Wet, blustery and chilly report from the allotment team
A wet, blustery and chilly day yet the team still turned up to get on with the maintenance of the plot.
The ground was too wet for digging in the green manures so they pruned back the willow and the hazel.
Taking out the thicker branches on the willow leaving this year’s spindly growth to grow on next year and give the plot some shelter from the west. The thick branches will be used to build a frame at the back of the soft fruit to provide a wind break. 
The hazel was planted early on in the history of the plot with the aim of coppicing it and finally this year they had a number of good thick, stout hazel branches for using as supports on the plot. There should be good supply of these each year from now on.
Despite the wet, the garlic was planted – variety Carcassonne Wight – and netted of course to stop the birds pulling out the cloves.
After all this it was time to go somewhere warm and dry.
Jobs for next week (Weather permitting): New stakes in for the loganberry; Building the willow windbreak; Digging in the green manures
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Date for the Diary: Winter fruit pruning workshop – Sunday 8 February 2015 at 2pm, to be taken by George Anderson.
