Mr Toad's Plot

The Time Has Come At Last He Said...

2007-06-13T06:40:00.000-07:00

I can't put it off any more...

I have completely kettled my Google account so everything is associated with the wrong bloody email address. And so this is "Adieu, mes amis"...

(what a poncy git!)

However. Fear NOT! My trials & tribulations will continue at Mr Toad's Plot (the second). See you there.

Have a look at my first posting - about FaceBook!

... and then he was gone.

Gnaaah! Curses...

2007-06-11T07:48:00.000-07:00

I wonder if any of you can help me...

I've maade a bit of a faux pas; I set up a google email address for my daughter, but didn't realise that I was actually associating it with MY Google account and once you've tied a Google account and one of THEIR email addresses together it can't be undone! Never ever ever ever...

I've emailed them, but no joy. As far as I can tell I'm knackered.

So I've set up a NEW account for me (the old one will become Ruby's) including a new Picasa account etc etc. The Problem is this blog!

Does anyone know of a way to either:

Associate a blog with a different Google account, or
Move all blogged enties to a new blog?

Unfortunately I think I already know the answer to this, but you never know...

First harvest!

2007-06-07T05:49:00.000-07:00

Here's the offspring hard at work...

We Got WORMS!

Asparagus! Just two more years & I can bloody eat some of it...

Donaldson's Patented Pidgeon Scarer - there's advantages to being a techie a.k.a. a large supply of discarded software CDs

And finally...
Our first ever harvest (ta daaaaaaa)

Essential Allotment Equipment - Vol #1

2007-04-25T01:05:00.000-07:00

Howdy y'all,

Well, as promised, here's the thrilling review of my first attempt at using my shiney new Kelly Kettle - what I reckon to be the perfect allotment based brew-up tool as it uses anything combustable as fuel (leaves, twigs etc... even camel shit apparently).

It comprises a metal bowl that has the fire in it & a chimney that sits on top - the chimney is actually a water jacket that holds the water to be boiled and acts as a flue to fan the fire.

Here's a picture of it post boil so you can see its parts (oooer)

the wet patch is because it boiled over & NOT because I got too excited!

Here it is in action:

cool eh?

Here's a glamour shot without the flash:

The boil:

And here's the results:

There you go: quick brews & much more fun than a camping stove or a flask...

The Return Of Toad

2007-04-23T05:16:00.000-07:00

Hiya folks, sorry about the delay since my last post but I have been very, very idle...

Ho hum.

Unfortunately life encroached onto my allotment time & I wasn't able to get there for 4 bloody weeks! During this time haven't been wasting my time - oh no - I've been (trying) to propogate seeds. I carefully & gently hardened them off thereby killing just about every last one - it's a good job plants don't scream!

Anyway, I did manage to get up to the plot yesterday for a few hours of frantic weeding with my new wonder hoe (see picture). Then I wondered what the hell has happened to all the stuff I planted... The onions I can see, but everything else is missing apart from a few heavily chewed leaves at ground level. I guess I'll have to plant some more stuff but protect it a bit better - bugger! The soft fruit bushes are looking okay though.

I had my chitted spuds with me so I thought I'd dig one long trench & plant all them... So THREE long trenches and one knacked desk-jockey later all the spuds were in.

Unfortunately by then I'd run out of time so I didn't get a chance to plant my other fruit canes nor pumpkin seedlings.

The very good news is that the man-with-the-tractor has ploughed my plot so it's looking great... Woo Hoo!

The bad news is that I ran out of time so I couldn't make a cuppa with my new wonder gaget - a kelly kettle. However, I'm determined so I'll probably try it out in the back garden. Pictures & brew-review to follow.

TTFN.

Hell's Bells. An Expert!

2007-03-12T13:04:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine, John Grundy (a.k.a Johnny Snakeman) has started a gardening blog, Get Grubby With Grundy, and he actually knows what he's talking about... I know - it's weird!

There's only a couple of posts on there at the moment, but they're very comprehensive (Compost & Training Climbers) & I'm sure he'd welcome a comment or two.

Sod it! Let's just plant something..

2007-03-12T04:44:00.000-07:00

I went up to the plot this Sunday to do a bit more clearing and stuff. I've read all about critical temperatures for germination, frost damage, soil temperature measurements etc etc. But as I was loading my gear into the car I thought "Sod it! I'm going to bloody plant something."

