FYI

Clicking on any of the pictures will open them at full size in the browser window, which means you will have to use the 'back' button to return to the main pages, whereas clicking to the left or right of any picture will open them in a new window, if you fancy a closer look at any of the piccies we've posted! We've included a Google Earth satelite picture of our plots and this years planting plan at the bottom of the page, next to each other. If you choose the Earth view on the satelite image you can rotate the image until it is lined up with the planting plan, then use the arrows in the plan to scroll from Plot 2 to Plot 1.

Sunday, November 02, 2008

Belated Samhain wishes, the Old Year is Dead, and now begins the New Growing Year!

Well, with what for us heralds the end of the growing year, Samhain (Halloween), we now look to the start of the coming years growing season, starting with the overwintering Garlic and Onions from set, which are now planted on Plot 1!

We've got 37 Christos Garlic and 99 saved garlic cloves (Electrik and San Marco) planted today, filling one bed on Plot 1, prepared firstly by digging in a load of manure, then Blood fish and bone and lime added to the bed, with a load of potash (from last nights end of season BBQ and bonfire at the site) cooling in the wheelbarrow (Lee went to fetch some, and came back with it flaming out of the barrow, a bit hotter than we'd thought it would have been, but a lovely warm mobile heater for todays planting!) ready to add to the beds in the not too distant future!

We also planted up 2 beds of overwintering Onion sets today, Senshui, one bed having 98 sets and the other having 130 sets in it, again prepared by digging in manure and then top dressing with blood, fish and bone (with more potash to follow once its properly cooled down!)

We've planned out the plot for the coming year, with 5 runs of beds (running front to back) spanning the 2 adjacent plots, we've decided where everything is going, with the second run of beds from the right taking the alliums (1 bed garlic, 2 beds of overwintering onion sets - already planted - and then the further 4 beds in that run planned for onions from seed - 5 varieties - and leeks).

The other runs of beds are going (in the main) to contain (from right to left) Brassicas, Aliums, Spuds, Beans and Peas, Sweetcorn and Squashes, so this should give us a 5 year rotational plan!

After a conversation with another plotholder today we are also considering keeping bees, tho whether this comes off will wait to be seen!

Anyhows, hope your plans for the coming year are progressing!

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