Needin a new Eden

That's a wrap

2005-08-31T17:31:00.000+01:00

So thanks guys (Vishal, Vyishnu, Deepak and John) , or maybe I should hold off until I see the program which I believe is be aired tomorrow on NVTV. I will have to admit its a wee bit exciting. So for anyone in the belfast area tune in to 799.27 for a bit of quality viewing!

2005-08-30T13:58:00.000+01:00

It makes me happy

Keep them coming

2005-08-30T13:45:00.000+01:00

Well this is the time of year when all that hard work is meant to become worth it and after a allotment lunch of tomatoes and cauliflower and stilton soup I'm saying yes. That was tast y!

So as you maybe able to tell I am managing to maintain a good level of enthusiasm apart from the usual pains like shot cabbages and cauliflowers and the ever encroucing docs in the bottom corner.

One of my great delights at the moment is the profusion of tomatoes. The big dose of green ones that were there a few weeks ago have started to ripen. All the seemingly harsh cutting back of leaves, side shoots and growing tips seems to have really paid off. Or maybe it was the resident frog I had for a few days dealing with the slugs and beasties!

Below I have posted some photos of some of the things that are looking good at the moment.

15 Minutes of Fame

2005-08-17T16:37:00.000+01:00

Was that Warhol who said everyone has their 15 minutes of fame. Well I took one step closer to that statement today with my big interview for NVTV. Well maybe, not but it was a lot of fun and the guys who were doing it were very professional.

So will have to see what happens there and will get a few photos and details up on the blog.

As far as the allotment is concerned things have been progressing quite well this last few months. The big successes have been the peas, strawberries, potatoes and cauliflower, with the French beans being a bit too successful.

The cabbage has shot, maybe due to the dry weather, the broad beans look a bit meager. Could be that I didn't nip the central growing bud early on. Not sure. Garlic has rotted a bit in the ground, as have the onions. Don't think I picked them soon enough after the tops died over. Carrots were a disaster. Transplanting them caused them to turn into curly carrots. Although I did manage to prevent the carrot fly this year.

The red cabbage is scarley big and the pumpkins are taking over the plot. And it great to see the broccoli coming on nicely.

Weeds are ever encroaching onto the plot. Need a small petrol strimmer to tidy up the edges.

Again a few photos would by the order of the day.

Moment of Glory

2005-08-16T15:04:00.000+01:00

Well looks like i'm not going to have time for this blogging malarky anymore as tomorrw signals the begining of my tv career!

Northern visions, a local tv company, attainable on 799.27 on terrestiral tv, have asked me for an interview after hearing about my allotment through the blog.

It's quite exciting and I am looking forward to talking a bit about the allotment.

So will keep you posted.

Vista Allotments

2005-08-08T15:56:00.000+01:00

Got this link to this great looking website for these rather smart looking private allotments in the castlereagh hills.

Been a while

2005-07-11T15:47:00.000+01:00

NO real excuses to offer apart from a few weeks of busy work and a large element of laziness when i comes to the blogging.

But as far as the allotment is going things are coming on a treat. There are always and mixture of joys and dissapointments when one visits the allotment. Things like the french beans look a bit under the weather or the the peas are just not happening, or the stawberries are coming on. Well over the last few months the joys have been outweighting the disappointments which is just what you need to keep the moral up.

2005-05-13T14:16:00.000+01:00

Saturday's Shots

Playing with my mind!

2005-05-13T12:32:00.000+01:00

Oh that naughty asparagus. It has started teasing me already and its only been planted=ed now for about a month. There are now a number of tempting green spears that look just ready for picking, but alas I have to desist this year. It seems they need a year or two to get the energy up for good spears.

Other excitement on the plot is that I had a day and a half off over the weekend there which allowed me to get all of the reclamation digging that I plan to get done this year finished as I am aware that it would be good to do other things with my life. Quite fancy getting back on the bike again.

Saturday was a mad day with the weather getting all sunny then throwin down these mad hail stones. But dodging the showers Morag and I managed to get a fair bit sorted. Morag got a number of great photos that I will post.

