Month: March 2009

Crop updates, wildlife developments The ducks were not there tonight, so it seems the problem is solved! Hoorai! Now I can concentrate on the other troublesome species – the rat! I have started tackling the leftover manure to make a raised bed: I was planning it for potatoes but I had an idea and –…

Crop updates, wildlife developments, competition on the allotments Did I tell you my boss was a pretty incredible woman? Well, last week she came in the office with something else for me, and that seems to have solved my duck problem: green netting, with small holes, the perfect size! I put it on the pond…

Some crop thoughts. This week it has been raining and next week it’s BST: the perfect situation, it would seem. I am so keen to go and see whether the spinach is out, and more broadbeans. Last year’s potatoes, the ones I did not eat – I must say out of laziness because cleaning them…

Crop updates, wildlife and manure.All week I have been thinking that – although I do not mind the ducks and did not see any damage done last year – they might annoy someone else on the site. Punctual as death the question came today: did you see the ducks on your plot? They occasionally nibble…

It’s March 21st and definitely the start of spring: ladybirds busily hurrying about (all natives too!), the amazing green of new leaves just out of buds, spawn in the pond (at home) and… the mallards are back, three of them (at the allotment)! I love those three ducks, they are so beautiful when they lazily…

What a tangible sign of spring when the broadbeans are out once again! For a moment I thought it was some horrible weed, as I could not recognise the shape of the shoots. But it’s definitely broadbeans, and I will probably manage to find space for sowing some more. This must be one of the…