Signs of life

At the moment, I mostly go to the allotment only to dump bags of vegetable peelings in the compost bin, the wormery at home being full. I made one of these visits on Friday morning and was delighted and amazed to see that the broad beans have germinated, and little green shoots are appearing. Quite magical on a wet November morning. Now to find out whether they need netting to keep off the birds.

New structures and seeds

Over the last couple of weekends I have managed to add some new structures to the plot.

On a sunny Saturday, I put together a wooden compost box from the easiest kit in the world - it just slots together to form a square frame. Although slightly askew, I'm sure it will do the job very well - the odd angle gives it the appropriate homespun allotment look, perhaps. I also took lots of rubbish to the tip so the plot looked slightly less desolate. On the way in I admired a neighbour's huge collection of fallen leaves; he was careful to tell me that the ones on his plot were his, although there would be some for general use left near the allotment hut later on. I considered myself warned.


Last Sunday, on a filthy wet morning that was my only chance for a while to get started, I put together a couple of the Link-a-Board raised bed kits, dug over the ground where they were to go and installed them. They are also incredibly easy to put together and peg into the ground. I felt like a cheat with these kits, but the digging was authentic hard work. Once my two beds were ready I was enthusiastic, despite the weather, to put in something that might one day produce a crop; so I sowed broad beans. I think the variety was Aquadulce, but I can't be sure: the packet was washed away in the rain ...

I have four more square metre kits to put together and intend to plant garlic and some green manure in November, while keeping an eye out for the perennial weeds that don't seem to have an off season.