All change at the allotment

I left last week's post on a cliffhanger. We had been offered another allotment plot on our site which we originally looked at back in November. So did we go for it? Of course we did!

We had several reasons for moving. The only buildings on our old plot were old chicken sheds. One was completely open to the elements with just wire on the front while the other was full of chicken poo! The Junior JibberJabbers are now loving their new den AKA the greenhouse. With a table and chairs already in place they have set it up as somewhere to read, colour and eat cake.

Although I liked the openness of the old plot I have say now we are in the middle of the site I feel more part of the allotment. The chap who has the plot that runs along the bottom of ours is the chicken owner of the old plot! He showed the kids a blue egg that had just been laid. He moved from the old plot as felt the ground was better in the middle of the site and people kept lobbing over their rubbish from the pavement on the other side.

Since we had prepared the old site for the new growing season we've had to start again. I spent the weekend clearing the weeds off half of the plot. Mr JibberJabber turned the soil over and planted a row and a half of mixed onion sets.

There was a row of purple sprouting broccoli which had mainly gone to seed but we did save some of it. Also left was a row of kale which seems to be the winter green of choice on most plots.

I'm not sure it was the previous plot owner's intention but we also cleared two of the biggest swedes I've ever come across.

We also rescued from our old plot the rhubarb crowns, raspberry canes plus the apple and plum trees. I hope they survive their uprooting!

At the top third of the plot is 'the wilderness' which we're not talking about! For some reason a laurel bush was growing in the middle of it and someone has come along and chopped it down.

We've got plenty of ground prepared for the immediate spring planting so this section can wait until we need it later in the year. I'm not sure what the two inverted wooden 'L' shaped posts were used for. I am quite tempted to remove them and upcycle them into signposts.

The last thing we have gained is our own allotment cat. He's been named 'Imposter' or 'Immie' for short. I'm not sure of his effectiveness or his general purpose but for the moment he is staying!