This year I am chitting the early potatoes. I made a mistake last year when I bought my potatoes for the season I kept them in their bag in the dark. When I cam to plant them they had all sprouted. Never-the-less, this did not seem to affect the yield I got from them.
This year I am planting the same as last. Arran Pilot as first early with the addition of Pink Fir Apple as part of my main crop along with King Edward for the Christmas dinner table.
Fantastic to see new buds on gooseberries and blackcurrants. Is Spring on its way? Yes!
Early season and the allotment is clean. Fruit canes are just starting to show signs of new growth
First seeds sown in the greenhouse.
Along with veg, I have sown many flowers aiming to get as many insect attracting plants into the allotment to aid in pollination, these include Borage, Rudbekia’s, Cosmos, Echinacea among many others.
Starting the huge job of going through each bed and riddling the soil to get rid of reaming glass/bricks and god knows what else I keep finding.
I’ve levelled everything in order so that seedlings may go straight out when ready.
Although the weather has been really mild of late this snow snap came and lasted for a few days halting the continuation for rubbish extraction and sifting of the soil as the ground was rock solid.
With a week of good weather this February, I took delivery of my 12×10 greenhouse, what will become the hub for everything I intend to grow.
The raised beds have been levelled out and are ready for planting in the spring. I have added organic fertiliser to beds that will need it, and left it out of beds where I intend to grow such things as carrots as they do not require feeding.
Water barrels have been installed at either side of the greenhouse to take rainfall from the greenhouse roof, very effective they are too.
Automatic vents are in place in the greenhouse to open and close the windows in warmer weather.
After 4 years on a waiting list for an allotment, August 2012 saw the start of the clearance of what only can be described as a rubbish tip to make way for installing raised beds and a large greenhouse.
The pictures are from September/October 2012. When we first took over this allotment, you simply could not even see the ground it was that thick with weeds. It was so thick, it was impossible to get a spade into the ground. I ended up spraying and leaving for 2 weeks. I wish I had started my allotment picture diary back then to get a then and now comparison. Needless to say, it has taken a massive amount of work, time and money.
We managed to fill a one tonne skip. Finding at least three different wooden structures and countless panes and bucketful’s of smashed glass. Trips to the local tip were endless.
I dug a two foot deep trench all the way round the allotment and part of the wire fence is buried to this depth in order to make the allotment rabbit proof.
I also dug a French drain, filled with rocks and stones at the front of the allotment in order to alleviate any flooding issues that may occour.
Very privileged to be able to fish this lake. Stayed at the manor for 2 nights whilst in Dorset.
The lake is an anglers paradise which has been left in a natural state without any resemblance at all to a country park. Had the whole lake to myself for the 2 days. The only visitor I had was an Adder that got a little too close for comfort. No fish, but really enjoyed my trip.
Will have to return one day for another crack at the wildies.
Today saw the good lady and I visit Beamish in the snow.
It was great as it was far quieter and great to see the town in the snow.
We were pleased the trams were still running.
It is amazing the amount of fishermen who avoid fishing in the weed. Fish naturally use weed, not only for food but also for cover and their home. There are times when it is nonsensical to fish anywhere else but in the weed, as this is where the fish are.
Here at a local lake I had the whole of the bottom half of the water to myself. Other fishermen sat at the opposite side of the lake motionless behind their armada of rods and electronic bite alarms. Fishing on the surface, a bag of chum mixer, my trusty old Richard Walker Mark IV, I took numerous Carp to 5lb while the fishermen at the bottom half of the lake which was clear of weed caught nothing.
Although it was an overcast day, we never fail to enjoy ourselves at Beamish.
Over time the engines change so there is always something new to explore there.
Fishing one of my favourite lakes in 2005, I caught probably the best common Carp that I ever have, almost like varnished Oak. It weighed in at just under 30lb’s.
Writer, fisherman, amateur naturalist and sometime Idler...
The Wonder of the World, The Beauty and the Power, The Shapes of Things, Their Colours Lights and Shades, These I Saw, Look Ye Also While Life Lasts. - "Denys Watkins-Pitchford".
The Wonder of the World, The Beauty and the Power, The Shapes of Things, Their Colours Lights and Shades, These I Saw, Look Ye Also While Life Lasts. - "Denys Watkins-Pitchford".
The Wonder of the World, The Beauty and the Power, The Shapes of Things, Their Colours Lights and Shades, These I Saw, Look Ye Also While Life Lasts. - "Denys Watkins-Pitchford".
The Wonder of the World, The Beauty and the Power, The Shapes of Things, Their Colours Lights and Shades, These I Saw, Look Ye Also While Life Lasts. - "Denys Watkins-Pitchford".
The Wonder of the World, The Beauty and the Power, The Shapes of Things, Their Colours Lights and Shades, These I Saw, Look Ye Also While Life Lasts. - "Denys Watkins-Pitchford".
The Wonder of the World, The Beauty and the Power, The Shapes of Things, Their Colours Lights and Shades, These I Saw, Look Ye Also While Life Lasts. - "Denys Watkins-Pitchford".
look ye also 
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