has come a long way since the 'transistor' type, and boasts a rechargeable windup handle, and a pretty useless flashlight. Well for a tenner at cash converters I could not go wrong, no batteries needed either!

Having tuned in on arrival at the plot, the news tells me this is one of the best years for strawberries in over 20 years. By looking at my crop, I would certainly agree with that too.

The kitchen area is now practically complete with the radio in situ and brand new cups hooked on standby ready for their first brews.

Outside the plot, tea towels, dish cloths and gloves are put out on the line to dry after having been washed. This might look a little eccentric, but I prefer not to take my work home with me.

Insect Life Continued... Cabbage White Butterfly

2011-05-07T00:23:00.003+01:00

The infamous 'Cabbage White' butterfly. I was fortunate enough to observe this critter and photograph it. Whilst observing it had landed on my 'rapini' brocolli (since lifted), I noted that it was laying eggs on the underside of their leaves. It is those eggs which give birth to the young cabbage white caterpillars which later become a pest to cultivated cabbages, kale, raddish, and brocolli which the leaves are eaten.

Bird Life Continued... Mallard Ducks

2011-05-07T00:08:00.002+01:00

'Ducks on our allotment' you say?, well strangely enough, yes. Unlike those found at your local park, their presence is more timid around our allotment site. They can be seen flapping overhead and descending into the nearby dyke or nature pond. They stop briefly to refuel, eating at this time of year tadpoles and aquatic vegetation.

This is bird no.18 which is photo documented under the 'Bird Life' label.

Rustic Oddities

2011-05-06T23:33:00.005+01:00

The 'graphic designer' in me has been evident throughout the construction of my plot, the perfect squares and uniformity of everything has shone through no matter how hard I try to break away from it. You can ask various plotters thoughts on how an allotment should look, some are patchworks of timber and full of character, whilst others are well kept show pieces where little is out of order. I am striving to achieve a modern twist, with a traditional 'time gone by' feel. Incrementially I have been introducing a few rustic oddities to give my plot a little character, these won't be the last either.

A set of rustic looking keys hang on the wood store,
which are just a tad bit too big to fit the hole.

Who remembers the hand water pump Brian gifted me,
and the rain bucket sitting inside on a shelf of my shed to be.
Champagne anyone?

And finally, the oil lantern. I threw this into a fire frustratingly
struggling to find it a new wick, the end result was a deserving
piece which hangs on my wood store.

Catchup Post!

2011-05-06T19:18:00.003+01:00

Apologies for I have been quite distant from the blog lately. Work has certainly kept me busy, and I have been making brief trips to the plot during the mornings before and evenings after work, plus the occasional day off, like today for example!

Well this is how the plot is looking from the front... The box planters along the fence still have plenty more growing to do yet and the front two beds are home to some main crop potatoes.

This is how the plot is looking from the rear... there are lots of leafy greens, but it will be a while before anything is yet to crop. First it will be the peas, and mixed salad leaves, followed by onions and garlic.

A new addition to the plot is this potted grapevine which has been tied to a wire mesh that is fixed to two wooden poles.

The fence around the decked area has been tidied up with this bamboo facade.

Twelve Days Straight

2011-04-28T21:44:00.004+01:00

Today was my first full-day on the plot, after a straight run of twelve days at work without a day off inbetween. The allotment and the blog have been feeling the pinch recently, but it is unbelievable how much things can change in a short space of time. Trees are now aflush with greens, flower displays bloom abundantly, weeds have gone on a rampage and I even have new neighbours!

I spent most of my day off weeding, watering and preparing bed no.18 which is host to two red currant shrubs and a gojiberry. By the late afternoon I was looking a sorry state, sun burnt and red faced. I retreated to the shed for it's soothing shade and caught up with some of that allotment administration!

Makeshift Blackberry Grabber

2011-04-15T23:47:00.010+01:00

This afternoon, my neighbour and I came up with this ingenius device the 'Blackberry Grabber', basically a metal hook attached to a wooden pole with duct tape. I was poised with the thought of taming the wild blackberry canes which presently drape over the dyke, by pulling each one through the adjacent metal fence and tieing them along it instead. On the other side of the dyke my neighbour debbie likes to train her stragglers along her fence too. Ah, the convenience of harvesting blackberries on your doorstep, will beat trapsing across wild scrub and getting stung by stingers and what not later in the season.

Empty Bed

2011-04-14T23:31:00.004+01:00

Today I emptied the rest of my leeks from their bed after I had a last minute thought. Raised bed space is short at present whilst the rest of the plot is pending construction. Interestingly enough each bed on my plot has it's own traits, and the leek bed has been the most trouble free of all of them. It has had few weeds, and that may be attributed to me excavating the area it sits in completely before refilling it with sieved topsoil.

