Plot Notes

A personal journal, open for the world to read, recording the progress of a novice allotmenteer on his allotment.



Weed it and reap.


Monday 15 February 2010

Sack o' Spuds

There was a sack of seed potatoes from Kings Seeds waiting for me when I got home from work tonight.

I had missed the catalogue deadline for ordering seed potatoes and was forewarned to expect some substitutes in place of my chosen varieties but as it happens they have delivered everything I asked for; 3kg of each of the following:-

First earlies - Duke of York
Second earlies - Estima
Early maincrop - King Edward
Late maincrop - Golden Wonder.

I now need store them in a cool airy frost-free place and read-up on planting times and chitting theories and work out what to do with them for best results.

The only things outstanding from the Kings seed order now are the 12 asparagus crowns and 3 rhubarb crowns which will be coming in March. I did pick up a couple of asparagus crowns and rhubarbs in Morrisons a couple of weeks ago. Couldn't resist at £1 a go. I also got some onion sets at same price; 40 red onions and 40 yellow. Still need to order the grapevines.

I popped into Wilkinson at lunchtime today. They had a few allotment related bargains and I came away with a fleece tunnel, an armful of 8ft canes for the runner beans and french beans and some 10 inch clear plastic bell-shaped cloches with pegs . Saved myself about £20 on what it would have cost at the local garden centre. Would have saved a bit more if I'd waited and bought my propagators from there instead of from the garden centre this weekend.

I will go back to Wilkinson when I have made a list of things I'm likely to need on the plot this year. Things that spring to mind at the moment are a watering can, netting to keep birds, butterflies and slugs off the fruit and veg, gardening gloves and some fertiliser.

5 comments:

  1. Thank you for following my blog. I thought I would pop over and check yours out. I was in your situation last year, I got my allotment around March time, but it wasn't in quite the same condition as yours. I still haven't cleared the whole plot, but hopefully it will get done this year. I do alot of allotment shopping at Wilkinsons too, they have some great bargains. Good luck with your allotment, I look forward to following your progress.

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  2. Cheers Jo. I'm following a fair few allotment blogs at the moment. I'm on a steep learning curve and I'm constantly on the look-out for tips and reassurance that I'm on the right lines.

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  3. Good luck with your project. The only advice I can thus far give is this; be prepared for skinned knuckles and general pain, mud is called soil if you want people to take you seriously, hardening off isn't a knob joke, and vodka is your friend!

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  4. I have left you an award on my blog. I hope you will accept it, but you are under no obligation to pass it on. I just wanted to let you know that I enjoy reading your blog.

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  5. Phil, like your blog best of luck for 2010. I'm envious of the space you have, my wife won't let me dig up any more of our garden!

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