Pruned more fruit bushes and done more digging of vegetable plot on Allotment 1

Today I went down onto Allotment 1 for 2 hours, despite it being quite soggy underfoot from the recent rain we have had. I continued pruning some more of the Blackcurrant and Redcurrant bushes however this needs completing at some point along with the Gooseberries, Loganberries and Raspberries. I also continued digging over more of the vegetable plot down the raised beds end.

Blackcurrant's and Redcurrant's after pruning

Photo showing how much has been dug soo far

Done more digging of Allotment 1 and pruned some fruit bushes

Today I went to Allotment 1 for 3 hours despite wet and drizzly weather that we had today. I continued to dig more of the vegetable plot the side the raised beds are. I also started to prune the Blackcurrant and Redcurrant bushes however due to the weather had to stop.

Photo showing how much has been dug over soo far
(dug a couple of feet today)

The Blackcurrant's and Redcurrant's in the fruit cage

Cleared raised beds on Allotment 1 and done some more digging

As it was a nice sunny afternoon I went down to and onto Allotment 1 today for about 4 hours. I tidied up the other 2 raised beds, dug them over and added some more compost to top them up. I then covered these over with weedliner to help to keep these weed free. I also cleared the paths around the raised beds from weeds and these will need more bark putting on top. The pots which contain the blueberries and fruit trees I have tided up by taking the weeds out and topping them up with some more compost, which means I need to get some ericaceous compost. 

The raised bed at the right hand side of
the Greenhouse before clearing out

The raised bed at the left hand side of
the Greenhouse before clearing out

The raised bed at the right hand side of
the Greenhouse after tidying up
and topping up with compost

The raised bed at the right hand side of
the Greenhouse after tidying up
and topping up with compost

I also continued to dig over some more of the vegetable plot, but this time I started to dig the raised bed side of the vegetable plot.

The part of the vegetable plot that I have
dug over today

Pricked out Shallot 'Simiane F1' and Shallot 'Zebrune' seedlings

Today I went to the Greenhouse and done the following:

- Pricked out 32 x Shallot 'Simiane F1' seedlings into 1 x 24 cell tray and 1/3rd of a 24 tray both filled with a mix of Westland Jack's Magic Multipurpose Compost and vermiculite. These have been put in the unheated greenhouse.

- Pricked out 39 x Shallot 'Zebrune' seedlings into 1 x 24 cell tray and 2/3rds of a 24 tray both filled with a mix of Westland Jack's Magic Multipurpose Compost and vermiculite. These have been put in the unheated greenhouse.

Shallot 'Simiane F1 Hybrid' seedlings in the
foreground and Shallot 'Zebrune' in the background

24 cell tray filled with a mix of Westland Jack's Magic Multi-Purpose
Compost and vermiculite

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Shallot 'Simiane F1 Hybrid' at the front and
Shallot 'Zebrune' at the back

I also noticed that the Cauliflower 'Mayflower', Broccoli 'Summer Purple - Sprouting' and Celery 'Marine' seeds have all germinated and these have been put into a unheated propagator. I now only have 1 small propagator on.

Cauliflower 'Mayflower' seedlings

Broccoli 'Summer Purple - Sprouting' seedlings

Celery 'Marine' seedlings

Cleared out Raised beds on Allotment 1

Today I went down onto Allotment 1 for about 1 hour. As a result of the very strong winds I decided I would start to clear out the raised beds. I managed to clear both raised beds in front of the Greenhouse and cover these with weedliner however rain stopped play and as I result I had to go home.

Before any clearing of the raised beds

Raised bed to the front right of the
Allotment Greenhouse after cleared out

Raised bed to the front left of the
Allotment Greenhouse after cleared out

Raised bed to the front right of the
Allotment Greenhouse covered in weedliner

Raised bed to the front left of the
Allotment Greenhouse covered in weedliner

Raised beds started to have been covered up by weedliner

Moved Onion 'Shakespeare', Onion 'Red Winter' and Onion 'Red Cross' sets from Home Greenhouse to Allotment Greenhouse

Today I moved the Onion 'Shakespeare', Onion 'Red Winter' and Onion 'Red Cross' sets that I planted in tray's last week down to the Allotment Greenhouse to grow to allow more space in the Home Greenhouse. If a frost is forecast I will put fleece overtop of these and if needs be provide heating in the Allotment Greenhouse.

