December has come in and let us know, wind, rain and cold, put the three together and you get depressing days that finish early! We must not be put off by negative thoughts as we look through the windows before deciding to venture out.

Yesterday, sunday, I would have thought twice before going to the plot because of the wind and rain but we had a site inspection so off I went. Suprisingly the rain eased and the wind dropped during the inspection and so I stayed and managed to get a little work done - the same happened again today, so the moral is go to the plot and see what can be done. When you get home into the now ‘hot’ house you feel good.

The main jobs that can be completed in this weather are tidying up and clearing away rubbish from those areas that have just been left, but overall the plot begins to look better as a result.

Have you worked out your seed order and sent it off, I haven’t yet even though I’ve been trying to get round to it for some time now. Last week I managed to get quite a number of these little jobs done and out of the way and I feel better for it, as I had been ignoring them for some time.

This week I think it will be the same as the weather is going to continue in the same mould and the early nights seem to affect us all one way or another. When I moved the compost bins and filled two of them up with the part rotted material, I was surprised by the pile of good compost that came out of them. I stacked it in the enlarged manure area because I didn’t think that there would be enough to finish tunnel 2 off, but seeing the pile I have changed my mind and will now complete the job started last week.

Just remember that even in the awfull weather it is still worth going to the plot

Note

I have been asked to advertise the following water containers:-

Lamb Pitts Allotments have a couple of 1000 L liquids containers to dispose of. These are ”Schultz” type cube-shaped containers, made of plastic with a tap at the bottom, and are free-standing in galvanised metal cages.

They £25 to anyone who can arrange to collect them from Lamb Pitts. Please contact myself, John Boyle on 998 4564 or the site manager, Derek Moore, on 286 2355 or mobile 0781 6956913 

JOBS FOR THE WEEK

1. Spread compost in tunnel 2 - done
2. Prune grape vines in tunnels - done
3. Tidy old dead leaves in tunnels - done
4. paint shed if dry
5. dig over area where compost bins stood

WORK DONE THIS WEEK

Sunday

1. tidy old brassica leaves from beds
2. water tunnel 1
3. pull old flowers from sides of paths

Monday

1. Prune grape vines
2. clear old leaves from tunnels
3. tidy planks up
4. Continue pruning shrubs

Tuesday & Wednesday

1. What with the weather and work related items I have not mqnaged to get any thing done 

Thursday

1. Water tunnel 1
2. Spread compost in tunnel 2 

Friday 

1. Prune apple and pear stepovers
2. Start clearing storage area

CROPS PICKED THIS WEEK

1. Sprouts
2. cabbage
3. Leeks
4. Parsnips