Tuesday night there, I got cauliflower and cabbage under a great poly tunnel from lidl given to me by Adain. Thanks.

2005-05-04T16:26:00.000+01:00

Greenhouse complete and onions and peas in.

2005-05-04T16:24:00.000+01:00

The 'warm' cold frame

A few notes

2005-05-04T16:06:00.000+01:00

Stuff of note:

Runner beans planted in 75mm pots and paper pots. Last week 27th Apr.
Finished the greenhouse. Hassle involved. Dad cut me some funny sized panes and I improvised with wire clips. Perspex bought from b and q done the curved panels but was annoying to work with.
Painted the great cold frame
Moved most of the seedlings out of the shed into the green house.
Realized the need for good labels that don't fall out as I don't know my aubergine from my peppers now
Finished working though the main soil area with the fork. The large brown square is a bit big looking.
Monday night there, I planted coriander and brocoli. Got home and read in my grow your own vegtables book that brocoli don't respond well to transplanting. The one night I didn't bring the book to the allotment. Dam!
Most of the seedlings are coming on well

False sense of security

2005-04-27T09:41:00.002+01:00

Can't help thinking that I have kind of managed to sort get a little bit on top of things down at weed world. But there is this lingering feeling about a mass of weeds are all hiding under the surface ready to rise up in a eco revolution! So will have to be prepared.

But things are coming together. Got 4 rows of peas in and covered with some perspex to stop the cheeky birds. There were also 2 rows of onions set. This was all done on Thursday of last week 21th.

Seedlings wise the artichokes are up and looking great. This is along with the red cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, lettuce and the beginnings of the tomatoes. Planted a load of French beans and pumpkins last week. Still waiting on the peppers.

Quick Catch-up

2005-04-21T14:00:00.000+01:00

Pumpkins planted on Monday in 75mm pots.
Strawberries planted last weekend.
Glass purchased for green ghouse £30
Amazing cold frame delivered. Thanks Joe my bro, its a great job. (photo to follow)
Not enough sorted yet.

I am getting worried at the moment (as worried as one might get about casual allotmenting) that because April has been such a rainy month, that I have got badly behind in my planting . French beans, onions and peas should be in by now.

Hopefully there is a change for the better in the weather soon.

2005-04-21T13:47:00.000+01:00

Scary Roots

Was planting these asparagus crowns on Tuesday night and couldn't help thinking they reminded me of something unpleasant. Well, just there, when I was looking at the photo again, it suddenly struck me they have a bit of a resemblance to the alien in Alien when it attaches itself to the guys face. Eeeck! Wondered why I didn't really feel comfortable planting them. Or maybe it was just cause I wasn't sure if I was doing it right.

Aspiring to Asparagus

2005-04-15T13:58:00.000+01:00

An order of 12 asparagus crowns arrived on wed. from Jane's Lane Nursery from eBay. Thought they were very reasonable. I had some for dinner the other night and thought, this is the way forward. Aim to plant them this weekend and hope to have myself some tender green spears next year. Oh I can wait!

Got those great looking red and blackcurrent bushes in last night. Just hope it wasn't too late to plant them as they are in leaf. I put them in front of the green house as a wind break.

2005-04-14T14:18:00.000+01:00

A few illustrator illustrations

It's getting there

2005-04-12T13:39:00.000+01:00

So in went the spuds on Saturday. My method of creating a raised bed and popping the tubers into a trowel dug hole with some dung, may not have been as labour saving as digging a few drills. Hope I left enough space between rows to allow easy earthing over if required.

Yet more raspberry canes arrived, thanks to Joe, and for the offer of some red and black current bushes. Most appreciated.

Work over the week and at the weekend got the floor of the greenhouse in order, irises planted by Morag, general digging done, some lettuce and freesias planted and started on some drills. It has been rather wet of late.

Flagging

2005-04-04T13:25:00.000+01:00

No, it's not really how I would describe my mental state in relation to the allotment, its just that I managed to get hold of a few concrete flagstones at the weekend. Thanks to Chris for all the help with heavin around those 3' X2's. There not light sure.

