Clearing the plot continues.....

Bringing my progress up to date - Part 2

On my very first visit to the plot I took measurements and made a sketch of the existing layout. By the time I had finished the general clearing described in my previous post I had an idea how I wanted to set out the plot and what I wanted to achieve in the first year. I decided to aim to get half the growing area cultivated this year and to roughly dig over and cover the other half.

So having mostly sorted out the Family/Work area at the back of the plot I began digging the left side ready to set out beds. I knew there was some bindweed around, I had to remove it from my mystery tree and right side fence, but I was a bit disheartened to find a mat of roots just below the soil. Bindweed is my nemesis in my home garden. Any small bits of root left behind will reshoot and form a new plant, so if you're trying to be organic (I am) the only thing to do is dig over the ground thoroughly and try to remove every piece.

I also started roughly digging over the right side of the plot, helped by my partner. This side had a fair bit of couch grass (which is why I decided to cultivate the other side first, only to find all that darn bindweed!). This is just some of the couch grass turf and bindweed we have taken out:

The other things I have been digging up all over the plot are single potatoes. I mentioned this to my neighbour and she told me that when the previous tenant was harvesting potatoes any that didn't come up to standard would get chucked over the shoulder and therefore broadcast across the plot! I've been piling them up in front of the compost bin and my son has the job of breaking them up and popping them in the bin when he is around. Gives him a job and works off some of that testosterone fueled need to smash things that boys have.

Here is the latest haul waiting for him:

As each section of the fallow side has been roughly dug over I have covered the ground with old carpet. Having planned to use carpet as a weed surpressant I have been rescuing pieces from skips and street corners. The advantage is that it is free, the disadvantages are a) you need to avoid the foam backed stuff since it breaks down quickly and crumbles into the soil, b) you get a lot of funny looks/comments from strangers and c) (if you are really unlucky like me) in your haste to avoid disadvantage ' b)' you put your foot in a pothole in the road and get a badly sprained ankle!

About half of the growing area of the plot has now been weeded and dug over (with thanks to my partner and mother-in-law for their contributions)

My father-in-law has also started putting up a new fence on the front and left sides of the plot (more about that in a future post).

Last weekend I finished digging over and compacting the soil for a new path and marked out some of the beds and paths with string (no photos yet). I also planted my first crop, some garlic. I know it's a bit late but I decided to give it a try anyway. I'm hoping that the cold frosty nights we are having this week will fool it into thinking it is still winter so that it will want to grow once the weather warms up again!

The aforementioned sprained ankle happened on Monday so I am having an enforced rest from the allotment this week. I really miss it but hopefully I'll be back by the weekend, if only for a bit of a potter.