Some of the leeks have been washed ready for use in a recipe later this week, the remainder have been sliced, bagged and put in the freezer. I will be rotating the crop type in this bed now to prevent the build up of pests and disease. My initial thoughts are outdoor tomatoes which I should get a couple of plants in here.

My First Harvest

2011-04-12T21:14:00.004+01:00

Quite an exciting moment for me yesterday, I had my first harvest on the plot! I know it isn't much, but I felt like a child on christmas morning earthing these three leeks up. Besides the leeks, I also cut some chives and a few sprigs of my rapini sprouting brocolli which is little more than a delicacy sized portion.

I have also been faced with other challenges in my life. Work has gone full-time, and recently I have worked 8 days straight without a day off. I have made the most of the lighter hours after work and spent an hour or two weeding and so forth, reserving the more strenuous work for my days off now.

So thus, the blog has been feeling the pinch too. I have not forgotten about my other fellow bloggers and will be making an extra effort to catchup with you all very soon. I will be sorting out Damo with his prize after the coming weekend, and I have a list of some close friends who want a few specimen plants from me. My "i'll get round to it" attitude has gone into an infinite loop with everything being thrown at me lately. I will be making time over the next few days to clear my personal backlog.

Strawberry Mosaic Virus

2011-04-07T20:50:00.008+01:00

I've been pottering around the plot this evening after work dead heading my daffodils and plucking weeds and so on. When tending my alpine strawberries, I became curious about one set of them. Here you can see two side by side, can you spot the difference?

Well I searched amongst my garden bibles, and one book was at hand waiting for me at the very top 'Fruit Expert' by Dr D. G. Hessayon. It looks like the one on the right is suffering from a case of 'Strawberry Mosaic Virus', which will greatly reduce the vigour of the plant with a high risk of it spreading to the others, sadly therefore it must go!

Working in the Shed... Continued

2011-04-06T21:51:00.007+01:00

Working has continued inside the shed, with recent efforts focussed around the kitchen/preparation area. The kitchen is afterall the most important room in the house, so why not on your plot? What you see here is essentially a glorified shelving unit on wheels, paneled and painted white, with some blinds attached. Maybe I should screw a few cup hanger hooks along it's length, now there's a thought?

Let's jog your memory to how it was before... as you can see it is just a shell. I ripped out the upper shelf and positioned it higher up the columns. I then dismantled another shelving unit to add more shelves between the lower shelves to create more horizontal space.

On the side of the shelving unit, I have also paneled and stationed on here my 'post it/white board' and a small set of hooks to hang bits and pieces on.

The great thing about this unit is it can be moved around whilst I continue to work on the rest of the shed interior without me having to remove all the contents beforehand. A genius idea I think!

My ultimate goal is to retain the functionality and practicality of the shed with the maximum amount of free room possible. It must incorporate enough space for me to relax/read a book etc, provide adequate storage space for day-to-day basic plot essentials, and provide a suitable preparation area in which to prepare my harvests. Keep watching this space.

How Does My Allotment Grow?

2011-04-06T21:11:00.006+01:00

Spring has got off to great start at Dyke's Edge plot, with the apple tree buds breaking out, several inch long new shoots on the grape vine, the next swathe of flowers due (tulips and such), here is the rest of the growing update on my plot...

Spring onion seedlings begin to pop through
the soil like little soldiers.

Shallots spring up one by one with a few more yet to follow.

Raspberries show a promising harvest ahead.

An early variety of strawberry sends out it's
first flowering fruits.

A recent spell of moist warm weather has given
these peas a headstart.

Last year's onion sets look promising.

The leeks are bulking up nicely with the
swathe of fresh rainfall.

The garlic bulbs are now well away
beneath the soil.

Rapini floret sprouting brocolli have really
come on in recent days.

Insect Life Continued... Green Dock Beetle

2011-03-31T19:44:00.011+01:00

Re: update 04/04/11. After all the excitement, my find has been confirmed as that of a 'Green Dock Beetle'. There was me getting my hopes up!

Original posting... Subject: "Insect Life Continued... Tansy Beetle?"

"I found this critter today whilst harvesting my Rhubarb, photographed here on the underside of one of the leaves. I have spent some time researching the identification of this beetle, and the closest likeness I can find is that of the 'Tansy Beetle'. If I am correct, it is only previously reported to be found within a very limited range of the River Ouse, York and said to extinct across the rest of the UK.

If my identification is correct, this would make this beetle a very exceptional and rare find here in Blackpool and of special scientific interest. I make note that there is what I believe evidence of Tansy like plants along the grass verges of my plot, pending further confirmation when they flower. This would further bolster the correlation of my photo documented sighting."