After all, my main aim for this year is to get the plot ready for the next one & learn a bit about the whole process - so if I actually produce something that can be eaten this time around then that's a (huge) bonus.

I've planted some asparagus crowns & onions in my long raised bed (which I may yet split into two - who knows) & dug two other beds each about 2m square and planted parsnips & carrots in one and broad beans & peas in the other. If it's too early or I've done it wrong then so be it...

Extreme allotmenteering! Knarly dude!

Only a quick visit

2007-02-27T05:32:00.000-08:00

My folks were down this weekend so I only managed to get to the allotment to show it to them. We decided it would be a better use of our time to go to the local Moroccan restaurant, drink rather too much wine & watch the belly dancers...

I say! Ding Dong!

I've also added a new link on the right, there; "Pushing Up The Daisies", a rather loquacious Aussie plotholder in France. Well worth a look.

Enough of this off subject rubbish. It won't happen again... Until next time!

Raised Beds & Other Torments

2007-02-19T12:42:00.000-08:00

I was at the allotment on Sunday & just about ruptured myself digging a new raised bed:

The old boys at the field were rather perplexed & couldn't see the point of it:
"stuff grows well enough anyway"
"It'll be too dry"
"the frost'll get into it"
"you can't ramp the soil up afterwards"

blah blah blah, so on & so forth...

I'd be very interested to hear your experiences or thoughts on raised beds - it's all left me rather confused.

The points as I see them are:

certainly the top may get dry, but the lower soil is very loose (double dug) & so the roots can penetrate deeper
the frost, I guess could, be an issue - so I guess I could just leave planting in it until the frosts have gone (or stick some fleece over it).
There's much less resistance in the soil to growth so roots & bulbs can grow bigger due to the reduced soil resistance

I'd like to shore up the sides with some scaffolding planks or similar - any good ideas for sourcing these (cheaply).

Cheers.

The Power Of The Interweb

2007-02-14T03:25:00.000-08:00

I've just noticed on my "Cluster Maps" thingy down the right hand site of my blog that I've been read by people in the Czech Republic (I think, my appologies if my geography's a bit off), Perth, Florida & California...

I'm absolutely amazed... Isn't the web just GREAT!

Cheap Seeds!

2007-02-12T05:48:00.000-08:00

Netto - From Thursday 15th Feb

Vegetable varieties: Cress, Beetroot, Spring Onion, Runner Bean, Carrot, Tomato, Spinach Beet, Parsley, Radish, Lettuce

29p per packet!

http://uk.aldi.com/special_buys/productnl_738.html

Clan Approval

2007-02-12T05:42:00.000-08:00

We had our first clan visit to the plot yesterday & it was a big success! Everyone's very keen & can't wait to start planting...

Netto

2007-01-31T01:12:00.000-08:00

I was at the plot last weekend (nothing to report, just a bit more twitch grass gone) & one of the boys there, Dick, told me that Netto now has their seeds & stuff in & they're very reasonable compared to the garden centres.

Now the last time I was in a Netto was many moons ago & it was the scabbiest hole on Earth - absolutely awful... But cheap seeds are cheap seeds so off I went to the new Netto (couple of years old) in Northampton &, boy, was I suprised!

It's really pleasant & there's now way you'd know that its a discount supermarket - other than the price that is. Most seed packets were 80p & the selection was pretty good they also had onion & garlic sets, seed trays, garden tools, blah, blah, blah... I'm pretty sure they had those free standing 3 shelf PVC greenhouses for a tenner too.

So there we have it; If you have one of the shiney new Nettos near you I'd recommend a visit.

The sod has turned

2007-01-22T04:32:00.000-08:00

Sunday was a momentous day - my first proper trip to the alotment, tools & all! HURRAH!

I dragged tha small amount of rubbish from one end (that looks like it's been recently cultivated) then ended up chatting for an hour with some of the other plotholders including Keith, my plot neighbour. He's a smashing old gentleman & appears to be the knower-of-all-things... Perfect, as I know nowt!

He pointed out what twitch grass roots look like (another mystery solved) & I set to digging it over with a fork & then picking out the grass & roots etc. The soils seems great to me - really easy to dig & free draining. It'll get dry in the summer, but there's a water trough just a few meters away.

