Anyone with an allotment?

That looks delightfully tidy!
This is the first year we’re going to keep nibbling away throughout winter so hopefully there’s less to do in spring.
To do:
-Strim and rechip paths
-Acquire muck/compost to top up the last 2 beds
-Prune the mature trees
-Might prune the invasive sycamore on the abandoned plot opposite if the council gives me permission.

Been a journey…! Yeah, mild winter means I’ve sorted out lots would normally be facing in spring…

Anyone got any thoughts about dumping a load of neat chicken manure/bedding directly on my beds over winter? Will it have cooled enough to be good come spring. I normally compost it but am running out of space.

Bye bye 2023.
Finished up the year by pruning the walnut.

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I’m a no expert but couple of ideas……you could make a hotbed out of it. Huw Richards has a couple of videos on it. Option 2 just put it down and if it’s not ready just put an extra layer of compost over the top

Is anyone doing any early sowings at home this month?
Started some herbs as we want to have some salads and herbs at home on the balcony and will start the chillis in a few weeks.

Just wondering if anyone is starting carrots or anything else soon?

Too wet to dig and everything else is doing its own thing at the moment.

starting carrots

My carrots didn't grow much last year so I'm hoping they're surviving the winter and grow on in the spring. Healthy foliage but no decent carroty bits despite being in good soil.

I’ve got some I put in about august that are doing good and some ones a bit later that are doing very little…
We’ve never done brilliantly with carrots compared to other things actually.

So it turns out gu pots are a perfect friction fit on 7.5cm pots. This pleases me greatly.

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I’m off to my flower plot for an hour to pile horse manure on my dahlias. It’s going to be a fucking mess down there.

Manure spread! And I had exactly enough. Hopefully the dahlias will survive?

Reinstated the germination-station today.
Feels like the year has started now ;)

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Nice! I went up the plot for an hour or so today. Picked another stalk of sprouts and some perennial kale. Hoed a few beds and planned next year in my head. My plot’s never been super tidy but with a little bit of work the past year or so I can see it developing into something that could be fairly easy to maintain and keep productive.

Does anyone want a packet of peppermint stick celery seeds? Bought on a whim because pink, but they’re a trenching type and more suited to soups than munching in salads.

Packet unopened and only just received so good for the foreseeable.

Will chuck them in the post if anyone wants them.

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Our first ever aubergine seedlings. Excited to grow something new :)

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Is it really time to start growing seedlings already?!?!?!?

Depends how impatient you are and if you’re prepared to have all your windowsills full of seedlings…
Luckily we’ll be able to move stuff to the potting shed from feb onwards unless it gets really cold. On that note I really want a max/min thermometer..

Our neighbour said to do aubergines really really early and just pinch off flowers til after they’re planted out.
We’re doing similar with chillis but only sown a couple of very hot ones that want a long season so far.
Also started various herbs that’ll just live on the balcony.

Most of our early germinating will start at the end of the month. I just really like watching seeds pop up…

If you were new to the allotment game what easy things that are ok in the cold would you put into the ground now?

Broad beans

Can't think I'd put a lot in the ground now, but you can start sowing a few bits in pots to get them ready for an early transplant (broad beans, I'm thinking). I'd concentrate on preparing everything as best you can for a productive spring. Lots of mulching, compost, manure and clear as many weeds as you can.

Just paid my year's rent. Up £3 to £33 this year.

Prep the ground, if there’s still onion sets knocking around you could get them in.
Won’t be long til first early spuds go in so could think about digging that over.

I’ll be starting a lot of seeds at home on the windowsill at the end of the month.

Was just in the garden centre, they were starting to put the seed potatoes out if anyone is getting a really early start.
My partner has decided to attempt to grow loofahs this year. Not convinced myself but we shall see!

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Ideal in a greenhouse/polytunnel. Think you can get a crop outside, though.

It’s begun.
Stuck 40 chilli seeds in the propagator this morning and sowing a bunch of pollinators in pots later on. Rather excited :)