Taste Test: Sausage 'n' Wedges

2011-03-31T19:22:00.005+01:00

Purchase Price: 99p
Found on Sale at: B&M Bargains, Lancashire
Preparation Time: 4
My Verdict: 9/10

I, Craig Rockfield, will be personally taste testing and trialling a range of plot snacks from biscuits to noodles. Let's find out what passes the test...

Another day, another snack on the plot. Today I taste tested a 'Hunger Breaks' canned meal 'Sausages n Wedges with baked beans'. This was a plot snack which did not let me down. There was two large sausages inside, a handful of potato wedge slices with their skins on, and a modest amount of beans all bundled into one. Filling enough for one, it could have served two smaller healthy portions, leaving room for a spot of dessert?

9/10 folks!

Working in the Shed

2011-03-30T19:12:00.003+01:00

Where has all the sunshine gone? Then again, we really shouldn't be moaning as we have been in dire need of a spot of rain in one of the dryest March's for years.

Work instead resumed inside the shed and I have fitted myself a nice set of reclaimed blinds... o.k. I tell the truth, I bought them for Poundstretcher, I couldn't help myself! With another neighbour plotter fitting himself a loo, I was struggling to keep up with the Joneses.

Well that hard work out the way, I could try another one of them Crosse & Blackwell Pasta dishes 'Chicken & Mushroom' flavour, which rates about the same.

Taste Test: Crosse & Blackwell, Pasta & Sauce

2011-03-29T22:20:00.012+01:00

Purchase Price: Less than 50p
Found on Sale at: Most Chain Stores
Preparation Time: 6
My Verdict: 7/10

I, Craig Rockfield, will be personally taste testing and trialling a range of plot snacks from biscuits to noodles. Let's find out what passes the test...

Another day, another snack on the plot. One of the better pasta snacks I have tried was this Crosse & Blackwell 'Cheese and Broccoli' pasta & sauce. It was quite simple to make, though it did require me to additionally buy a carton of UHT milk which I have saved some for another meal tomorrow.

It has a good creamy tasting sauce, with not an incredible amount of dehydrated broccoli but notably there is some. It would make a good base to add some of your own fresh handpicked broccoli if you had some growing spare, and a sprinkle of grated cheese would top it off nicely! Though I ate this all to myself, the contents would make two healthy portions if making a meal for someone else on the plot. With the added suggestion of some fresh broccoli, it could make two substantially filling meals.

A modest 7/10, recommended

Wood to Season

2011-03-29T22:01:00.004+01:00

Spring has only just begun yet I am already thinking about the colder times ahead on the plot, especially after last winter. This year I am hoping to have my log burner installed, and for it I will need some readily prepared seasoned wood to fire it. I somehow managed to use all my supplies which kept me warm outdoors whilst working on the plot. (I didn't have my shed then).

After scouring the site I found some large pieces where the wood bark is usually left. Now I just need to chop it up and let the elements get to it for a few months at least.

Blog Feature: Plots in Pics

2011-03-29T21:45:00.009+01:00

A new feature on Dyke's Edge blog. I will be regularly sharing with you some of my favourite snaps of other plots around the site.

B&W photo entitled 'Propagation'.

This colour photo shows spring in bloom at this fellow plotters plot.

Sepia photo entitled 'Barrow back in Time'.

One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato, Four...

2011-03-28T20:39:00.005+01:00

All my first and second earlies have now been planted in sacks filled with multi-purpose compost. (Pictured above) they are all lined up like soldiers across the intersections of my raised bed paths with the exception of one crop sown in one of the deeper beds.

My biggest worry at the moment is the risk of ground frost to any potato plants protruding through the surface. A large bag of compost is at hand to cover them as they grow upward, which additionally will help increase the yield of my crop.

Wishing Well

2011-03-25T10:11:00.003Z

If I have not had enough luck already, I installed a small ornamental wishing well on the decked area yesterday which will look nice with some plants in.

As for the decking itself, it was in need of a good first lick of wood preserve. As for the 'odd' part of the decking, I have now dismissed using it as a separate housing for utility truck. Instead it too will be decked and become a small pot garden.

Competition Winner Announcement

2011-03-23T00:50:00.009Z

And the winner is... Damo from 'Two Chances Veg Blog' who sent in his 'Gardeners Pose' piccy. Your prize is this fantastic digital print of a spoof garden mag which i'll be sending you the original copy signed. You have also bagged yourself some free seeds to 'grow your own'! Please drop me a line with your address details.

Runner up Sue from over at Green Lane Allotments Blog sent in her 'gardeners pose', great shot! For 2nd prize you get to have your moment of fame on Dyke's Edge blog. Let's give them both a round of applause for showing their mug shots.

And finally... my contribution (note: I was not eligible to partake in the competition)

Stay tuned to Dyke's Edge blog for more competitions, coming soon!