Here's the sum of the actual work done in my first visit. Not much really but I'll be able to finish off this bed during the next visit.

Already on the plot are some well established blackberry bushes, a rowan tree, a large red currant bush, some new gooseberry bushes & a couple of strawberry plants. Not bad considering I've not done anything yet!

I mentioned to Keith (the wise) where I'd put my seed potatoes & I could see he was concerned, "I usually put mine on top of the wardrobe" says he.

Top of the wardrobe - GENIUS.

My potatoes have now been relocated apart from 4 of each as a comparison.

It was great to see a few families there & the kids were having a great time playing on their bikes "helping" their parents dig or "helping" to lay plastic sheeting.

I'll have to get my kids up there soon. Does anyone have any tips for "Kids on Allotments"?

Chittage

2007-01-22T04:27:00.000-08:00

I got my spuds this weekend (that's not a euphamism). They're Pentland Javelin, Nadine & Maris Pipier. Finding somewhere to chit them turned out to be rather more difficult. I couldn't find anywhere in the house that'd be out of direct sunlight & out of reach of Jamie who'd quickly realise their potential as Power-Ranger weaponry!

Therefore I've employed my little greenhouse thingy with it's winter fleece coat on. We'll see...

I'M IN!

2007-01-18T06:34:00.000-08:00

Gotcha!

2007-01-15T05:16:00.000-08:00

I went to the site again yesterday to meet the field officer & hopefully choose one the plots the Council's overseer reckons is available. I chose #71 which butts onto the end of my mate's (Big Bob) - so that's all rather jolly. I left a message for the Council telling them of my selection & received a reply this morning saying all is well; The paperwork is in the post & no rent until October - WOO HOO!

Here's a photo from either end. I've highlighed the plot itself so they're not the actual colours!

Tagified

2007-01-12T06:22:00.001-08:00

I've recently been tagged by Greenmantle, but I've only just realised that I'm supposed to do anything about it. Five facts & five more tags seems to be the norm...

Facts:

I'm a Geordie who moved down to Northampton about nine years ago. Both my kids were born down here & subsequently they have strange accents!
For the last few years I've been trying to learn to play the fiddle, which turns out to be bloody hard! I had my first "gig" the other day when I played for a Molly Dance troupe on Plough Monday at Fenstanton (my profile picture's from this). Check out the other pictures.
Last year I started geocaching, initially to get the kids out & about (it worked beautifully), but it turns out to be rather addictive... Geocaches are EVERYWHERE! Here's the rest of my clan with our latest find (the small container the littlun's holding).
I'm a keen member of the Wootton Road Runners & have done a few races, most notably I've completed the winter ToughGuy a few times (but never again).
I once got into the last 32 competitors at the World Conker Championships. I've competed again many times but never reached such dizzy heights.

Tags:

Welsh Girl's Allotment - Partly because I like the style of the blog, but also because I appreciate the correct use of the apostrophe.
Dig For Victory - There's a small chance he may end up on my allotment field after his move & we've all seen the size of his pumpkins, so I want to be on his good side!
Veg Plot - The spawn of "Allotment 21" which was the first allotment blog I found. I liked the idea of them giving their marrow reiki! Thanks girls!
Down On The Allotment - Gnome's Marlow-esque manner of writing in the third person is quite unique as far as I can tell & thoroughly enjoyable.
My Tiny Plot - A really professional looking & active site with loads of content. They also, kindly, initiated a "Roundup or not" debate on their site to answer a question of mine. Ta MTP.

Enough of this nonsense. TTFN.

Shaddap Brain!

2007-01-10T03:32:00.001-08:00

I just noticed that 2 of the 4 available plots are next to one another & before I could stop myself I started thinking "mmmmmm two plots".

This resulted in a prolonged Homer-Simpson-esque argument with my own brain.

Ho hum.

The Sign Of Four

2007-01-09T05:05:00.000-08:00

Barry Vine phoned me back this morning & informed me that plot 120 has been paid for for the last four years! I guess I'd better tell Big Bob not to get it ploughed...

There's still four plots available in the main section though. I've got the numbers (66, 67, 71 & 79) so I'll check them out this weekend.

I'll have to figure out what the hell I should plant soon... Ooooer.

Curses!

