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.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Another hot day at the plot!

Well, it certainly looks like we chose the right week to be off work! Its been glorious again today, hot, a light breeze, perfect sunbathing weather ........ unfortunately, we were'nt sunbathing, but working hard on the allotments again! Lol!

Our plans for today were to get the pond area planted up, the front flower bed planted with some more flowers, then to clear and rebark the paths on both plots! We started with a trip to our local independant garden center, for supplies of flowers (another £28 to add to the plot budget), which I then planted in both of the beds!

With more salvia, verbenna and some bedding plants (to go with the existing foxgloves, lemon verbenna and herbs) the pond area is now looking good, and once the new plants fill out a bit, it should be fab!

Just the pile of wood at the back of the pond to sort out here now!

The other flower bed at the front of the plot (beyond the courgette bed) is also now looking good, again once the plants fill out a bit (and the existing poppies and foxgloves grow on a bit more) then it shuld be looking really good!

Whilst I was planting the flowers Lee continued with clearing the weeds from the path edges on plot 1, a big job! Once I'd finished my planting I started to fetch some new bark chippings (by wheelbarrow from the far corner of the allotment site where they are provided free), and then started filling up the paths on Plot 2, as you can see from the picture below, it makes a big difference, really making the plot look a lot neater!

20 barrows later and the first set of paths are done! Not a job to be doing on a hot sunny and humid day! Mind you, with the hosepipe now permanently laid (with 4 points where the pipe can be split and plugged into with a smaller watering hose) and covered with bark chippings I've got to say that it looks a lot better and makes it easier to water by not having to drag around a long and unwieldy hosepipe anymore!

If you look at the path aove, and then compare it with the one in the picture below you will see what I mean about it looking much better!

After 20 barrows I'd had enough, so with the time getting on towards 7pm I started watering (using the new watering system where the permanent pipe can be split and linked into with a short length of hose for watering that part of the plot) whilst Lee finished off clearing the paths on Plot 1, ready for us to bark them up tomorrow! Watering now is far easier and takes about 1/2 the time it used to, which is a great saving of time!

Just before we came home I managed to harvest some more strawbs, enough for strawberries and icecream for supper tonight!

Hope your plots are looking good! More updates and piccies tomorrow, hopefully with the rest of the paths topped up with fresh bark chippings!

2 comments:

Shayla said...

It all looks wonderful and what a smart idea with the hosepipe, I know there is nothing more annoying than trying to drag a hosepipe around the place.

Mrs Dobby said...

Thanks Shayla, tis appreciated, but not a patch on the estate you look after!