Back to the Future May 2008

I'm backtracking somewhat to bring my diary back up to date.

As I have mentioned. May was mainly digging, sifting and building the shed.

I also began to feverishly plant seeds into trays, and because it is my first season I have cheated slightly and purchased some plug plants to help me along.

I decided on a mixture of raised beds and direct planting. The first four raised beds I made were squares of 1.6m. The frames where built on the grassy paths that run both sides of my plot. These were then heaved into place, battened down and levelled as well as I could. Each box was then supplemented with three 90 litre bags of wicks compost which I found to be the cheapest I could find at four bags for a tenner. The compost was then dug into the boxes to mix with the topsoil I had cultivated.

I planted three varieties of tomato plants; these were Alicante, Sun gold, and beefsteak. Tiny little plants staked to the flimsiest foot long cane supports you can buy at your local garden centre.

Into the next bed went some broad bean seed. I could not recall ever eating these before. A quick internet search told me they were highly regarded by some when young and have a history of some 6000 plus years of cultivation.

Being the new kid on the block meant meeting lots of other people. I had been working flat out for weeks during every moment of my spare time and my beginner’s enthusiasm was being noticed by "the others".

First there was Shirley. She turned out to be the Allotment society’s financial representative. Shirley has been on the site and her father before her for decades. She looks after an adopted cat named Sooty. The cat lives on the site and when every body had left in the evenings and I toiled away until the light faded I would often see Sooty with a prize field mouse or whatnot.

I met Keith who had begun at the beginning of the year. He has a half plot with raised beds and had done exceptionally well. With his salads, cabbages, potatoes and everything clearly well established I was impressed with his efforts. Keith gave me a paper bag with some dried peas in which I accepted gratefully. My first gift. Planted into the bed next to the broad beans that very same Day.