2007-01-08T05:55:00.000-08:00

Since the field manager & I had our walk around I'd considered the deal done & dusted. However, I left a message with the council allotment's officer about which one I'm having & he got back to me saying someone's already paid for it! Bugger!

My fault... But still: Bugger! Bugger! Bugger! Bugger! Bugger!

I've got to try & get a list of those available off him & then go back & have a look again.

Ho hum.

Man with a tractor

2006-11-20T08:40:00.000-08:00

I was contacted by Big Bob over the weekend. He's taking both end plots (he'll probably get a grant from the EU for that lot!) so I'm taking #120. One or two of the old boys on the field have a few plots & have subsequently bought their own tractor and plough! Bob's arranged for one of them to go over our plots to get us going.

We're on the move!

Coup d'état

2006-11-13T08:20:00.000-08:00

I got a phone call today from Amanda at the council allotment offices. Apparently Barry Vine's on sick leave so she's taken over in the mean time. Well, that's what she would say: I prefer to believe there's been a vicious power struggle for control of the Northampton district allotments culminating in the previous incumbent being forcably evicted from his Allotments Palace. I reckon if I ask in a few month's time there'll be no record of a "Barry Vine" ever having existed...

Having said that, Amanda says she'll get the plots marked out - so that's fine!

VIVA Amanda!

There Shall Be Only One! (For me)

2006-11-09T01:27:00.000-08:00

I spoke to my (potential) plot neighbour, Big Bob, last night about whether he's taking one or two plots. It transpires that because it's completely unclear what the boundries are for the 3 plots on the end he doesn't know yet. He's already called the council allotments officer to get him to mark them out - the elusive and mysterious "Barry Vine", some say he only emerges at night, others say he's not a man at all but a shadow, a shade from another World not meant for the eyes of mortal men... of course he might be a bloke from the council whose very busy & who covers a large area. Anyway I'm going to call him today & ask him to mark out #120. We'll see what happens.

Almost There!

2006-11-06T03:30:00.000-08:00

I managed to catch the site manager yesterday & there's a few good size plots available at the field. Woo Hoo! A mate of mine, Bob, got one there a month or so ago & the best available plots are next to his - very good soil apparently. I've got to give him a call & find out if he's taken on just the end plot or the one next to it too. Then I'll have the next one along - so it's either #120 or #121 for me! They're both regular shaped 10 pole plots. #121 is very overgrown, but has some semblance of a shed on it (no door or roof) whereas #120 is clearer, but no buildings.
Once I've finalised whichever one I'm going to get I have to get the council officer to mark it out again & then we're off.

A Change Of Target

2006-10-23T01:16:00.000-07:00

Just over a week ago I visited Blisworth allotements & they were great. Really busy. However the plots I was shown were VERY small, not even big enough to accomodate a shed...

A friend of mine has just got a plot at a council site, Pleydell Road, & it sounds good. I visited it yesterday (just missed the site manager - bugger) & it's bloody HUGE! I'm going to try & get the site manager's number today & arrange another visit.

Close, but no banana

2006-10-06T05:15:00.000-07:00

I was contacted yesterday by the field manager (or whatever they're called), Mrs Percival, from Blisworth allotments to say that they've got a small plot free (5 pole). She reckoned it'd be too small for a shed or anything so I said I'd wait (a shed is essential). I was all too keenly aware, however, that I hadn't the vaguest idea of what a "pole" was. It turns out to be 16.5 feet - a distance rather than an area... Now I'm confused!

A bit more research revealed that in terms of allotments 10 pole equates to about 250m sq. Which says to me that a 5 pole plot should be more than 10m x 10m (36' x 36') which strikes me a pretty big. I guess I'll have to go & have a look.

There are a few old boys, however, that Mrs Percival thinks will be giving up all or part of their plots by the spring. One of these plots is 35 pole which, by my calculations is a farm! I wouldn't be suprised if it had stables...

Wait & see. Wait & see...

Sheer Blisworth!

2006-08-31T04:13:00.000-07:00

I went to have a look at the Blisworth allotments yesterday evening after picking the boy up from nursery... It looks absolutely FAB! Loads of busy busy plots ranging from beautifully organised to woefully uncempt (I have my eye on those ones).

Even though there's a public bridleway running through the field there doesn't seem to be any problem with vandelism as far as I could see, I guess its just too remote.

