I am very proud to say I have now had time to do my first proper digging on my plot. It is bloody hard work, because although the soil is actually quite nice it is full of thick roots, stones, bricks, and tiny bits of rubbish, everything from sweet wrappers to sheets of glass (see below).
First, I cleared the edge next to the riding and sowed some grass seeds to re-establish the verge now the weeds have gone. While I was doing that, another new allotmenteer (I prefer the term allotmentalist) came along and started chatting. He noticed I was seeding and offered me a couple of square metres of turf for free. Moog likes free stuff so I accepted, even though it was looking a bit dead to me Moog thinks it might re-establish when we get a bit of rain.
The second bit of digging was over toward the centre of my plot, where I have dug two squares and planted some of my green manure seeds. On Saturday I had two willing helpers to help clear the soil, where we were delighted to find a massive sheet of glass, buried under a big piece of plastic sheet, and shattered into a million pieces in my soil. We got quite a bit of it out, but I think I'd better be careful what I plant!
Moog thinks I could always open up a sideline selling glass-spiked veg to secret agents, stalkers, animal rights activists etc. but I think he is being silly again.
Monday 29 October 2007
Bored of carpeting
Moog is distinctly bored of carpet collecting now, not least due to the fact that it is turning into a fox's public convenience. The fox must enjoy the soft carpet pile against its butt.
So to relieve Moog's boredom, and mine, I have ordered some green manure to plant on my plot. Green manures are grown on spare soil, to be dug in as fertiliser when you're ready to start planting. I've ordered winter field beans and grazing rye from http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/. They arrived quickly despite the postal strike - good service, and a good website - highly recommended.
So to relieve Moog's boredom, and mine, I have ordered some green manure to plant on my plot. Green manures are grown on spare soil, to be dug in as fertiliser when you're ready to start planting. I've ordered winter field beans and grazing rye from http://www.nickys-nursery.co.uk/. They arrived quickly despite the postal strike - good service, and a good website - highly recommended.
Tuesday 16 October 2007
Outfox the Fox!
Well
Moog thought leaving his own smell might put Mr Fox off, but I returned to drop off some more 2nd hand carpet after work yesterday to find he'd pushed down my board and brick barrier, and laid a fresh turd for me on the carpet again.
I now have a picture in my head of the crafty vulpine intruder. Resplendant in a top hat, red hunting jacket and brandishing a cigarette, mocking me from the comfort of a wing-back chair in his Edwardian-style lair. No, I don't know why but it just fits. Maybe it's that fox from the 1980's mint adverts.
The other image is of course of him (or her) banging his head against the six bricks and three pieces of wood that Moog suggested I put over the hole. Let's see if he can get through that lot. I expect he's probably got a saw, clever little blighter.
Moog thought leaving his own smell might put Mr Fox off, but I returned to drop off some more 2nd hand carpet after work yesterday to find he'd pushed down my board and brick barrier, and laid a fresh turd for me on the carpet again.
I now have a picture in my head of the crafty vulpine intruder. Resplendant in a top hat, red hunting jacket and brandishing a cigarette, mocking me from the comfort of a wing-back chair in his Edwardian-style lair. No, I don't know why but it just fits. Maybe it's that fox from the 1980's mint adverts.
The other image is of course of him (or her) banging his head against the six bricks and three pieces of wood that Moog suggested I put over the hole. Let's see if he can get through that lot. I expect he's probably got a saw, clever little blighter.
Monday 15 October 2007
Moog digs the allotment
We all visited on Sunday - Mrs Moog-Keeper, The Moog and his friend Pepper. We spent a couple of hours sorting out the site. We’ve moved the carpet round to the side where all the long grass is, as we found it is working really well, not just to smother new seedlings, but to compost the dead top growth. The long grass is hardest to get rid of, so we’ll give it the carpet treatment for a while.