2 x 40 cell trays Onion 'Shakespeare', 1 x 40 cell tray of Onion
'Red Cross', 1 x 40 cell tray of Onion 'Red Winter' (left to right)

1 x 24 cell tray Onion 'Shakespeare' 

More digging of Allotment 1 and Allotment Greenhouse tidy up

Today I went down to Allotment 1 for about 2 1/2 hours. I continued to dig over the vegetable plot  where I had started to dig on 13.01.2016. The ground is still quite saturated from the rain that we have had recently however I did manage to finish off the rows.

Before digging today

After the digging of today

I also tidied the Allotment Greenhouse so I am able to use it more efficiently.

The inside of the Allotment Greenhouse

Pricked out remaining Onion 'Exhibition', 'Bedfordshire Champion' and 'Ailsa Craig' seedlings, Sowed Pomegranate 'Alhambra', Broccoli 'Summer Purple - Sprouting' and Tomato 'Shirley F1' seeds

Today I went down to the Greenhouse and done the following:

- Pricked out the rest of the Onion 'Exhibition' seedlings into 2 inch pots filled with John Innes No.1 Compost. (9 plants)
- Pricked out the rest of the Onion 'Bedfordshire Champion' seedlings into 2 inch pots filled with John Innes No.1 Compost. (1 plant)
- Pricked out the rest of the Onion 'Ailsa Craig' seedlings into 2 inch pots filled with John Innes No.1 Compost. (4 plants)

Onion 'Ailsa Craig', Onion 'Bedfordshire Champion' and
Onion 'Exhibition' seedlings (left to right)

- Sowed Pomegranate (Punica) 'Alhambra' seeds into a 3 inch round pot filled with Levington John Innes Seed Compost. This has been placed into a heated propagator.
- Sowed Broccoli 'Summer Purple - Sprouting' seeds into a 3 inch round pot filled with Levington John Innes Seed Compost. This has been placed into a heated propagator.
- Sowed Tomato 'Shirley F1' seeds into a 3 inch round pot filled with Westland John Innes Seed Compost. This has been placed into a heated propagator.

Pomegranate 'Alhambra' seeds

Broccoli 'Summer Purple - Sprouting' seeds

Tomato 'Shirley F1' seeds

Pomegranate seeds in a 3 inch round pot

Tomato 'Shirley F1' seed in a 3 inch round
pot

Broccoli 'Summer Purple - Sprouting' seeds
in a 3 inch round pot

I also noticed that the Cabbage 'Greyhound' seeds (sowed 16.01.2016), Cabbage 'Hispi F1' seeds (sowed 16.01.2016), Cauliflower 'Snowball A' and Calabrese 'Marathon F1' seeds have germinated.

Cabbage 'Greyhound', Cabbage 'Hispi F1', Calabrese 'Marathon F1'
and Cauliflower 'Marathon F1' seedlings

I also switched off the propagators that the Onion seedlings are in and now only have one large heated propagator as well as one small heated propagator.

Planted Onion 'Shakespeare' and 'Red Winter' sets

Today I planted the following in the Greenhouse:

- Onion 'Shakespeare' sets into 1 x plastic 40 cell tray, 1 x polystyrene 40 cell tray and 1 x 24 cell tray filled with a mix of Westland Jack's Magic Multi-Purpose Compost and Vermiculite. (104 sets in total)

- Onion 'Red Winter' sets into 1 x polystyrene 40 cell tray filled with a mix of Westland Jack's Magic Multi-Purpose Compost and Vermiculite.

Onion 'Shakespeare' sets in a 40 cell
 polystyrene tray

Onion 'Shakespeare' sets in a 40 cell plastic tray in the background
and Onion 'Red Winter' sets in a 39 cell polystyrene tray in the
foreground

Onion 'Shakespeare' sets in a 24 cell tray

Planted Onion 'Red Cross' sets

This evening I went down to the Greenhouse for about 15 minutes and planted the following:

- Onion 'Red Cross' sets into a 40 cell tray filled with Westland Jack's Magic Compost mixed with vermiculite. This has been placed in the unheated Greenhouse.