I had a quick chat with a couple collecting raspberries from their plot who were very pleasant & helpful - I'm really getting a rather good feeling about this.

I'll have to take Wife & Daughter down there too, to get them enthused. Mind you I'd better not lay it on too thick with Wife as she may rebel. We had a curry last night & I was blethering on about how I'd grow ocra on the plot & she started to give me a look, if you know what I mean. Of course I didn't mention to her that when it comes to ocra I haven't the vaguest idea of whether you pick it, pluck it, dig it or shoot it out of the sky. Ho hum.

First Contact!

2006-08-30T04:38:00.000-07:00

Things have started to happen!

After several fruitless attempts to contact Northampton's Allotment Officer by eMail I eventually phoned him & left a message. He phoned back pretty quickly & told me that the most local allotments to me have a 2 year waiting list (bah). However, there are other ones nearby that have spaces (hurrah). My second choice though, Blisworth, are in a nearby village & not under his authority. They're about 3 miles away but I don't think it'd take me any longer to get there than the closer ones due to roads & traffic.

I've spoken to the lovely Mrs Percival on the phone who's the contact for Blisworth allotments who tells me there's two people before me on the waiting list (both utter swines, I'm sure) but she's expecting enough allotments to become available in the near future. Woo Hoo!

Eeeeerm...

2006-08-04T04:13:00.000-07:00

Denise offered to buy me a "hoe" for christmas! I presume she meant a gardening implement, but either way it's very generous.

Unexpected Triumph!

2006-08-01T12:55:00.000-07:00

My wife bought me an unexpected present today; "The Allotment Book" by Andi Clevely.

I've done it! She's resigned to my latest wild notion!

Bwaaaaa ha ha haaaaaaaaa.

Roll on back breaking labour and toil... Hang on. That doesn't sound right.

Off Subject

2006-08-01T00:50:00.000-07:00

I put my date of birth into Blogger profile & it automatically adds not only that but also my Astrological Sign and bloody Zodiac Animal, gaaaaaaah! I have not the words! There seems to be no way to remove this other than removing my DOB...

And so it starts...

2006-07-31T05:36:00.000-07:00

Someone mentioned to me the other day that if I cleared one side of my garden it'd make a smashing little veg plot, and that seems to have fused something in my head. It's all I can think about. I'm obsessed! I can't wait until I get rid of the scraggy tree & the enormous mass of ivy, that's been there since we moved in, double dig it & start planting my (immaculate, of course) raised bed.

That's the way it seems to be with me. I get an idea & it's all I want to do, just like Toad of Toad Hall (a thoroughly likable fellow), and right now it's VEG!

The plot will be very small, an ideal first try I guess, so I'll not be able to supply the entire household in the first year & so I'll be better off growing some interesting things. A couple of initial thoughts are: pumpkins for the kids, perfectly timed for halloween and garlic for my wife to show her what a fantastic natural gardener I am and the fact that I've had to be dragged, kicking & screaming, into the garden in the past is, clearly, a complete irrelivance!

The problem is that my (non-existant) plot is already too small. What I really need is an allotment.

Mmmmmmmmm allotment...

There's a set of allotments about 10 minutes by bike from my house which strike me as ideal. I mentioned this to Denise, my lovely wife, and she didn't seem to know whether to laugh or cry. I told her that obviously I'd cutivate the mini plot next year & then wonder about an allotment the year after that...

But I've been thinking.

What if there's a waiting list! Plus if the available allotments are all overgrown they'll need to be sorted out before anything can be grown on them. Therefore, I written to the man at the council asking about waiting lists and rent... I haven't quite mentioned this to Denise yet. Plenty of time for that.

I'm really trying to hold myself back, but I've already been reading up on greenhouses, sheds, rotorvators, watering systems, solar power & tea making equipment. I think I've got slightly mental...

So far I calculate that I should be able to put together the "Ultimate Allotment" for a shade under 30 grand. Considering that my initial budget will be more like 50 quid I guess I'll have to phase my purchases over time. Alot of time...

I caught a little bit of the allotment program "The Big Dig" & recorded the final episode. Believe me, that hasn't helped one little bit. Although I think it has helped to infect Denise with my, barely concealed, mania.

... and I haven't even picked up a shovel yet!

I'll do another post when something happens, but that might not be for another month or so when I start to create the lil' plot.