My Grandparents had given me a bag of red onion sets on Tuesday so I thought that I would spend just an hour or so planting out my onions sets. I already had some sets myself for brown onions and the red onion sets I had previously bought had a low count of quality sets, so it was good that I had the new stock to replenish them.
I wasn't going to grow shallots either, but one of the other allotment holders who was there on Monday gave me a bag of shallots that he had left over after planting his. I now had plenty of sets so it was time to get them in the ground..
The onion bed is right next to the patioed area. I am trying a slightly different way of growing them that I thought of myself after reading various methods of growing onions. I planted the onion sets in drills that I simply made from standing on the ground either side of the set. I then sprinkled some growmore in the foot imprinted areas and watered to dissolve the granules. I am then going to top up the foot imprinted areas either side of the drill with multipurpose compost which hopefully will be a good feed for the onions and should make hoeing really, really easy. Only inhereting the allotment in late February we haven't been able to feed the soil as much as we have liked so we are definately playing catch up in that regard,
I have planted the garlic cloves in a drill right at the end of the bed nearest to the compost bin in the hope that there won't be too much of a garlicy scent near to the patio area.
It was nice being there for just an hour and actually being able to get something in the ground. I have spent many whole days (8+hours) on Plot 114 clearing weeds and preparing beds and then thinking I still have so much more work to do which can be a tiny bit de-motivating. So this was a short and sweet change to that pattern. I also managed to get another freebie from another allotment holder, this time in the form of a gooseberry bush! One of my favourite fruits!! I already have 2 other small bushes looking for a spot on the allotment, so I look forward to getting those in the ground at the weekend.
Anyway, seeing as I said there wasn't going to be an allotment update until Sunday night, I didn't do too well did I? Oh well. I had fun and I still found time to revise.
I definately won't be making a blog post now until Sunday. Amy and I are watching 'Oliver' at the Birmingham Hippodrome on Thursday night and then 'Disney on Ice' at the NIA on Friday. Then on Saturday I have the dreaded exam.
Have a good weekend and Happy Birthday Mum!
Martin
It's great to get something in the ground, otherwise it just feels like a hard slog. Happy birthday to your mum. Enjoy your nights out, they sound great, and good luck with your exam.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting us again Jo and thanks for you kind words also.
DeleteIt is definately nice having something in the ground at last!
Sometimes, just getting things done by dribs and drabs gets the work accomplished. Besides, you had lots to report today, it seems. I cannot work at anything for eight hours, so spurts of energy are quickly spent. It's a good feeling, nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteI don't have enough space to grow onions, but I'm giving shallots a try this year because I've got keen on shallots roasted in their skins with a slit cut in them into which you put some butter and a sprig of thyme. Great as an accompaniment to roast pork. Yum!
ReplyDeleteVery well done Martin - it's looking brilliant. Thanks for the comment on my blog - and yes the neighbour was rather naughty wasn't he - buying organic boxes and pretending he had grown the produce. That might explain why the allotment had weeds taller than me, 40 carpets and enough other junk - cupboards, lumps of metal, all of which would have filled a dozen skips - his wife was always working, so obviously never went up there. I could't believe the amount of wine bottles and boxes there were - it really made my laugh too - and still does every time I think of it. It's amazing what lengths men will go to keep their wives happy - or rather to stop them nagging them. LOL
ReplyDeleteLots of fun out there!
ReplyDeleteI wish a happy birthday to your mum!
I've planted some onion sets ( some also received from an another allotmenter - generous and kind they are!) and my garlic . I'm working on the basis that I prepare the areas I need as I go along as I' m quite along way behind in preparation his year! Sounds like our doing an amazing job especially as you have exams ! It's very a very way to relax! Good luck
ReplyDelete