I can't believe how long it has been since I updated this blog.
I started with the best intentions to update at least once a week, but with the arrival of my first grandson at the start of March my limited free time has been squeezed even more than before.
I have been taking videos each week, however, and I have added a couple which I took in March below.
At last it looks like the drainage problems I have been experiencing on the top of my allotment may have been solved.
The drainage channel that was dug in back in January has been successful in letting the surplus water in the centre clear away, so I have been able to get the first of the soft fruit beds put in.
As these beds are a lot narrower than the beds that I have already put in because otherwise I would have six inches of wood and only 18 inches of soil in between.
The site has recently had a delivery of old scaffolding boards which were perfect for what I wanted, and were very cheap at only 20p per foot, so the cost for both beds was only £15.
I still need to do something about the very top of my ground, next to the path, as when it rains any surplus water from the wildlife area above my plot comes over the path and straight onto my plot where the ground level is lower. I can either raise my ground or dig a diverting trench along the path - not sure what will be best.
There are still a few over wintering veg on the plot, but with the weather we have had recently they will be OK in the ground for a few more weeks.
I hope that the weather starts to look and feel like spring soon - I have loads of seeds waiting to be sown, but there is no point right now.
I've not been able to get down to the plot much recently, either the weather has been too bad or I haven't had any transport, so I was quite anxious to see the state of my raised beds and their frames after the recent heavy snow we have had in Oldham.
When I got there it was soon clear that the majority of the plot had survived the worst weather of the winter so far with the exception of Bed 1 where the netting had been pretty much destroyed by the weight of the snow.
I was also looking forwards to seeing the results of the visit of the digger to the plot last weekend when the drainage channel that I had dug in Autumn was deepened and widened.
Hopefully this will allow most of the surplus surface water on the plot to drain away once I manage to get pipes and gravel into the trench on my plot.
I will report back once I have been able to make some more progress.
I can't believe that it has been so long since I posted, but in my defense I have been suffering from Labrynthitis which has meant that any time I look at a screen of any kind I start to feel like I am getting travel sick, without the travel.
Anyway, just a quick post today as I am about to go off for a week's holiday in North Devon with the family.
Here is a video I made last weekend showing the progress on the plot over the previous two weeks - hope you like it.
