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the allotment underground: April 2008

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Discovering the secret world of allotments. Monday, 28 April 2008. Are you sure you want to keep the allotment? Because I've been told plots ten and eleven haven't had much done to them.". I flinch. This is a nasty surprise: my first skirmish with the allotment police. I muster a reply. Yes we do. We've been working the plot gradually. Last year we had five beds up and running. This year we'll have seven.". The clerk looks unimpressed. I decide new evidence is needed. Here's some memorable moments:.

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the allotment underground: The reluctant potter

http://allotment-underground.blogspot.com/2007/07/reluctant-potter.html

Discovering the secret world of allotments. Monday, 2 July 2007. Our soil is clay. Not clay-like, not clay-esque, not similar to clay - our soil is clay. If I had a kiln I could make vases from it. Digging it is a frustrating two-stage process:. Put spade into soil and lift (10 seconds work). Attempt to remove clay stuck to spade (30 seconds work). At the moment we're in the gloopy 'potter's wheel' state. Apparently, after a week of sun our soil will tranform into the 'rock solid' state. Brilliant.

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the allotment underground: A different season

http://allotment-underground.blogspot.com/2008/07/different-season.html

Discovering the secret world of allotments. Tuesday, 29 July 2008. The sun is up, the sky is blue, and I'm at the allotment. My spade is sleeping, because today I'm here to harvest. I amble between the verdant beds. The strawberry plants are bare at last. A couple of courgettes have reached maturity; maybe we'll fry them in butter alongside dinner. I check the nettle soup. It's brewing well - and pluck an occasional weed, more from habit than neccessity. Level He meanders off to examine his cabbages.

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the allotment underground: March 2008

http://allotment-underground.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.html

Discovering the secret world of allotments. Wednesday, 12 March 2008. I'm not a groundsman. I'm not a builder. I don't trim trees, tarmac roads, or clean windows. I shovel data. I sit in an air conditioned office, under electric lights, peering at characters on the screen. I don't do weather. No need to call off the typing because it's a bit wet. Don't stop production because the ground it too frosty. Even my leisure activities are situated indoors. Used under Creative Commons license. Other blogs I like.

urban-bumpkin.blogspot.com

Urban Bumpkin: August 2007

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The world of an allotment newcomer. The trials, tribulations and joys of getting to grips with an allotment. Friday, August 31, 2007. Back after the break. After a lovely holiday in the Netherlands we came back to find our plot in good health. A kindly neighbouring plot holder had been roped in to water (and eat) the tomatoes and they were all doing very well. Some huckleberries have also ripened and flowers are starting to appear on the squash. Posted at 5:32 pm. Sunday, August 19, 2007. I dipped halved...

allotment-underground.blogspot.com

the allotment underground: February 2008

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Discovering the secret world of allotments. Thursday, 28 February 2008. They arrived before Christmas in an anonymous brown jiffy bag. When I peered in, I was startled to discover a jumble of roots and twigs. These were raspberry canes? I had to check wife’s parents weren’t playing a practical joke. Here they are, planted up in last year’s potato bed. Five twigs standing to attention. Wednesday, 6 February 2008. Regular readers will know that I've got soil problems. And none survived. Not one. At this po...

allotment-underground.blogspot.com

the allotment underground: August 2008

http://allotment-underground.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html

Discovering the secret world of allotments. Friday, 29 August 2008. The life and soul of the plot. Let me introduce you to my current squeeze: Jumbo Pink Banana Squash. I admire the way he spreads himself across the soil in a gregarious fashion. Fortunately JPB's a suggestible chap: with a well placed stick I can steer his intentions. He's currently flourishing between my pregnant sweetcorn, making himself useful - quite unlike his uncooperative cousin. Subscribe to: Posts (Atom). Other blogs I like.

allotment-underground.blogspot.com

the allotment underground: Squash versus Man

http://allotment-underground.blogspot.com/2007/11/squash-versus-man.html

Discovering the secret world of allotments. Friday, 2 November 2007. Squash waited. For months he’d tormented Man. Squash has a reputation for prolific growth. He’s known to envelop vast swathes of plot. But not this summer, not this place: the game was afoot. Man was confused. Why did this Goliath confine himself to single square foot? Perhaps he was sick. Squash escaped. A fortnight before the close of play, he made a break for freedom. He burst from his prison across the neighbouring path. I grew a di...

allotment-underground.blogspot.com

the allotment underground: Rain stopped play

http://allotment-underground.blogspot.com/2008/03/rain-stopped-play.html

Discovering the secret world of allotments. Wednesday, 12 March 2008. I'm not a groundsman. I'm not a builder. I don't trim trees, tarmac roads, or clean windows. I shovel data. I sit in an air conditioned office, under electric lights, peering at characters on the screen. I don't do weather. No need to call off the typing because it's a bit wet. Don't stop production because the ground it too frosty. Even my leisure activities are situated indoors. Used under Creative Commons license. Other blogs I like.