Saturday afternoon was so sunny that the big bad cutter's wharf monster kidnapped me and made me drink pints in the sunshine, also those flags had near kilt me, so there were no spuds planted.

Sunday managed get most of the unbroken glass into the greenhouse with the help of my wonderful assistant Morag. Then later that evening we done some exciting seed planting. Got the:
Tomatoes
Leeks
Artichokes
Some carrots
Cauliflower
and Red Cabbage

sown in their trays and under glass. I look forward to seeing what happens next.

2005-04-01T14:05:00.000+01:00

Morag found one of those disposable cameras the other week and it happened to contain shots of some of our first visits to the allotment. Here's a college of what it was like....
in the beginning

A few Raspberries

2005-03-31T14:52:00.000+01:00

Seemed there was no need to spend £15 on raspberry canes as they have been coming to me from all roads and directions. Mystery ones, Tom's ones Grainne's ones and Sally's ones. Had so many that the neat row (see dia.below) was last night surpassed by the quick, stick them in the ground method, no dung or nothing. So I will see what happens there.

So along with MORE digging I planted 43 cauliflower seeds last night in the new improved extended spring evenings.

This is was an attempt to make up for my trip away with the halions at the weekend to Scotland for some biking action. The bruises are healing nicely thanks.

2005-03-24T15:14:00.000Z

Raspberry Plan

2005-03-21T13:54:00.000Z

Greenhouse insitu

2005-03-21T13:48:00.001Z

Last Spring

2005-03-21T13:48:00.000Z

Spring, this year

Progress

2005-03-21T13:31:00.000Z

Here are a couple of self encouraging photos. The first shows things as of Saturday there. It was a useful day consisting of a couple of hours digging and sitting down drinking some tea.

The other photo is one that I found the other day that had been taken last year. It shows the areas that were dug over and the amount of weedy areas that I am dealing with this year.

The green house got itself a spot there on Friday. Thanks to Dad who helped me gather up a few old blocks from around the house and get a pretty level base constructed for my new tropical paradise. See picy.

As time moves towards the end of March, I am becoming aware of the fact that I haven't really planted that much yet. The reason being that I think I have become mildly obsessed with getting all the ground looking nice and brown and weed free. Things like the early potatoes, the tomato seeds and most of the other seeds would need potted up or planted. It might be a good idea for me to redirect my energies .

Where a week goes.

2005-03-09T16:24:00.000Z

Well its all happening down in Eden. The council have been in clearing old plots out to create room for more diggers. So that should lead to a small indent on the allotment waiting list.

As for myself, the last post or so has encompassed two weekends. The first was reasonably productive with MORE digging done, but last weekend there, being a bit of a non event. Too much out on the town-ness! But thankfully the evenings are starting to loose their grip and I have been able to pop down for an hour after work which is a great tonic to a day in an office.

Got the garlic planted last Thursday and attempted to get some raspberry canes in. Got 5 though the post in a paper bag. That was strange. Sally, next plot, gave me a few and last night I was down and 3 or 4 had been heeled into the middle of the allotment. So thanks in advance of knowing who they are from.

I am becoming conscious (not just in general) of the things that are needing planted or seeds potted up. Maybe if I stopped all this incessant typing and did some work! No, its all the digging that is the bulk of the work at the moment. Reaching the point call perseverance, but it'll all be fine.

Respect to the RHS

2005-03-01T17:17:00.000Z

A few links from the RHS that relate to what I am aiming to grow this year.

Tomatoes
Fleece
Chillies
Transplanting
Summer Veg
Knowing your Onions!

A different Approach

2005-03-01T13:47:00.000Z

So, Saturday was another day of digging. After last Saturday's difficult session I was a bit wary of the effort involved. But after a start with the spade I thought this is not really happening so, though frustration, out came the fork and started loosening the root bound soil. After a few different tacks, I found that good progress was being made. Within I couple of hours I had cleared a larger areas than expected and decided the fork was the way forward.

I think it was the fact that weeds such as nettle, bindweed and couch grass have been growing in these areas for about 6 years and have totally over run the soil.

