We have at last come to a dry day. There has been so much flooding over the last two!

I am going to pop into the plot now on my way home and hopefully put in some bulbs, garlic and even an asparagus bed. I might leave the last one until I have more time as I really want to do it right.

I had a great chat with an older plot holder yesterday. She has grown some great crops this year in a sort of patchwork effect of square beds (not raised). The effect is lovely and I think I will try the same myself next season.

She also gave me a Pak Choi to eat. Never tasted it before!

While chatting she told me about a local farmer who grows seed potatoes. He also sells spent compost as he can only use it once to grow the potatoes. He sells them for one pound an 80 litre bag! Incredible - I am going to pay a visit next week and stock up.
I finished raking over a decent sized bed

I had a good natter with another plot holder this morning. Always worth doing to pick up tips! I spent a lot of time carefully weeding  a section about six foot wide by twenty. There were a lot of creeping buttercup roots and couch grass roots. You need to get rid of all of them or they just keep on coming back. Both of these are my most prolific weeds - the long, white, trailing roots seem to spread with amazing speed.

To avoid being caught in a sudden downpour, I took my baby in his buggy into the communal shed. Somebody had left a wonderful old book on gardening. It was great to flick through!

It was quite cold on the allotment this evening. The sun seemed low in the sky and offered no warmth to my plot - it is shaded to the south by trees. I even had to put on my coat! it is a greeny grey old and dirty one, but it is warm and wind proof. 

Well I spent a nice afternoon with my daughter digging out a row and a half of potatoes, prátaí, fataí, tatties or spuds. When I remember the name of the varieties I will post here.

As I mentioned in earlier posts, my plot is quite shady. The shadier end of the rows produced much less potatoes. Although the ground is much heavier and thicker down there too. Something to bear in mind for next year.

The weather was grim and dull, but we had a good time anyway!

I met a new plot holder who was full of questions. It reminded me of me a year and a half ago!