I popped down to the allotment for about 5 minutes over lunch today, on the way in I saw John, the allotment secretary, who asked if I was down to make a start. When I told him I’d cleared a good chunk of it already he wandered over with me to take a look. The first thing he said when we got there was “you can’t leave weeds on the paths” – so my plan to dry out the weeds and then compost them has been scuppered.
Not defeated though, when I started to clear them up I noticed that they felt remarkably warm. I’m guessing they were starting to compost even in the thin layer they were in. Rather than move everything up to the communal tipping area, I took the heat as a good sign and started my own compost heap. Along with about half a barrow of mulch (which smelled like chipped christmas trees actually – there was a lovely pine smell coming from the pile) I’ve made a small pile. Alternating between a thin layer of mulch and some leaves – dandelion, dock, brussels and similar things – with a bit of soil mixed in (I didn’t have any compost to hand as a starter) and a quick wetting with a hose I’ve now got a little pile. The rest of the stuff – horsetail and some other really knotty looking things and ones that had gone to seed – went on the communal tip. I’d thought about burning it but John just told me to chuck the lot up at the top so that’s what I did.
I met another neighbouring allotment holder too. A couple of plots over is an Italian who is in his 80s, not that you’d know it looking at him! He has “the best allotment”. Apparently he won a competition this summer. It’s no wonder too – his plot looks absolutely fantastic!
He gave me some advice, confirmed a few things that I’d been told are worth planting now, told me a good nursery to get seeds, sets and plugs from (more on those terms in a later post if you, like me, are so new to this kind of thing you need a definition) and offered some very welcome advice about weeding.
We’re having some rather damp weather at the moment – lots of the experienced allotment holders lost most of their tomatoes this year – so I’m hoping things clear up a bit by the weekend. I’ve got a lot to do down there to get ready for planting.
With clearing the path , making the heap and chatting with people, the 5 minute trip to the allotment turned into about an hour. OOPS! Back to work now though.
Hello! Welcome to allotmenting! Followed your blog link from the grapevine website. Good luck!
Apologies for the slow response… thanks very much for the welcome. 🙂
Hi.
I’d avoid using pine chippings/ mulch in your compost, It will make it very acidic.
Regards
rob (locum76)
Thanks for that, Rob.
I’m going to need to move the pile once I’ve had some time to build the bins anyway so will take some of the chippings out then.
“You live and you learn” and all that.
All the best.