A windy and sunny day and at last not too cold on the allotment

With raised beds, we work on a no-dig policy both to preserve the soil structure and save us work but the soil does become compacted over time. With the rotation, the bed for potatoes is always double dug but this year we are double digging all the vegetable beds to get some air into where the roots go and you can see the result of this by the increase in the height of the soil. So today the last of the beds was dug over.

The willow windbreak is now finished and the stems of the Tayberry were tied back onto to the wires and all to one side. As the new shoots grow, they will all be tied the other way so there will be separation of new and fruiting shoots.

Alpine strawberries are good ground cover as well as delicious but they are invasive and need cleared out every so often. Today was that day and a start was made.

The tubs for the show potatoes were emptied a couple of weeks ago and we found vine weevils in the soil. It was picked through for the beasties and then been left for the birds to have a go. It was turned over this week.  By next week it should be clean and some will go back into the tubs mixed with fresh multi-purpose compost in time for potato planting.

Two weeks ago we talked about canker on the cherry tree.  I asked George Anderson for advice and he suggested we leave it for a year and cut it down after cropping.  It has been flowering very well so good that we can get another couple of crops out of it before it goes.

The Jerusalem artichokes are doing well this year. Another batch was dug up and, along with the last of the leeks and kale, gave a good basket of fresh winter veg.

Diary Date

Saturday 14 March 10am-3pm at Saughton Park – Spring Fever event

A chance to come along and see the plans for the new Saughton Park and the Caley involvement including where the Caley offices would be and a growing area. The Caley will have a stall at the event.

This is the consultation period so all comments have to be in by 6 April. Online find the consultation questionnaire and booklet at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/saughtonpark

Jobs for next week
Cover one of the beds with black plastic to warm up the soil
Put up the fruit cage netting
Plant the onion sets, providing the soil temperature is OK
Repair raised beds