I will continue to plant these sets tomorrow in the daylight.

40 Cell tray (with full holes in the bottom)
filled up with a mixture of Westland Jack's Magic
Compost and Vermiculite

Tray of Onion 'Red Cross' sets

Planted Garlic 'Solent Wight' cloves

Today I planted the following in the Greenhouse:

- 14 x Garlic 'Solent' cloves into 9cm square pots filled with a mix of Westland Jack's Magic Compost and Vermiculite. These have been placed in the unheated Greenhouse.

The Garlic 'Lautrec Wight' and Garlic 'Early Purple Wight' cloves appear to be growing along nicely as well as the Shallot 'Jermor' sets. The Leek 'Musselburgh' seedlings appear to be coming up very slowly which may be due to the cold weather we have had of late. The Sweet pepper 'California Wonder' seeds appear to have now germinated with 2 sweet pepper seedlings in the heated propagator at present. At present none of the Celery 'Marine', Shallot 'Zebrune' or Shallot 'Simiane F1 Hybrid' seeds have germinated. More of the Onion 'Alisa Craig', 'Bedfordshire Champion' and 'Exhibition' seeds have germinated and these onion seedlings will need pricking out to give more room in the propagator.

Garlic 'Solent Wight' cloves

Shallot 'Jermor' sets in the foreground and Leek 'Musselburgh'
seedlings in the background.

Garlic 'Lautrec Wight' and Garlic 'Early Purple
Wight' cloves

Sweet Pepper seedlings on the right hand side
with Shallot trays in the background and Onion
seedlings in the foreground

Onion 'Ailsa Craig', 'Bedfordshire', 'Exhibition'
trays.

Started Chitting Seed Potatoes 'Jazzy' and 'Vivaldi'

Today I started to chit the Seed Potatoes 'Jazzy' and 'Vivaldi' on the spare room windowsill.

Potato 'Jazzy' seed potatoes (left), Potato 'Vivaldi' seed
potatoes (right)

Sowed Cabbage 'Greyhound', Cabbage 'Hispi F1', Cauliflower 'Mayflower F1', Cauliflower 'Snowball A', Calabrese 'Marathon F1', Strawberry 'Sarian F1 Hybrid' and Strawberry 'Baron Solemacher'

Today I went into the greenhouse and sowed the following:

- Cabbage 'Hispi F1' seeds into a 3 inch round pot filled with Levington John Innes Seed Compost. This has been placed into the heated propagator.
- Cabbage 'Greyhound' seeds into a 3 inch round pot filled with Levington John Innes Seed Compost. This has been placed into the heated propagator.

- Cauliflower 'Snowball A' seeds into a 3 inch round pot filled with Levington John Innes Seed Compost. This has been placed into the heated propagator. 

- Cauliflower 'Mayflower F1 seeds into a 3 inch round pot filled with Levington John Innes Seed Compost. This has been placed into the heated propagator. 

- Calabrese 'Marathon F1' seeds into a 3 inch round pot filled with Levington John Innes Seed Compost. This has been placed into a heated propagator. 

- Strawberry 'Sarian F1 Hybrid' seeds into a 9cm square pot filled with Levington John Innes Seed Compost. This has been placed into a heated propagator. 

- Strawberry 'Baron Solemacher' seeds into a 9cm square pot filled with Levington John Innes Seed Compost. This has been placed into a heated propagator. 

I also put the rings that I made up on Thursday into the pots which contain the onions. 

3 inch pot filled with Levington John Innes Seed
Compost

9cm square pots filled with Levington John Innes
Seed Compost

Cauliflower 'Snowball A' seeds

Cauliflower 'Mayflower F1' seeds

Cabbage 'Hispi F1' seeds

Cabbage 'Greyhound' seeds

Calabrese 'Marathon F1' seeds

strawberry 'Sarian F1 Hybrid' seeds

Strawberry 'Baron Solemacher' seeds