May Day

May Day! A cool start after two days of high temperatures, but the morning warmed up as the sun emerged.

Unusually, we started with a meeting. This was to discuss required Risk Assessments covering our range of allotment activities. We’ll work on these over coming weeks, in liaison with Caley Saughton – a different kind of production for us!

On the horticultural front, the fleece came off the strawberries as flowers are beginning to appear and pollinators need access. The plot remains at its beautiful best, with the light pink apple blossom now looking glorious.

We have two beds set aside for brassicas. We scattered lime over one, in preparation for adding compost next week, leaving the other for the Plot Maintenance workshop a week on Saturday.  Lime can impact negatively on nutrients within compost, so separating the two activities is important – today’s learning for the less seasoned allotmenteers amongst us.

We’ve managed to fix the labelling machine and printed out some professional looking labels for our range of crops, including our 10 Early and Maincrop potato varieties – perhaps the Potato Tzar got a bit carried away this year!

We have 2 lovely new notice boards (see photo) along with some new tools, courtesy of Pam and Richard – today’s esteemed guests from our Caley sister project based at Saughton Park.

The plot’s first watering of the year and a second mowing marks a change in seasonal activities. We weeded as usual and uncovered 4 flatworms – never a dull moment! The last of the chard was lifted, glossy green leaves to be used as for spinach, and more rhubarb harvested, for stewing, crumbles and possibly some adventurous chutney.

Jobs for next week: plant some brassicas; weed and water as necessary – including over at the communal bed where Bindweed is poking its unwelcome head through the soil; tie some (yellow) ribbons round the Old Plum Tree (a reference for the ‘70’s Brigade!). We’re doing this to mark branches needing attention later in the year, when leaves will make it tricky to spot required work; prepare for the Maintenance Workshop.