Wet and Windy with a hint of spring to come

A wet and very windy day so just a fleeting visit to the allotment to check all was well and put up the notice for the next Caley lecture on the notice board.

The hazels were planted to give some shelter from the north-east winds and to be coppiced to provide stout stakes for using. Most of them were pruned last year to provide pea sticks but a couple had been left because they had catkins. The stems of these are now of the right thickness to cut back to base or coppice and the new growth will be tall and straight and can be cut for use in about 6 years, so the process will go on and can be continued for many years.

Jobs for next week: Extra wiring for the espaliered fruit. Top up the paths with wood chips. Level the former grass path, cover with plastic and wood chips on top