Welcome to our plot!

I'm Hazel, and in Nov 2006 my friend Jane and I took on a half plot at Hill Allotments, Sutton Coldfield - we want the satisfaction of growing and eating our own fruit and veg, and to improve our diet (and fitness!).

This is the story of what happened next...........

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Finished!

It's been cold again this week, & so with no pressing business at the Hill yesterday, I watched the potatoes chitting & seed pots for signs of germination, & supervised the installation of a new bathroom basin, replacing that which was broken by a wayward demijohn the other week.

Today, though, I'd arranged to take collection of a truck full of wood chippings offered by Roy, one of the Saturday regulars in the Club.

Reg-next-plot was transferring bags of manure when I arrived into a new pallet compost bin that he's made.

Looking at my own rather overfull compost bin, I said, "I need to make another one, too". Reg, cast a critical eye over it, stacked as it is with more than twice it's height with prickly gooseberry bushes & thick sweetcorn stems, & grinned, "That's more like a bonfire that a compost heap!"

In preparation for the wood chippings, I opened a new roll of weed suppressant & with Reg's help cut it to size & laid it on all the paths, weighing it down with bricks.

Reg went off for his lunch & I'd just got the final piece of weed suppressant positioned to my satisfaction, Roy arrived in his truck, reversed & tipped the load of chippings in an enormous pile on the roadway.

He cast a doubtful eye over the pile & asked, "Are you sure that will that be enough?"

"Good grief, I should think so," I said weakly.

"Well, just let me know if you want some more - it's no trouble."

Having turned down the offer of a pint, I pressed a bag of curly kale onto him instead in thanks, & off he went, leaving me busy with a shovel & Reg's wheelbarrow.

A hardworking hour of industry later, I'd redistributed the pile of chippings to all of the paths, & I cannot say how delighted I am with the result. The plot looks bloody marvelous, if I say so myself.

Having turned a slightly odd shade with this exertion, I tottered up to the club for well earned refreshment, then home for a well earned rest.

5 comments:

  1. Aah, the smell of fresh wood chippings - lovely! Your plot looks great but, yes, your compost bin does look somewhat overflowing. I bet there's a hedgehog or two in there.

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  2. Cor, doesn't that look lovely. You can never have too many bark chippings - if Reg wants to bring more, let the dear chap have his own way!

    You definitely deserve a sit down with something restorative {smile}

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  3. Hmm, am getting Roys and Regs confused.

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  4. I love it when my paths are freshly layered with chippings. It all looks so tidy. I laid the front garden wood-chipped path in windy weather and the weed suppressant acted like a sail! I nearly ended up in the pond!

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  5. Thank you for dropping by, Aching Back - I love the smell of these choppings too - interestingly more like the smell of 'ready rub' than the sharp pine of the christmas tree shreddings.

    Compost bins soon on the hit list of things to do - hadn't thought of hedgehogs, so must be very careful with the fork...

    I should do as Nic does, and pop a photo up of the 'regulars' at the Hill, Bilbo - although so many people look aghast when you start waving a camera around for some reason.

    I have advice for laying weed fabric in windy conditions, Flum - it is 'wait until there are no windy conditions'!

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