Great to be back for the first session of the year on the allotment

 In Allotment, Blog

Luckily the team were back on the allotment just before the winds – so we will have to wait for the next blog to find out if there is any damage.  In the meantime this is what they were up to last week.

It was appropriately wintery but settled -literally the calm before the storm. (Eowyn and the rare Red Warning was due the next day).   The main task was to batten down the hatches in advance of predicted high winds.  Enviromesh protection was strengthened and secured around the fruit trees and brassica beds. Newly cut willow canes were woven into our North-facing windbreak, keeping as many holes as structure to winnow the wind rather than block it completely. Too solid a structure is more likely to be blown over or can create a destructive vortex of wind within the lee of the break. The chard and Pok Choi got a fleecy blanket in the hope that both will rally after recent frost and snow and give us some Winter greens in return.

We did manage to harvest remaining sprouts, chard and tiny beetroots along with apples, still quite firm from being kept stored in the shed.

The team met last week to plan and divide out responsibilities for this year’s crops so we went through the seed box to check dates before contemplating tempting 2025 seed catalogues.

Tools were sharpened and oiled – a great task for this quieter period, making Winter pruning an enjoyable activity. The hazel border was coppiced. Harvested stakes will form this year’s bean and pea supports, and pruning will stimulate growth, adding extra wind protection for our plot which can be quite exposed to prevailing winds

Jobs for next week: repair any damage wreaked by Eowyn; a bit of winter weeding; check all beds are properly labelled in advance of the Winter Pruning Workshop in early February (which is already full!)

 

 

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