Insect Life... Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly

2011-03-23T00:33:00.004Z

What a graceful sight to see on my allotment on a fine spring day yesterday. A Small Tortoiseshell female butterfly, as seen here feeding on the nectar of my opening daffodils. Despite the name, there is nothing small about the tortoiseshell with it's wingspan of between 52mm - 62mm across, thats more than 2inches.

Dyke's Edge Blog 250th Post

2011-03-23T00:32:00.006Z

250 posts and 8 months later, here we are. Over half the plot is already cultivated, and 25 different types of crops are in the ground, yet, really this is just the beginning of something good.

I hope you all have enjoyed the show so far folks. I have really appreciated all your comments, contributions, loyal readership and even the occasional kind recommendation as read on a few blogs.

I do think this milestone at least commands some of your feedback, so I welcome any suggestions on how the blog could develop and improve.

Many thanks, Craig Rockfield.

Fruit Shrub Bed

2011-03-22T19:39:00.006Z

There has been a little change to the plans on my plot. I have removed the existing greenhouse base which was in front of the decking, and the greenhouse space has now been reallocated to the rear of the plot.
Instead, I have instructed a long raised bed for fruit shrub plants. I have planted two bare root blackcurrants on either side which cost me £1.49 each from Netto. For the price, I have to comment that they have excellent well established root systems which I am certain will put on some strong growth this season. In the centre of them both, I have planted a gooseberry which I found whilst scavenging around my side of the dyke, it's fate however I am less certain of. We will see.

Personally, I find blackcurrant leaves very aromatic. They should hopefully scent the air whilst I am out on the raised deck. We will see.

Planted Up

2011-03-21T23:58:00.005Z

The windowbox planters along my fence have been put to use today. I have sprinkled in some loebelia seeds, and covered the planters with clingfilm to retain moisture and assist propagation. Work done now will create the summer colour for later in the season. Elsewhere on the plot, the first dashes of colour are beginning to emerge with the arrival of spring. Bright yellow daffodils and dazzling white crocuses can be seen around my pond area.

The plot also had a little visitor today too. Pictured above 'Izzy' a female Jack Russell, who I had the duty of looking after for a friend. It was her first visit, and in all fairness she was quite obedient walking around the beds and not over them, except when someone accidentally threw her ball in one of them.

As you can see, she certainly enjoys rides in the wheelbarrow.

Compost Coming Through

2011-03-18T19:49:00.003Z

It's that time of year we are all thinking about buying our compost, with the exception of those who are incredibly self sufficient in making every last gram themselves. O.k., i've got out of buying the top soil so far, but this one I cannot escape. It's my first season on the plot, and to give the soil an added nutrient boost I have been mulching some of my beds like the raspberry bed for example.

My utility wagon made easy work of the last peg of the journey, here it is fully loaded with 300 litres of the stuff (4 x 75L sacks from Wickes for £13). And there was me struggling the other day with a 20 litre bag over my shoulder!

I will be buying 300L of the stuff weekly for the next few weeks at least, much of this will go to filling my potato sacks which I have several varieties of first earlies chitting away in preparation for the beginning of April.

Another Day, Another Dollar?

2011-03-17T20:56:00.003Z

(Photo's to follow)

If only we got paid for the work we did on the plot, we would all be very rich indeed. The money which I have been saving recently from not having to import top soil like a few other plotters, has been wisely spent on other goodies for my plot like plot snacks and garden ornaments.

I arrived on site this morning just as one plotter was unloading £180 worth of pure earth on the front doorstep of his plot, some 10 tonne in fact! I walked by envying him, only to return back 2 minutes later with him envying me. Why you ask?...

As I arrived through the gates on my side of the dyke, from somewhere, somehow, a tonne of top soil had been dropped just outside my plot! No questions asked, I resumed the rest of the day filling my 16th raised bed! Best of all, it didn't cost me a dime!

The bed I filled yesterday has is now accommodating some chantennay carrots and burdock! (itches head)... now what do I put in this bed this time?

Insect Life Continued... Violet Ground Beetle

2011-03-16T19:34:00.004Z

Whilst excavating soil for my raised bed today, I came across this critter, the 'Violet Ground Beetle'. Big bugger it was too! Approximately an inch in size, with a shiny black body and shimmering yellow/red abdomen which was quite spectacular. Looking at it though, does give me the shivers a little!

Prospecting for Black Gold

2011-03-16T17:57:00.007Z

With raised bed no.15 in place, I have been prospecting for the black gold which will go to filling the bugger. This raised bed is double the height of the previously installed beds on my plot, and I have opted for the 'sandwich' bed system to speed things up a little. The bed is layered with first a thick layer of cardboard, followed by unrotted horse manure, well rotted horse manure, a half filled compost bin of mulch (not fully decomposed), and 4 full wagon loads of prospected sieved quality top soil.

