This is Base calling Den!!!!

I have a base... I have a base!

Woo hoo! The metal base for the greenhouse has been constructed but as hubby is working away for a few days the frame won't be going up this week! Boo hoo.

We spent a good few hours at the Den this morning.

We managed to get some carrots in and have covered them with one of those ready made fleece tunnel things. I also got a row of beetroot in.... mmmmm I love beetroot.

The spuds are just peeking above ground and a couple of the red onions I planted have sprouted. The Autumn onions I planted on Mums plot last year are doing well. Their little bulbs are just starting to swell.

Can I bore you with some more pics? Well I'm going too anyway!

Here are the spuds...

Here are the carrots - under the cloche....Here are the Autumn onions (the ground's a bit weedy!)...

And a closer view.....

The long awaited shed base......The PSB which has gone a bit mad this week!.....

It's here.....

The greenhouse arrived on Thursday and is currently being stored in the shed apart from the long 10' lengths which our neighbour Keith on the next plot is kindly storing for us... I'm paranoid that it will go walkies before it's even been put up!

I've planted some seeds this week, some for planting outside and some for the greenhouse. I'm really surprised that they sprouted so quickly. maybe it's because the weather has been so warm and they're in the conservatory which can get like a Kew Garden hot house at times!

I've planted broccoli, cabbages, sprouts, tomatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins and some melons! I don't know how the melons will do but even one would be nice... I can't imagine eating home grown melons!

My sweetcorn has grown well but I'm a bit concerned it's getting a bit leggy! I don't know if I should put it outside in the mini greenhouse.

We bought some cloches today... some with netting for the cabbages and one with fleece for the carrots.

Just a final note to say that the weather has been absolutely gorgeous this week... we haven't had any rain since last Friday and I even caught some sun on Tuesday when I was sitting in the garden with a poorly elder little Dragon. I must get to the Den tomorrow and do some watering.

Have a lovely weekend.... enjoy the sun

Bank Holiday Weekend

We managed to get to the Den on Sunday and Monday. A family affair again.


Mr Dragon managed to get some of the fencing posts in ready to attach the new chicken wire to. The old broken chicken wire was a real bugger to remove! I think it had been sunk into the ground and had years of grass growth tangled up in it. however, scratched hands and many curses later we managed to cut most of it away!


I have separated my raspberries and managed to get two rows out of them which is a bonus as I was only planning on one row. I pulled a few of the old leeks that were on the patch I used on my Mums plot last year. One was a bit of a whopper although once the leaves had been cut away there wasn't much leek left! However, it and two others, made a very tasty leek and potato soup last night!


I also cut some more Purple Sprouting Broccoli and steamed it to go with our Sunday lunch... (I did the same last week but forgot it was in the fridge and had to throw it out!!!....
Doh!!!! )

Some pics for you...

My PSB.......
Youngest Dragon with a large leek........

My raspberries.......

I got the phone call..............

................ to say that my greenhouse will be delivered next Thursday, the 8th! Woo Hoo!!!!!!

Hubby and I are going to have a go at putting it up together... so it will have to be a kid free zone to save their delicate little ears from the expletives that will no doubt be flying around profusely!!! Hee hee.

Last night we had the biggest thunderstorm I've seen in ages! The girls were frightened and of course it arrived just as they were going off to bed. There was a howling wind and massive hailstones! It only lasted about half an hour and was gone as quickly as it arrived.

Anyway I'd put some compost in some modules ready to put some seeds in and had left them on the garden table. I checked them this morning and they were sitting in about 2 inches of water! I've brought them in to dry off a little before I put some seeds in.

I started off some sweetcorn in the airing cupboard a few days ago.... I think I forgot to post that..... but they have sprouted very nicely and this evening they went into their new homes..... nice tall Richy paper pots. I've put them in the conservatory where I hope they'll be very happy for a while.

Oooh things are really happening now!... Did I mention my greenhouse is coming? :-)

At last...

.... I've planted my spuds!

Yay... today has been a glorious day and the whole family has been at the Den to mark a momentous occasion!

We got our first veg in the earth! It was only fitting that the first plants in were spuds - that good old staple food. I have 3 rows of Maris Bards (1st early) 3 of Charlotte (also 1sts) and 3 of Maris Piper (main crop).

I also put in 2 rows of Red Baron onions but the sets were very dry and I don't know if they'll come to much.

When I say I planted I mean that hubby helped with some of it (2 lots of pots) until the footie call became too much and he retired off home to watch Man U play Chelsea in the most important game of the season (apparently). We won't mention the fact that Man U lost 2-1 and are now level on points but ahead on goals.... ooops I just did!

And yes the two little dragons were also there to help but spent most of their time planting stones (???!!?) or hanging out on Nanny's plot which is obviously more interesting than our own! But isn't anywhere that Nanny is?

I also put 3 pots of raspberries in. They are not in their final resting place yet but I think they'll be happier in the ground than sitting around in pots and will not wonder off with anyone who takes a fancy to them!

We had a really enjoyable day, finished off with a curry and a bottle or 2 of red wine, and some chill out time in front of the tv.

All I have to do now is wish a very Happy Birthday to my Mum!
Hope you had a great day xxxx

Happy Birthday and Paper pots

Happy 3rd Birthday to Little Dragon No2! I can't believe how big you are getting. I hope you had a wonderful day sweetie... I know you are fast asleep in bed now! Sweet dreams little one... Mummy & Daddy love you sooooooo much!

I've made some of Richys paper pots.... see http://www.chat.allotment.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=11390. I'm going to grow my sweetcorn, beans and maybe even my sprouts and cabbages in them.

I've also put some sweetcorn in the airing cupboard tonight to chit. I really hope I get some cobs off them this year. I bought some plants last year that didn't do anything in my Mums plot and I was so disappointed! I've got to wait 3 days before I check them..... ooooh I can't wait!

I hurt my neck last Tuesday and my Osteopath says that I can't do any work at the Den but I really need to get my spuds in soon! What he doesn't know won't hurt him!!

The weather is warming up this week so I'm hoping this is the start of the planting season! I drove past the Den today and some pallets had been left for us so that'll be the composters off to a good start!

Hooray.... the growing season has finally started!

Meeting results....

Well that was quite interesting.... we have 112 plots on our site and there were about 20 plot holders there in total!

There were moans about fences flying round in the wind.... dog mess..... people not shutting the gate when last out at night (even though someone has nicked the security chain!)..... rats by the pigeon sheds... and a rabbit alert! Last year was quite rabbit free apparently but te year before that there was a big rabbit problem... I hope it's not that bad this year. They also had a moan about people who are after a plot... they are constantly hassling the allotment council clerk and the allotment officer. I sank into my seat at this point as I am guilty of visiting the clerk on a regular basis before I got my plot! Ooops!

Apparently one of the new plot holders has had contractors in to do about a £1000 worth of work! The old timers thought that it wasn't in the spirit of allotmenteering and that they should be excluded from competitions!

But... I did make a good contact for pallets and manure!! Woo hoo!!! Hopefully I'll get a phone call to let me know about the manure soon... I can't wait, the beds could really do with some goodness digging in.

So the next meeting is in October.... I'll be an old hand by then!