My Allotment's Work In Progress

On the shed or the allotment? It only took two hours to recover the shed on my own and I still need to put another layer on top as I don't want to do it again. Look around at the other sheds on site who have had patches added here and there I presume that the exposed location has weakened the shed felt somewhat.

Also I should add that I wasn't the one who half painted it either so will have to finish that off, hopefully my fence paint will match it.

The outside may do but the inside is more home for the local spiders than me at the moment. This is going to be a winter project for me though, so I will always be kept occupied.

Yesterday I found out that the window is only held in with a butterfly catch, which is slightly worrying.Also as the shed isn't braced it likes to sway around a bit when you're hammering nails in, which will need to be addressed.

How it currently looks inside.

 

Looking forward to seeing that shed become a thing of beauty over the Autumn/Winter JJ,
enjoy,
Jenny

 

Great job so far JJ

 

Painted the shed today. Had just enough to do the shed and most of the door. Cut back the blackthorn as well.

Next I removed one of the plastic compost bin and started shovelling it out only to find a couple of mice asleep, or very groggy at least.

Here's a pic. I suspect they could be dormouse but would like a second opinion if anyone can offer one. Had to stop work as I didn't feel right carrying on around them.

 

Ok so I have now got confirmation from the local warden I work with that these are indeed dormice and that it is illegal to knowingly disturb them.

So I have been busy making some little nest boxes for them as they will then have a new home to go to, hopefully.

 

Awww that's brilliant JJ,They're such cute little creatures

 

wow,

Apparently Tennis Ball's make an idea nesting box's for doormices, perhaps you should encourage other allotment holders to provide nesting box's for the doormice, a local wildlife sanctuary should be able give advice on best things to do, as this is such an endangered animal.

I've been reading this thread with some envy, as I so want my allotment but won't know until the rents are due for next year, which is about now. So in the catch 22 situation at the moment, if I get an allotment now I have a very short space of time really to get things up and running with veg that need to go in now/next month or so and/all be able to get the allotment prepared before the main winter sets in and planting starts after Christmas.

Also, until I know one way or the other, I can't make my final decision to what I'm going to do with my new greenhouse over the winter period, whether I'm going to just overwinter some of my container plants that need frost protection over winter, or save space ect for planting up veg seeds for an early start on the allotment.

 

Is there much? Garlic and over winter onions perhaps? Both those can be planted in small pots and planted out a bit later, when the ground is ready.

Ideal time to be preping soil / plot ready for next year. Ideally soon enough that and severe cold during the winter can "get at" the soil, but if it took all winter to get the plot ready that would be fine ...

Apologies if I'm doing the Egg Sucking thing!!

 

@Kristen

Nah, you're not doing the Egg Sucking thing hehehe

I've got a very steep learning curve ahead of me, some things I do know of, I say know of as it's like turning turning over the plot prior to main winter apart that it's somewhere being end of harvest and before the main hard winter hits (general before Christmas) crop rotation but what crops, when to rotate and what with is the mysterious part!

But I still need to know what direction I'm taking next year, is it going to be just my garden flowers/greenhouse veg or a allotment as well to consider, when it comes to seed sowing and/or bringing on plugs.... As if I plant up some garlic and overwinter onions sets, then find out that getting an allotment is going to happen for 2015, I'm a bit knackered to where I can put them as no real room in the garden...

 

Sorry I should have mentioned that I currently volunteer at a wildlife park which is how I got a response so quickly. The warden as well as confirming that they were indeed dormouse also attached plans to his email on making a dormouse house.

This is what I came up with. The roof is made from a roof tile I found on the plot.

What's the rush? I mean I'm not going to be growing anything this year and don't have a problem with it at all. Hopefully by next spring I will be ready to start growing things. I could plant garlic and onions but would rather get the weed problem sorted before hand. Otherwise I would be endlessly weeding around them with a soil that's not up to scratch as well either.

 

Apart from buying some Garlic bulbs, before your preferred supplier run out, there is no rush. If you will hear "shortly" that you have an allotment then if you then get a wiggle on to order some Garlic that will be in plenty enough time. Was there anything else you wanted to plant this Autumn? I'm struggling to think of anything particularly essential - soft fruit perhaps (November would do for that)? But having said that you might be desperate for overwintering onions or somesuch?

Re: getting the plot "in hand" - probably not worth discussing much until you have a plot, and know whether it is head-high in brambles, or the previous plot owner left it in pristine condition but it might help to know if the soil is heavy clay, light sandy soil, or something else.

 

With the help of my fellow plotters I finally moved one of my beds from one side to the other. Creates a bit more balance I think. Also I can get me wheel barrow down the beds finally.

This picture was taken Friday when I received help moving the scaffold boards. Unfortunately one broke up and today I replaced it.



This was taken today with a new board cut. I haven't yet screwed the boards together yet as I want to use some 2x2 lying around the workshop so I can drape some netting over the beds.

 

great progress x

 

Yay - taking shape JJ,
lubbly jubbly,
Jenny

 

@Jungle Jane That's fantastic! I hope you're advising others these aren't baby rats etc. and should be encouraged. I've planted lots of Hazels on one of my plots and would love Dormice to turn up. I lay down squares of corrugated iron to encourage grass snakes.