The only consolation is the fact that nettles are an indicator of good soil.

Also laid out the Winston early potatoes to chit.

Seems like I'm really into this!

2005-02-23T13:47:00.000Z

Actually a lot of stuff happened around the weekend, on top of the stuff I mentioned previous.

Got a mention on Jane Perrone's blog. Very exciting. Morag bought me this funny wooden device for making pots out of paper and my allotment DVD arrived. It's not bad, am learning a bit from it but the presenters are a bit too enthusiastic for me.

Do worry sometimes that it might be me who's a bit too enthusiastic!

2005-02-21T16:30:00.000Z

My dear Morag modelling the 'new to me' greenhouse

The new Eden

2005-02-21T15:57:00.000Z

A bit of development has taken place on the blog. A new title which I feel more comfortable with rather than rob's log slog which some might think was a bit ODD . Also think I have managed to get some form of links side bar , in fact I think I have 2 methods. Blogrolloing which I have n't sussed out completely yet and Dave sent me a load of html that was good but a bit hard to get to grips with.

A reasonably productive weekend, what with getting the greenhouse down yesterday evening and some digging on Saturday. But I tell you that digging isn't getting any easier. Seemed to be that when I did get the spade into the ground that each spadeful consisted of more roots and crap than soil. rant, rant, rant.

Seeds came today. So there's a wee something to focus on.

Got a few things the other day in the garden centre. But accidentally bought potting compost based on spagnuem moss in it . Didn't realize till i got home. Not the most sustainable material so will try and change it. I also got some fleece to protect the carrots from carrot fly and seed potatoes which will need left out to chit.

2005-02-18T13:58:00.000Z

Forcing Rhubarb

The Veggies etc...

2005-02-17T17:29:00.000Z

So here is a list of the stuff I am hoping to grow this year. A few changes from last year.

Stuff I won't be bothering with:

Turnips: Not big into them. One of Ella's favorite books, The enormous Turnip, Dave says!
Spring Onions: Got 2 out of a 3m row.
Kale: didn't fancy it
French Beans: didn't freeze well. Stringy to eat

So a few more fancy things this year. Garlic and cilantro whoooo!

But the great news is the acquisition of a greenhouse from Morag's Mum and Dad's next door neighbour. Hope to get that on Saturday. So hopefully a few tomatoes, aubergine will be happening.

2005-02-17T17:11:00.000Z

Seed list

Things to Do

2005-02-11T13:29:00.000Z

Well the last couple of months have seen a few of the many things happen that need to happen such as digging the new area, cutting back the edges, getting a shed up and getting a load of dung down.

But there are still a few things to sort before planting can commence. What about a wee list:

1. Relax
2. Finish the Phase 2 digging (the hard bit)
3. Fork over the phase 2 bit. (2 or 3 times)
4. Dig over phase 1 (the easy-ish bit)
5. Dig in the dung
6. Realign the planting beds
7. Order seeds
8. Finish the edges

Was thinking of putting in raised beds, but a fourm I was reading yesterday mentioned they were a major slug trap. So might not bother. Ah dear!

So there it is, a bit of motivation and order for the next wee while.

2005-02-08T17:22:00.000Z

sketchblog

I am putting these links here as i have'nt figured out how to put them on the side.

2005-02-08T17:18:00.000Z

Omlet | About Us | the goodlife

Dung Dynamics

2005-02-07T16:56:00.000Z

Well, Saturday was the great dung displacement day. Went home to find a heavenly sight of dad at home with the digger. This made me very happy as I wouldn't have to shovel the black gold I was after onto the trailer. So after helping him with a few posts we loaded up the trailer and bought it down the allotment. Wheeled a good 20 barrow fulls down to me plot and was very tired afterwards.

You know you are going though life changes when you start to get descriptive and excited about dung, but this is top grade, well rotted, worm infested muck and it makes me a bit happy.

So there!

2005-02-01T17:23:00.000Z

A great winters saturday afternoon complete with Chris there, doin a bit.

