Allotment Update 20/05/13

Over the last month I have been fairly busy in the evenings, was working in another city for a few days, and the weather has not been too pleasant, so I have neglected to get to the allotment as often as I would have liked. However this past weekend I invited my friends to help dig, and they did not disappoint me. The pictures below will show you how much work we accomplished in roughly four hours.

The site after a few weeks of neglect and rain

Starting to build the composter

Rain barrel I took from the site below mine

Finished product, sort of, I still need to screw it together

Ladies starting to work on the upper bed

The ladies working on the upper garden bed

Completion of upper bed

Finished bed at the bottom of the plot

Allotment Update 02/04/13

Well I have been to plot B195 a few more times now and worked the ground a bit more. As it is such a large area and the weather not cooperating it has been difficult to accomplish as much as I would like. The work I have done over the past two weeks has been to dig and turn the soil, and remove as many of the weeds and their roots as possible. I did attempt to fix the largest retaining wall, but discovered it was a task I needed to leave for another time, or when I have a few people to help me. On Sunday I had my friend John assist me with digging and planting some early season vegetables, and start the sorting of bricks that had been piled on site. Anyone that works with me over the growing season will be payed with vegetables, as long as it is a good year for crop growing.

As I stated in my last post I would provide photos of new developments.

Carrots, radish, beets, beans, peas, parsnip, onions planted in these rows

The salvaged bricks(240) from the pile to its left against the hill

Courgette(zucchini), cucumber and pumpkin planted in these mounds

Where the carrots and other seeds are & one of the retaining walls I need to replace

The largest retaining wall I attempted to fix(near the gate), but decided to leave to a later date

St. Ann's Allotment 2013

In January 2012 I applied for an allotment at one of the many sites in the city. A year later I received an email notifying me that one had become available at St. Ann's Allotments. I was given an acceptance form to complete indicating whether I still wanted a site, and any requirements I needed. Once that was returned I had another email with plots that were available to me and proceeded to arrange a viewing time for the plots. When I met the individual that would show me where my potential plot could be, he informed me that there were more available than originally told about. After being shown about ten sites I informed him I would think about it over the weekend and email back my preferred site. I ended up going with site B195, a 401 square metre site, located on a hill with a two tiered style garden split into four quadrants and full length narrowish front garden, and it only costs me £68 a year(approx. $90), on the southern side of the greater allotment area. So far I have spent two hours on site working about 1/5th of my total area, and look forward to spending more time there.

I will be posting updated photos as more work is done on site.

Looking towards the entrance gate, from the North East corner

View to the South from the top of the site

Nottingham City

Looking North East from the entrance gate