Manea Allotment Association

1st January 2018

New year, new growing season.  Looking forward to planting, seeds, tubers, and all the ancillary jobs, that having an allotment entails.  It’s not just plant and harvest, there has to be a lot of tea/coffee/cup-a-soup ingestion to endure, along with a few bonfires in incinerators to be had.

 

Went to harvest some Brussel Sprout, but they have not hearted up to any great extent, they look more like green rosettes.  However they can be used by lightly steaming them and the plant tops can be used as spring greens.

 

On my plot a few problems to overcome, the table has been blown down the plot again and will need some attention, a rat has taken up residence in no1 compost bin and will be evicted soon, and the old doors I’ve been using as gates have self-destructed and will need to be replaced with something less unsightly.

 

18th January 2018

High wind speed squall during the night and a lot of damage as previously reported.

Trimmed last years Dahlia tubers, that I lifted to over winter in the shed.  It’s amazing how one small tuber grows big enough to be split into lots of new ones.

 

2nd February2018

It’s been too wet to get on the plot since 18th Jan and this is my first trip down since.  It’s still extremely wet and the road was still covered in some large puddles.

 

My Daffodils in front of the shed on B3 are now 6 inches high and lots of the butterfly and bee friendly bulbs planted in front of them are starting to show through as well.  Also showing through and looking quite strong are my over winter onions, the red Electra and the white Shensui.

 

The sprouts are steadfastly refusing to heart up.  It’s been said on other allotment sites that they have to be firmed in.  Well, I planted mine 8 inches deep then trod all round them, and they still fell over in the winds.  Think they need a more clay rich type of soil or supporting with canes.

 

On behalf of all the plot holders I would like to thank Roger Watts, our last Chairman for spreading the wood chips over the car park today.  He did this all by himself without being asked but refused all offers of a tea or cup-a-soup.

 

Mike Lodge, Treasurer B3.