Pictured above... prospective 'site A' in no-man's land. A barren waste dump strewn with rubbish, bramble and a wildlife pond. The mound of soil proved too difficult to obtain, there was no easy path through and it would prove quite labour intensive to extract by relaying a bucket full back and forth some 30 yard lengths each time. Unfeasible.

Pictured above... prospective 'Site B' was a little more closer to home. A mound of topsoil pushed back by previous clearing of allotments some years back. It is rubbish strewn with hardcore materials, glass and other debris, but below the surface the quality of the soil improved drastically. Extraction was fairly easy with the use of rake. Feasible.

Call me tight, but one plotter is paying £1.00 per bag for this stuff plus their own transportation costs from the local authority yard. Weedy stuff it is too mind, so i've heard a few plotters mutter! It must be costing him the earth! (excuse the pun).

The stuff I have been getting is completely free, and comes from fertile pastures of times gone by. In fact... I have been talking to a plotter who now resides over at the cross road. He had his plot at precisely where I am excavating some years back. "Good stuff it is over there" he said.

(I checks those pound coins still rattling in my back pocket) one sack, two sack, three sack, four... i've lost count already.

Now the question, what do I put in this bed. (itches head)

Taste Test: Oat Burst Maple Syrup Flavour

2011-03-15T19:18:00.003Z

Purchase Price: Unknown (donated to the Taste Test)
Found on Sale at: Most Chain Stores
Preparation Time: 1
My Verdict: 9/10

I, Craig Rockfield, will be personally taste testing and trialling a range of plot snacks from biscuits to noodles. Let's find out what passes the test!

...Another day, another snack on the plot. Who said "There's no such thing as a free lunch". As the blog has been gaining popularity recently, readers of the blog have been sending me free snacks to review right here on the blog.

Something I would not have ever thought of buying myself. I have been given 3 porridge oat snacks to try out, today I tried the maple syrup flavour. It has all the ingredients readily prepared, oats, dried milk and what not, you just add hot boiling water, stir away, job done.

Besides lacking enough sugar content to get me through my thrifty plotters day, it was very wholesome and warming inside, and tasty too mind. I must remember to take a packet of sugar and a tin of syrup next time, yum.

A deserving 9/10, recommended!

Cold Frame/Propagator

2011-03-15T19:01:00.004Z

Due to a setback with the greenhouse I was anticipating, I have had to resort to plan B. I snapped myself a bargain at B&M bargains here in Lancashire, a 4-shelf cold frame/propagator for just a tenner!

I was beginning to feel like I was lagging behind everyone else. My shed windowsill is chocca with chitting potatoes and room for very little else. So to start off with, I have potted up some alpine strawberries, parsley, chives and garlic chives. There will be others to follow.

The bottom two shelves are full of dead weights until I get a chance to tie it down tomorrow. No wind tonight, please!

Taste Test: Pot Noodles Chicken Flavour

2011-03-15T18:15:00.002Z

Purchase Price: Unknown (donated to the Taste Test)
Found on Sale at: Most Chain Stores
Preparation Time: 4
My Verdict: 5/10

I, Craig Rockfield, will be personally taste testing and trialling a range of plot snacks from biscuits to noodles. Let's find out what passes the test!

...Another day, another snack on the plot. Who said "There's no such thing as a free lunch". As the blog has been gaining popularity recently, readers of the blog have been sending me free snacks to review right here on the blog. After my previous bad taste experience with a 'sticky rib' pot noodle, one plotter thought he could try put me right with his favourite 'roast chicken' flavour.

Bare in mind plotter, this is an honest taste test, I cannot tell fibs even if it consequentially means you'll never throw a freebie lunch my way again. The chicken flavour noodle snack gained some points for the taste of it's watery sauce which was palatable. However, I don't know what it is about the noodles themselves, they taste somewhat inorganic and man made, like stranded tasteless voids of nothingness.

Call me hard to win over, but maybe they are an acquired taste, like guiness for example!

5/10 folks!

Pond & Garden Area... Continued

2011-03-11T17:28:00.006Z

Over in my corner of paradise, I have been paying it some long needed attention. Not much has happened here since last year, so today I have been planting a variety of flora which I prepared earlier, and let the afternoon rains bed them in gently. The notable difference is some broken fence panels affixed against the back of the picket fence which my good neighbour across the Dyke gave me. It gives a nice rustic feel which I am really pleased with.

Not so long now and the first bulbs will be in bloom, those which I can name are daffodils and tulips, though there are some others which I have not the foggiest what they are. That is where my readers will come in handy!

There has already been some talk about fitting a pond liner, as the puddle which I have at present is a bit feeble.

