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, November 11, 2012

A Series of Understatements


  • It has been a little bit quiet on the blogging front.  That is, I have not updated for three months.  Three months!  I have been at the Hill, just not saying much anything about it.
  • It wasn't very Summery, even in Summer.  That is, unless you were in the south east where someone was looking down on the Olympics; the wonderful weather adding to a phenomenal event. everywhere else it was wet, and cool.  Very.
  • It hasn't been the best year for potatoes.  That is, this half bucket is all that I have of the maris piper main crop.
  • We didn't do too badly in the Show.  That is, between mum, big sister Helen and me, we made a good dent in the prize money for the classes involving potatoes, beans, peas, rhubarb, fruit cake, chutney and sponge cake
  • Allotment holders are quite nice people.  That is, in recent weeks I've had Reg-next-plot offer to dig the potatoes for me (thank goodness I turned him down, I would never have lived down the tiny crop); woodchippings Paul offer to put some bags of manure to one side on the plot for me when the it is next delivered as I'm not often there when it arrives, and it is soon snapped up; Nick and Pat from down the bottom giving me a huge bag of winter squash after I said that my squash plant had been done for by the slugs, and the replacement seeds didn't germinate.
  • I managed to pick a few courgettes.  That is, the two plants I put in this year cropped heavily and continuously from mid August to last weekend, when a frost knocked the last few on the head
  • The plot could do with a bit of a tidy up.  That is, the Winter digging and clearing still awaits.
  • Change happens. That is, the annual round of musical chairs has just happened with allotment holders either upsizing, downsizing or moving plots.  The most notable in terms of my near neighbours is that Jody has handed over to his mate Shaun (who has been helping out for the last couple of years), so that he can concentrate on his fundraising activities for Birmingham Children's Hospital.

6 comments:

  1. Phew! So much to,catch up on! Our potatoes weren't too bad still 2 rows to dig up, last minute runners saved the day! Leeks doing well, best this year was the fruit! Winter digging still to do also :)

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    1. Can I confess that I don't yet have this year's garlic in, and there are still half a dozen potatoes to dig up?

      Runners were marvelous here too - much better that the French beans this year. Ah - but it's a new season to embark on!

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  2. wow I want your allotment neighbours, I might have managed to grow something if I'd had digging offers! No chance of clearing anything this side of Spring either so if you come across any low effort/high impact tips when you're doing yours do let me know!
    Congrats on your fabulous results at the show

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    Replies
    1. You know the drill, Nic - cover the whole darn lot with cardboard and plant spuds in Spring and home grown plants of brassicas, squash family etc) though holes.

      Not sure if E is up to doing more than eating rasps next year, but I'm sure that G is! ;-)

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  3. Always a challenge to find interesting things to blog about in the Winter months. Be creative!

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    Replies
    1. It's a new year, Matron, and there are seeds to be thought about and sown, and Ryton potato day at the end of the month - fabulous fun!

      A blue note is one of our stalwarts at the Hill passing on (my post of 3rd Jan), but JB would be the first to encourage me to get on with it!

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