A frosty but beautiful sunny day on the allotment

A bitterly cold but splendidly sunny winter day with many interesting examples of different kinds of frost from the minus temperatures overnight.

Our stout-hearted team kept warm by digging out the roots of two hazels which were in the way of the new beds, cutting scaffold boards to size for the beds, coppicing the hazels and pruning back the willows. As long as we kept on the move, we were fine and we even felt the warmth of the sun as we sat down for a coffee break. We’ll use the hazel and willow branches for windbreaks and for Christmas decorations. The coloured willow stems make good wreaths for the front door.

All the winter vegetables are looking fine we have leeks, kale, sprouts, broccoli, swedes, Pak Choi, winter cabbage, chard. On the Japanese veg bed, the Wasabina and Pak Choi have survived though the others have died off.

Jobs for next week – weather permitting
Finish the latest raised bed
Empty the old potato tub
Finish pruning the willow
Tip out the compost bin to see what is burrowing into it!