Click on the 'pond' label below this post to see the historic progress of this area.

Taste Test: Birds Eye Burgers

2011-03-10T17:06:00.004Z

Purchase Price: Special Offer 4 for £1.19. (plus buns)
Found on Sale at: Most Chain Stores
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
My Verdict: 8/10

I, Craig Rockfield, will be personally taste testing and trialling a range of plot snacks from biscuits to noodles. Let's find out what passes the test!

...Another day, another snack on the plot. This one has really made me feel shameful. But oh my, what an indulgence. Two burgers in one bun, with a dollop of BBQ sauce, cooked in their own juices. The air surrounding my plot smelt like a roadside burger bar, with a few plotters left licking their lips, and their tummies rubbling i'm sure. There are better gourmet burgers out there, so therefore these score a pretty good 8/10.

You have to have a little luxury once in a while?

My Grapevine Progress

2011-03-10T16:50:00.004Z

The grapevine which I parked in my neighbours greenhouse a month ago is showing it's first signs of life. I decided to 'force' my potted vine in the warmer microclimate of a greenhouse to give it a head start and an extended growing season before I move it out onto my plot later in spring.

Wood Store Roof Complete

2011-03-10T16:27:00.008Z

Inbetween the rain, I have been striving hard to complete the roof on the outside store. My new toy jigsaw is really proving itself on the plot, I will have to invest in some more batteries however.

From the side view, you can see that I still have two side panels missing, and the roof addition needs a paint like the rest. The contents inside should at least stay dry now. I am still unsure whether or not to drill a hole in the side of the roof top, my only concern was that the new residents would not keep the penthouse suite clean, thus attracting undesirable insect life.

Taste Test: ASDA Irish Stew

2011-03-04T17:48:00.002Z

Purchase Price: Less than 50p!
Found on Sale at: ASDA
Preparation Time: 5 mins
My Verdict: Score 7/10

I, Craig Rockfield will be personally taste testing and trialling a range of plot snacks from biscuits to noodles. Let's find out what passes the test!

...Another day, another snack on the plot. Who told me off for eating unhealthy? I got some veg's down me today with this ASDA Smart Price 'Irish Stew'. "Mutton with Potatoes, Carrots and Peas", not much mutton in it though mind. I have to say it wasn't bad at all for the price, rather tasty and filling, and a real winter warmer. If there were a few meaty chunks in this, it would have probably got a 10, then again, what do you expect for less than 50p?

7/10 folks, worth a try.

Plodding On... Continued

2011-03-04T17:09:00.006Z

Another nice day to do some work on the plot. The weather has been quite mild for the tail end of winter, though the late afternoon cold air draws in quickly once the sun lowers in the sky.

The 'wood store' which has been more useful for other things lately, still has some work pending to do on it. One of the sides requires an extra strip or two of wood, and the rear needs doing completely. I made a start on it's sloped roof, which I hope will eventually capture rain water. My new toy jigsaw proved useful in sawing the wood in no time. I am contemplating leaving a small hole on one side for loft access, it could prove a useful little home for a bird. Any thoughts on that anyone?
Over at the front of the plot, I affixed a long board on the back of my picket fence to hold some window box planters that I have. I thought with a few flowers, this will be a nice welcome to the plot and may even attract a few bees to stop by the rest of my plot.

In Goes Another Tree - Cherry

2011-03-03T16:19:00.004Z

Today I planted a cherry tree on the plot. Short of designated space as the rest of the plot is pending cultivation, it would be destined for the same spot that the compost bin was already occupying. The bin along with it's contents have been moved over to the centre of the plot (temporarily). The Cherry Tree has now been planted in it's place inside two raised tyres to aid drainage, and I have planted a few gladioli bulbs beneath the soil around it.

The variety is "Rheinische Schattenmorelle", which is self-fertile. It is a very old European variety with a wonderful sour flavour and a pleasing acidic aftertaste. The trees are vigorous, hardy and very productive, very attractive in blossom and does not need full sun. It is one of the few fruits which can be successfully grown on a north-facing wall. It is named after the gardens of Château de Moreilles where it was first described.

Plodding On... Continued

2011-03-01T17:04:00.006Z

Feeling a bit down today, I decided I would spend the afternoon on the plot to contemplate life a little. Other than drinking brews out on the deck, I kept work to a minimum and enjoyed the sunshine for a change.

After a few brews, I gave polly two coats of teak oil. Hasn't he scrubbed up nicely?

Following that I put up two hangers around the back of the shed in preparation for later in the season.

And then I rescued the first bumble bee of the year which for some reason decided to drown himself in a bucket of rainwater. Life ain't all that bad little bee, there will be plenty of honey nectar soon. Another sign that spring is emerging. I left him to dry out on the fencing rail, within half an hour he was away.

