Spring has sprung at the allotment

    There are few things which give me joy like the first crocuses of spring. A profusion of intense colour whilst most other plants are still dormant.

It's taken me three full days at my allotment to have things in order for the new growing season. General weeding, tidying and general maintenance. One big issue was caused when last year I skipped thinning down the common reeds in my pond. The result was that when I approached this task the previous week I found they had formed a mat over the bottom of the whole pond! As the roots were so entwined and strong the best I could do was to roll it all up pulling it with a garden rake. This left me with the problem of pulling it out of the pond. Now it weighed and was the size of a dead body, making it difficult to pull out. After much wrangling, I left it on the side of the pond's edge so the wildlife could make their way back into the pond. My following visit left me able to cut it into pieces with a saw and put it on the compost heap.

Trees and fruit bushes are all pruned, and fruit cages are built around main crop currants. The rest of the time was spent weeding the main raised beds, also my garlic beds in the polytunnel. 

Another job at this time of year is to thin down my bamboo. This is a plant I wish I'd grown much earlier in my gardening life, as not only is it a beautiful vibrant green 365 days a year it provides structural interest and is also useful. I had previously avoided growing it as most gardeners only disparage the plant as a thug and difficult to control. This is untrue as all that is needed is an annual thinning and any unwanted spreading growth being cut back to the ground. Then the thinning gives me more than enough new canes each year for the coming season.

A few cups of tea were had and enjoyed on my portable DIY rocket stove, warming myself and sating my thirst from the work carried out. The stove was built a few years ago with some recycled cans from work. It allows me to get a strong flame very quickly with very little wood making it ideal for boiling the kettle.

Seedlings are growing well in my grow room at home. Allowing me to have an early start on onions, sweet peppers and chillies.

I was also able to get some rare seeds of Sutherland Kale. This is a perennial variety and I look forward to growing it this and subsequent years in the future.

I also started some asparagus from seed to supplement my already established crowns which all germinated nicely.

Finally, I've sewn some Liquorice plants. This is a first for me and was a favourite thing to buy when I was young and chew on to release its potent flavour.