Moog spent most of the time in the corner tied to the fence, digging. The Moog loves to dig! Moog thought he was 'helping', and in fact he made a fairly good attempt at clearing a corner of the plot all by himself. I’d have posted a picture but I didn’t take my camera. Pepper just barked at him in encouragement until she was banished to the car boot for being a nuisance and not helping.
Moog spent the rest of the day looking very sleepy indeed – he thinks he might leave the digging to me in future!
Moog spent most of the time in the corner tied to the fence, digging. The Moog loves to dig! Moog thought he was 'helping', and in fact he made a fairly good attempt at clearing a corner of the plot all by himself. I’d have posted a picture but I didn’t take my camera. Pepper just barked at him in encouragement until she was banished to the car boot for being a nuisance and not helping.
Moog spent the rest of the day looking very sleepy indeed – he thinks he might leave the digging to me in future!
Conversation with John
Whilst I was building my compost bins, my neighbour turned up and pottered around his plot. Before long I was drawn over by the smell of fresh produce to see what he was doing. There before me, five perfect leeks, fresh, tender, and smelling delicious. What an excellent incentive to carry on with my work! Leeks are certainly on my list of things to grow.
It turns out my neighbour is called John. I’m pleased to say he seemed impressed with what I’d done so far, and said I was “doing it right.” So that’s a good start. He also pointed out the access hole in the fence where the fox comes through to sh*t on my plot. I have blocked it with a piece of board and a brick. Foxy can find another toilet.
John also let me know that we share a fairly sheltered spot, which isn’t prone to waterlogging like some others. He thought my side was a “decent bit of dirt, underneath.” He said there are a few tree roots at the top though, which extend a surprising distance into the allotments from the hedge on the other side of the fence.
It turns out my neighbour is called John. I’m pleased to say he seemed impressed with what I’d done so far, and said I was “doing it right.” So that’s a good start. He also pointed out the access hole in the fence where the fox comes through to sh*t on my plot. I have blocked it with a piece of board and a brick. Foxy can find another toilet.
John also let me know that we share a fairly sheltered spot, which isn’t prone to waterlogging like some others. He thought my side was a “decent bit of dirt, underneath.” He said there are a few tree roots at the top though, which extend a surprising distance into the allotments from the hedge on the other side of the fence.
Compost bin
Moog thought that instead of building a shed I ought to sort out some more space for compost first. After clearing a lot of the weeds I noticed that the front corner of my plot slopes downward, and after this year’s floods I don’t want to plant things where they are likely to get waterlogged so I used the spot to build two compost bays out of the old pallets that I found on the site. Moog’s very pleased with the results.
Friday 5 October 2007
Moog's Poetry Corner: #2
Moog thinks the most surprising thing about having his own allotment-based blog, is the amount of poetry people have been sending him.
Moog has spent most of his summer recovering from having cruciate ligament surgery on his knee, and thinks a spot of poetry is just the thing to help him relax. Who am I to disagree?
This one's hot off the press from Wise Mike's Wisdom Shed:
When the wind through lonely grass stems blows.
And naught but wretched bindweed grows,
Take heart, and from your shed look out,
Upon your kingdom, parched from drought,
But ever upon the turning of the soil,they say,
New life will spring, so come the 'morrow; more weeds so gay!
I would tell you what Moog thinks, but he's dropped quietly off to sleep, and I don't want to disturb him.
Moog has spent most of his summer recovering from having cruciate ligament surgery on his knee, and thinks a spot of poetry is just the thing to help him relax. Who am I to disagree?
This one's hot off the press from Wise Mike's Wisdom Shed:
When the wind through lonely grass stems blows.
And naught but wretched bindweed grows,
Take heart, and from your shed look out,
Upon your kingdom, parched from drought,
But ever upon the turning of the soil,they say,
New life will spring, so come the 'morrow; more weeds so gay!
I would tell you what Moog thinks, but he's dropped quietly off to sleep, and I don't want to disturb him.
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