Wasteland Gooseberry Find

2011-02-25T18:01:00.009Z

Over at the wasteland nearby my plot, I have caught eye of a few things lately. Yesterday it was crocuses, today it was a Gooseberry shrub. It was incredibly deep rooted, so in order to prize it from the ground I had to sever it's 3 inch thick root with a handsaw. I have no idea what type of gooseberry this is, let alone what it will taste like. Oh well it was free anyway!

I can only hope that it does not suffer too much trauma. I have watered it well and will let it sit inside a warmer shed for a few days to give it a fighting chance.

Over on my plot, I have sown a bed of parsnips and half a bed of spring onions. I have vacant growing capacity of one bed at present which I think I will reserve for peas.

Feeling a little Patriotic

2011-02-24T18:24:00.005Z

Over in the shed, work has continued on the carpet tiles. No floor is complete without a mat to rub off your soiled shoes though. There is nothing more british than the allotment/victory garden, so here is me showing a little of my patriotism with this mat for my shed.

Taste Test: Chunky Chicken/Supreme

2011-02-24T18:05:00.004Z

Purchase Price: £1.00/90p!
Found on Sale at: B&M Bargains/ASDA
Preparation Time: 5 mins or 20 mins with rice
My Verdict: Score 10/10

A brand new thread for Dyke's Edge allotment blog. I, Craig Rockfield will be personally taste testing and trialling a range of plot snacks from biscuits to noodles. Let's find out what passes the test!

...Another day, another snack on the plot. I know there is nothing self-sufficient about the meals I am eating at the moment and not all are that nutritious either. But remember, I have not had a harvest yet, so these trials substitute for my 'hungry gap' while I am down working on the plot.

The above canned meals are both winners as far as I am concerned. I heated up a saucepan on the stove to boil some rice (recommended). Once the rice was ready, I steamed out the remaining water before adding the tin of chunky chicken supreme.

Now I am a little lazy as far as washing up is concerned, I like to keep everything to a minimum. Therefore, I see nothing wrong with eating it straight out of the pan, just make sure you pop a tea towel or something underneath before you place it on your lap. With the rice, this is comparable to any proper meal you would have at home, it isn't difficult to make and for a quid it's great value too. The only downside is with the rice is it takes that bit longer, but it is well worth the wait.

10/10 it has my seal of approval!

In Goes Another Tree - Plum (Opal)

2011-02-24T17:45:00.006Z

I planted another fruit tree on the plot today. It is a plum tree, the variety is 'Opal'. It is only the size of a long twig at present, normally I would have gone for a larger and older bare root tree, but younger specimens do have an advantage, especially if you want to train/prune them yourself right from the start (which I do). Same as the apple tree, I have filled the base of the tree with flowering bulbs. I found some crocuses growing freely in the wasteland not far from my plot and dug up a few.

The tree is planted in two tyres (one of which is submerged below the ground). I excavated all of the soil within the immediate proximity of the tree to remove as many weeds as possible. The tyres are filled from the bottom with course gravel followed by well rotted horse manure, topsoil then compost.

Opal plums are deliciously sweet, bite-sized dessert plums with a great colour range, from sunshine yellow to deep purple, often on the same fruit. They have pale yellow flesh with a signature Greengage flavour. Opal plums are really early cropping plum trees and in a good year you can look forward to the first fruit being ready at the end of July. Because they are so early, Opal plums mature quite fast and so do better in the South of England; they also reward being planted in a south facing spot - trained against a south facing wall is ideal. Crossed in the 1920's from two classic plum trees, Early Favourite and Oullins Gage, which are robust English and very tasty French cultivars respectively. Another worthy point is that Opal plum trees are self-fertile and do not require a cross-pollinator partner tree.

Taste Test: Batchelors Pot Shot

2011-02-23T19:37:00.004Z

Purchase Price: Can't remember (over 50p?)!
Found on Sale at: Most Major Supermarkets
Preparation Time: 4 mins
My Verdict: Score 5/10

A brand new thread for Dyke's Edge allotment blog. I, Craig Rockfield will be personally taste testing and trialling a range of plot snacks from biscuits to noodles. Let's find out what passes the test!

...Another day, another snack on the plot. I thought I would give the chicken flavour a go, I guess I just like chicken flavoured things, who doesn't? Well... vegetarians don't I guess.

As far as taste goes it didn't rank particularly heigh, it was a little on the bland side. However, it was a very warming and filling meal. The creamy sauce was thicker than most other soups and pasta snack meals I have tried. Being thicker in consistency, the snack retained it's warmth for much longer which was an added plus. I would certainly give the batchelor's pot shots a second chance, but next time I will try out some more flavours to see if one wins me over.

