Allotment Diary October 2006

Tuesday 31st October
Mum and dad went for a couple of hours. The fleece was blowing off the wire cloches and had torn a little, so removed it. Harvested some lettuce as we may lose it if it frosts. Dad weeded around fruit tree and mum weeded on bottom plot. Put sunflower stalks by compost bins. Dad tried to light fire again, no success.

Monday 30th October
Mum and dad cut off sunflower plant heads and placed in greenhouse. Dug up the plants and cut into lengths. Harvested lettuce and spinach. Put fleece over the lettuce as frosts likely. Tried to burn the weed pile. Mowed some of the grassed areas. Pulled up large weeds with seed heads. Dug out sweet pea plants and weeded some of the strawberry bed and lettuce bed, also weeded a couple of square metres on bottom plot.

Sunday 29th October
I got back from a weeks holiday on Saturday, but was ill for a week and a half before it and until half way through it! The allotment has weeds shooting up all over the place and I went with mum to harvest some things. We got tomatoes, carrots, parsnips, a turnip, the last of the cucumbers and courgettes (the plants have gone into the compost).
I weeded a few square feet (not much against the mammoth task) and got a barrow of leaf mould from the car park with mum. This was added to the compost bins on top of what is already in there and the sides were covered. We used the old shed roof which had corrugated plastic on it and wired it into place on the wire mesh compost bins. This should help retain some moisture and warmth to speed up the rotting. They still need the ends covering and a roof putting on though.

Wednesday 18th October
Mum and dad walked to the allotment and watered in greenhouse, harvested lettuce, cucumber and courgettes.

Monday 16th October
Mum and dad weeded ready for onions near fire area. Dad weeded around strawberries. Watered in greenhouse and harvested tomatoes, cucumber and courgettes.

Thursday 12th October
Mum and dad weeded potato area, around lettuce plants and spring cabbage seedlings. Harvested parsnip, carrots, lettuce, courgettes, peas, cucumbers and tomatoes. Composted pea plants and a courgette plant. Still courgettes coming on remaining plants.

Sunday 8th October
Me mum and dad went down, me and mum weeded onion bed area and dad weeded potato area. Tried to burn fire. Harvested and watered. Swedes are swelling now.

Friday 6th October
Mum and dad harvested 2 marrows, 10 Kg in weight, peas and lettuce. Watered in greenhouse. Closed windows as gales forecast.

Wednesday 4th October
Mum and dad harvested last of maincrop potatoes Cara. 45Kg in all, 12Kg good, 33Kg slug damaged but useable.

Monday 2nd October
Mum and dad harvested Butternut squash and composted spent plants. Harvested courgettes, tomatoes and peas. Lifted outdoor tomato plants and composted stems and damaged tomatoes. Dad weeded around leeks and on bottom plot.