Busy day at the Allotment

After a few dreich days, Thursday was sunny but chilly. On the bright side, we had plenty to do to keep us warm. We started on the annual coppicing of the hazel that we grow as a windbreak on the east side of the allotment, taking out the old branching stems and leaving this year’s new tall growth. The weedery around the base of the plants was left undisturbed as an insect habitat. We are still working away at the comfrey bed but that is almost cleared and next week we shall start on the cutting back of the willow that was planted to give shelter from the westerly winds. The beds are getting a winter mulch of leaves and now they all have a good deep layer to protect the roots and soil from the winter rains and frost.

Jobs for next week

• Carry on with the coppicing
• Cut back the grass edges