Emerging From Their Sleep

2011-02-23T19:14:00.003Z

Over in the dyke, frogs and toads are beginning to emerge from hibernation. These are some of the first signs that spring is nearing ever closer.

Mushrooms... Continued

2011-02-23T19:07:00.004Z

Unidentified No.7

Over at one of my neighbours plots, a new strange and wonderful mushroom emerges from under his woodbark. It looks little like a jellyfish, don't you think?

Shoes Off Please

2011-02-23T18:30:00.003Z

Now I know some of you will think I am going a bit over the top, today I have been carpet tiling my shed floor (unfinished). The carpet is very hardy, about 10mm or half an inch thick. It has an insulating under-felt layer and a course tread, similar to what you would find on shop floors. Really I had been looking for a second hand offcut, but for this type of carpet at £5 per sq. meter (£15 in total) it was a right bargain.

I am not too fussed if it gets a bit of debris on it, nothing a dustpan and brush can't get rid off. But it all adds to making it a little more homely. I am hoping I will be able to switch the log fire on next winter, take the old boots off and get out the watercolours.

Working Inside

2011-02-22T18:25:00.005Z

So not to disturb the two prospective fluffy guests which visited my plot this afternoon, I decided to work indoors. I fixed up the overhead shelving above the window and had a good thorough tidy round. I had accumulated so much stuff in recent days, I could hardly move inside.

Everything has been put into their correct places and some stuff has been moved to the outside store. I am yet still to insulate and panel the inside, take note of the above picture as all the shelving will be boxed in with continuation shelving above the door opening. For now, it all looks a bit patchy, but stay tuned to follow the developments.

New Residents?

2011-02-22T18:17:00.005Z

No sooner after had I made a comment over at Green Lane's blog about their birdbox, what do I go find checking out my birdbox this afternoon! A pair of bluetits would you believe! Fingers crossed, they'll stay!!!

Shopping for the Plot

2011-02-21T19:05:00.009Z

With my first pay day due in what seems like years, I have been eying up prices and such in town earlier this morning. I have to admit, I have been right tight and shrewd when it comes to spending on the plot. For example, I compared the prices of potato grow sacks in 6 different shops to 1. get the best price, 2. get the most for my money. Home Bargains are selling 2 for £1.99, and great thing about them is that they have velcro pockets on the bottom if you want to have a sneak peak to see how they are doing. This seemed to be exclusive to Home Bargains, as the others sold elsewhere were same old same old, so shop around it pays! Over at B&M Bargains in Lancashire, fruit trees are selling for £3.99 a piece (plum, cherry, pear, apple and peach), so cheap in fact that just a small first harvest would pay for themselves.

Gardening products are big business in the UK right now, earlier last year I worked for a large transcontinental importer of garden and home wares. I had quite an incite into the dealings with the manufacturing giants over in china and asia where a majority of the UK's goods come from. I was particularly responsible for a key aspect of importation 'quality assurance', and I apply much of this experience now when buying goods in shops. Next time you spend a quid in poundland on a hanging basket bracket, look at the thickness of the metal, the quality of the powder coating, how good are the welds. Otherwise, next season you might just find yourself having to buy another, making that hanging basket bracket is not so cheap anymore. You now find it cost you two pound instead of one.

Well, I whacked myself a £5 deposit this afternoon on a BRAND NEW Ryobi Lithium ion cordless Jigsaw from a well known pawn shop chain. It currently retails for £130 in B&Q, though it cost me just £30! As I said already, it pays to shop around!

Can't wait to glide it effortlessly through all the timber jobs I have planned on the plot. It will make easy work of hard work!

I'm No Longer Winter Hardy

2011-02-21T17:11:00.007Z

To think I was working in subzero temperatures just over a month ago, recently temperatures have been much higher, between 4-10 degrees on average. Throughout late summer, autumn and winter I acclimatised myself to working in natures freezer with as little as a flask of hot chocolate and well not even that at times.

I visited the plot today, but could I bring myself to lift as much as a fork or spade?... could I heck as like. It wasn't that I couldn't be bothered, but the lure of turning the knob on my gas stove and sitting in the warmth and comfort of my shed with a biccy and a brew was simply just too hard to resist. Now however, I am beginning to worry about my gas bill, or gas canister bill which according to the calculator sets me back a staggering 83.3p per hour @ £1.25 per 255g on a 90 minute burn rate. Fortunately i'm not on pre-pay, instead opting for the Pay-as-you-Burn tariff. Stocks are already running low with just two bottles left, i'm thinking these should be reserved for brews only!

High on my list for the end of this year is the log burning stove, this should solve all my troubles! I mean, I could still work outside, quickly nip inside and warm up, then nip back outside... then back inside... then back out again?