Thursday 10 December 2015

Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb at the allotment


Just the one task for us this week at the allotment and that was to put our collection of rhubarb crowns in. We all went down to help prepare the part of the plot that we had designated for the rhubarb. The previous plot tenants had already put the boards in place so it was just a case of digging over the soil.
As we started turning over the soil it was noticeable the number of worms wriggling about in it. This one was awarded the status of 'superworm'!
When we told the kids it was time to start digging they were all for it. Master JibberJabber is very proud of his new fork while Miss JibberJabber has a border spade which is the perfect size for her. However, then we told them that in order to make the soil better for the rhubarb to grow we had to add compost and manure. “What's manure?” Well...I think they thought it would come out of the bag looking exactly like poo and so they were both relieved and surprised to find it looking just like soil.

Next was to position the rhubarb on the prepared soil. I'm only showing these two photographs as we forgot to take makers with and with six crowns and three different varieties we need to remember what's what! So from left to right we have Champagne, Raspberry Red and Timperley Early.

After we worked out which way round each of the crowns went (this was actually quite tricky for some of them) in they went. Of course now it's time for patience as the first sticks of rhubarb won't be ready now for around 18 months but it's still good to know we have got some more of our own produce planted. Next on the list are some more raspberry canes which we went and bought afterwards. Sadly I won't be able to make it down to the allotment this Sunday as I have to escort Master JibberJabber to yet another party (hopefully no dancing to YMCA or the Birdie Dance this week) so I will leave that task to Mr and Miss JibberJabber.

A photo posted by Ness (@jibberjabberuk) on
If after seeing photograph upon photograph of brown soil here's a little bit of colour from my Instagram feed this week. If you need any convincing of how unseasonably mild it has been one of my daffodils has bloomed. As I have to explain to everyone who knocks on the front door they are an early flowering variety and they are meant to flower in January and February. However, like other years with very little frost (we have only had one so far) they do come out in December. Merry Christmas!

6 comments:

  1. Love your allotment plot, it looks very neat & you are very organised with your soil prep. Ours is a sea of weeds at the moment! Rhubarb is such a great plant to grow...virtually impossible to kill it! #HDYGG

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  2. you have so much flat land to work with! i'm a bit envious. our new garden is such a slope!

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  3. Superworm is super long, superworm is super strong!

    Rhubarb is a my favourite thing so I look forward to seeing these grow - love their names too.

    Daffodils everywhere this week now, a few snowdrops, primroses and even blossom sighted. The worlds gone mad... Luckily we sane ones will sort it out ;)

    Thanks for joining in again lovely - it's the Christmas Tree edition next week!

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  4. i always remember my mums daffodils coming into flower in january and february, we also have some pictures from a few years ago in January with the daffodils in the snow, they must be the same variety

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  5. Yeap, that's a worthy winner of the super worm title! I'm always amazed at how many worms I uncover at the allotment compared to our garden which isn't that far away!

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  6. I didn't realise there were early flowering varieties of daffs, what a lovely pop of colour.

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