All that was left of the huge pile of ‘prunings’, that we had piled up, was a modest pile of ash.
This will be put to good use and spread on the bed.
There are twiggy pieces left under the elder which will remain there to rot away naturally.
February has been a fairly dry, windy, month which has helped some of the allotment beds to dry enough to be tilled. The beds had previously been dug but the tiller breaks down the lumps of soil.
Martyn managed to go over six beds which will be ready for planting when the time is right.
On our second visit of the week, we noticed that the beds that had been tilled were covered in paw prints. Some could have been made by cats but I think some were fox prints as there was evidence of trails maybe made by a foxes brush.
Strangely one bed was too soggy to till. It is in the same general area as the beds that were workable so we were puzzled by this.
A blackbird and a robin enjoyed foraging in the newly turned soil keeping just far enough away to feel comfortable in our presence. I only managed a photo of the blackbird. One bird that was up to no good was a bullfinch that was happily feeding on the buds of one of our greengage trees. He was browsing the topmost branches that we can’t reach so no real harm will be done unless he decides to move onto the lower branches.
I made a start at weeding the shrub and perennial bed that edges our plot. It suffers from an invasion of bindweed, couch grass and creeping cinquefoil, all weeds that are difficult to eradicate. In this bed, we have to be content just keeping them under control.
Our largest clumps of rhubarb were mulched with some manure.
We spent two afternoons on the plot and on our second visit, I weeded another bed whilst Martyn made a start on reclaiming a pathway that had become overgrown.
Before we headed home I dug a few leeks.
In the garden, more bulbs are adding to the display being provided by the snowdrops. We were surprised to spot some Katharine Hodgkin mini irises as we don’t remember seeing any last year and had thought we had lost them
Last week the humans had a visit from the hairdresser. Ruby probably thought that she had escaped but she was due a ‘shower’. She’s gradually becoming more resigned and kicks up less of a fuss than she used to but showers do not feature on her list of favourite things. Once the ordeal is over she celebrates by charging around the house.
Onto last week’s meals. I made a vegetable curry that used some of our squash, onion, frozen red pepper and frozen green beans. The recipe has disappeared from the internet but additional ingredients were, tikka masala paste, coconut milk, vegetable stock and fresh coriander. It was served with onion bhajis made from our onions, brown rice and homemade naans.
I made a chicken, vegetable and mushroom pie into which went our onion, parsnip and green beans, peas and sweetcorn from the freezer.
A turkey pasta dish used our onion, carrot, and red pepper.
Finally, I also made a batch of vegetable pakoras that used our potatoes, carrots and spring onions. These were only partially cooked and have been frozen. Once thawed they will finish cooking.
I hope my modest harvest qualifies me to join Dave’s Harvest Monday post over at his Our Happy Acres blog.
That’s all from me for now. As always, stay safe, stay well and keep warm
Oh foxes are not good news especially if hens are allowed at your allotment site Sue. It’s lovely to see all the spring bulbs emerging now.
We do have hens on the site, Anna but they seem to be well protected. Must admit I orefer foxes to some other pests. Some with just two legs!
‘Great progress tilling all those beds.Interesting rethe prints, I do love a fox. Perennial weeds sure are a pain, here it’s ground alder, bindweed and the dreaded mare’s tale. Loving the spring bulbs. What tasty looking meals. Bless Ruby, Buddy dashes around like that too after a bath.xxx
I love foxes too, Dina. Next week Ruby is due a visit frim the groomer so that will please her.
Glad to see you’re able to get out and start your clearing. Goodness only knows what’s going to happen to my garden this year now. Ash is so good for the ground. My father always used to burn all the prunings. And anything else of wood or a wooden nature. Even papers.
We more then doubled our ash pile now Debbie. Have your garden helpers abandoned you?
Looks like you got a lot done at the allotment. It’s way too wet here to work the soil. Seeing your mini irises tells me I should check and see if ours is blooming here. And your crocus are a reminder we need to replant a few here, since ours seem to have disappeared with time.
We seem to have acquired crocuses, Dave. I don’t remember planting as many as are growing. Having said that some appear on the allotment that I definitely haven’t planted. I’m guessing some have arrived when we have emptied tubs of compost maybe baby bulbs that have been quietly building up to flowering size,
Amazing to me that here in USDA Zone 10b we too have February Gold blooming. My Victoria rhubarb looks like yours too. The bulbs are lovely.
Our rhubarb is a variety called Timperley Early, Sue. February Gold us well named if we both have flowers now.