Introduction Part 3

2005-01-31T15:13:00.000Z

Above is a shot of the allotment from the bottom west corner looking into the rest of the surrounding plots. Its useful to give a bit of context. It shows some of the other allotments adn gives an impression of the character of the place with its random constctions and working plots.

So then, as i was saying, the summer was a pleasure-popping down in the light summer evenings (pine, pine) to pull a few weeds or a spot of planting, and then the pleasure off seeing the veggies grow and of course eating them.

The sketch below shows the dimentions of the plot and what was planted last year. It also show phase 2, the area i am dealing with this year.

Introduction Part 2

2005-01-27T17:20:00.000Z

So the weeds, that was where I started. Spent 4 months, start of last year, clearing the ground of existing surface debris, digging it over with a spade and then forking out all the roots. This part took 3 goes to clear them all.

This worked really well preventing pretty much all of the mad weeds returning apart from the horsetails. They just keep on coming.

Reckon I got half the site cultivatable and have the joy of phase 2 (See plan below) to do this year. I love it really.

After getting that area done I got a load of stuff planted. It really was great in the more celment weather of the summer to pop down once or twice a week and do a spot of weeding or just have a beer.

2005-01-25T16:42:00.000Z

The Plan 2004

Time for an Introduction. Part 1

2005-01-25T13:45:00.000Z

As the title says this is a blog charting the rise and rise of my own allotment here in Belfast.

The piece of land situated at Annadale allotments, beside the River Lagan, was given to me by Belfast city council one year ago. When I worked at the council about 5 years ago I put my name down on the allotment list in the hope of maybe getting one in the next 20 years. But due to council efficiency I got a letter last year bequeathing one to myself. I was very excited!

A small film of this excitement was lightly sanded off when I first went to visit my new piece of paradise as it was hip high in 6 years of crouch grass nettles and other all-sorted weeds.

And the digging goes on

2005-01-24T17:23:00.000Z

Another Monday in the middle of winter. apparently the most depressing day of the year.

I reckon the allotment with its inherent qualities of outstanding, sun or rain light and fresh air are helping to keep a few of my spirits up.

Saturday was a good few hours digging that seen the bottom corner turned over and a start made on the edges.

Am aiming to get the edges into shape as I feel it would be good to have a clear idea of what I am cultivating and what is fallow ground. At least for morale reasons.

THE SUMMER IDYLL

2005-01-20T11:03:00.000Z

Summer Goodness

What is my motivation?

2005-01-20T10:31:00.000Z

Flicking through a couple of photos the other day and in the allotment file found this summery one and thought I would put it up to remind me of the lush idyll it can be, as things in the depths of winter are not just as exciting.

An insight into allotment blogs

2005-01-18T13:34:00.000Z

Had a wee search there at lunch time on google for allotment blog and first up was Jane perrone's organic gardening blog. Wow, i am rather impressed. Inspiration abounds. Stuff like the links, her interests, the fact she writes for the Guardian, its all very impressive. here

Also felt a bit overwhelmed about what i have just begun. But i guess its ok and who knows maybe one day i will have a links on her site!

Dig it!

2005-01-17T17:06:00.000Z

After a good lie in, sunday morn, got myself up, had a tasty bagel then headed to the allotment. It was a joy to be back after a week.

After last weeks strong winds, the shed my brother joe made for me is still standing strong and was a welcome sight amonst the scarey weed riden ground. But there was nothing else for it, so out came me spade. Managed a good area of digging in the bottom corner of the site that has been covered with plastic for a year. It was hard going to start but then the ground became a bit easier to work. Got a good 9 m2 done in under an hour give of take a cup of tea and stevo visiting.

Spoke to the great Tom who had popped in to tend to his beetroot. He reckoned i should get the poly tunnel that Nigel has for me. It might be susceptable to vandals though. He also offered me a load of strawberry plants which is just what im after.

a cupa

2005-01-17T12:29:00.000Z

this is me having a cuppa at the new shed ater a good bit of digging.
the new shed

oh dear what do i do now!

2005-01-14T11:28:00.000Z

right ok here we go. Where do i start. Could talk about