Good Morning everybody in Lottie Land.

I only have a small blog today. I went to the Lottie yesterday and spent 2 1/4 hours down there doing a job that should only have take 1 hour max. The weather was so nice I spent most of the time chatting to other plots holders. Me and Mom even helped another lady with the bark chippings for her path. They are on the edge of my Lottie and she is 3/4 of the way back from the gate. She was very grateful for the help and it gave us a chance to find out more about another plot holder.

Me and mom planted some dwarf beans plant which I brought for 99p and each tub had 3-5 seeds already sprouting in. I thought they were a bargain. I have also started some of my own to prolong the growing season a little longer. We also planted a couple of sweet pea plants on a wigwam. These can be seen in the background.

Here you can see mom planted another 2 rows of peas for me. The first lot appear to be settling in okay. With all these plants gone my greenhouse looked very empty until I started on the next lot of sowing for veg and flowers for the garden.

Told you this would be short.

Yours Mim

New Fence and more veg planted

Hello again.
I went to the Lottie again today and took my camera this time.
I think the fence looks very nice and makes the Lottie look tidy even though it isn't. Here it is from the other side of the Lottie!!! Told you it make it's look tidy!!!!!!

Anyway the broad beans are doing well and I took the other I had started in Feb down to the Lottie today. They should be doing well by the end of the month.
There are now some of the 30 Broad Bean plants in the Lottie. I tried something different with the poles and netting today. I wove the canes at the ends of the netting through the holes in the netting. I am trying this way for the first time and I will tell you how it works out. I hope it works ok as it is very easy to do and should hold all the peas.
Here is the Lottie form the road on the site. I think that it will look much better when we have the sweetcorn and the parsnips and carrots growing and the horseradish gone.
Hope to get to the Lottie again in the coming week and the 'better weather'.Looking forward to hearing from all soon.
Mim

Work is Progressing slowly

Hello everyone,
This is just a quick update on the Lottie. Spring has still not really arrived except for March Winds and are we going to get April Showers. We just have to wait and see. These photos were taken before I put a path in and divided the Lottie into a couple of smaller beds and leaving the rest for raised beds.
As you can see I transplanted the Rosemary from the old Lottie and it is thriving well. Also moved for most of the Sweet William, Rhubarb and Raspberry canes.
Here you can see the 2 small ranks of potatoes (running at 90 degrees to the water butts ) and the broad beans (only 6 plants in at the moment) and I think I may lose them yet. Good job I have the greenhouse so I can grow some more.
The Rhubarb that was on the Lottie is doing very well and we should get some good pies from it. I was surprise to find what I thought was 2 crowns and it appears that there may be as many as 8.

Here we can see that I have got half of the plot weeded and started. I still have great plans for the Lottie and am starting to get them put into operation. We have decided to not put a shed on the Lottie as it would take up valuable space. We have use of the neighbour's shed to put our tools in. Most people on this site appear to share a shed if they have half plots . It is a good idea and gives both plots more space in the end.

The site is having an open day in Aug and we have all been asked to put in some extra stuff so it can be sold fresh on the day to the public. This should give them a taste for good and well grown veg. It has been and interesting 3 months on the new Lottie, we have met some really characters on this site and have had a really good laugh.

I am not comparing the 2 sites I have been on but the people here are very friendly, helpful and you can have a good laugh at them and with them. The character of the new Lottie site is fun and joviality. A pleasure to work on.

The biggest problem I have found is the wind and how cold it is on the site when it blows.

Any ideas on making a wind break.

I must go now as I have plants to attend to.

Yours Mim

New Greenhouse

Hello All, my new greenhouse, is starting to get up and running. My conservatory is now getting clear of pots and propagators and so the hubby is pleased. The greenhouse only took a day to dismantle and re put up with the help of 3-4 people it was done in a only a few hours and only 1 pane of glass was broken in the transportation of it. Well done them I say.

As you can see I already have a lot of seeds started and some were only started a week ago. the peas want to get a move on. I have got broad beans and a courgette called EIGHT BALL. it should produce a lot of courgettes only 2 inches around and spherical in shape. I will let you know how they do.


In this tray we have Nasturtiums and Tomatoes, I have showed mixed seeds this year, some tumbles and some other varieties that do not tumble; cant remember which at present. But having the greenhouse means I can try some in there as well as having a go at some cucumbers. I have never grown them before because I've never had a greenhouse before.
The allotment is going alright at the moment. I have put some very early spuds in and some of the broad beans in. I haven't put my paths in yet but I have the wood I need to start them. I have roughly worked out where I want the raised beds, but having been off work for a month with my asthma the lottie and the rest of the gardening has been put on hold. But now I have gone back to work we can start again in earnest with the work. I am aiming at having just 5 raised beads this year and see what happens with them. $ will be edged with the wood we found in our garden and the 5th will be made from the sides of the shed salvaged from 1st lottie I had. I recently gave that one up and can now concentrate on the new one.

Anyway I will go now and hope to hear from you all soon.

Mim