for those prepared to get their hands dirty
Just a quick pictorial update of developments on the Monster’s New Face…
Day 31 on new plot 31 and we have all the dormant bushes moved; and with the reasonably dry weather for this early in the new year we’ve even managed to turn some sod…
Next task, some fencing, borders, barriers and pathways…good neighbourly like! and then to sow some early onion seed in trays and some broad beans into pots, and the year gets under way in earnest…
Over the last four weeks me and Mrs Dirt-digger have been busy transporting and transplanting our fruit bushes, brambles, rhubarb and apple trees from a plot in the garden where we formerly worked an allotment to our new plot in a new location. We began the migration on 15th December and glad to say we shall complete the process of moving this coming weekend when we finally relocate our strawberry plants and a well established sedum which we will also take. The relatively mild weather for late December and early January has helped no end, affording the opportunity to get ahead of the posse, so much so that we actually turned some of the terra firma on the new plot which is still a little heavy but trafficable nonetheless, and at least we have some basic cultivation with which to plan.
Here at Monster in The Corner our belief has always been that a garden’s summer glory is set in winter’s planning, and Boy oh Boy! will this hold true this year, but then we never shirk a challenge.
Now that the all important time-critical work of relocating the dormant bushes is complete we have set our mind to mapping out some other design aspects at our new plot; pathways, shed location, polytunnel situation whilst not forgetting compost bin and leaf-mould location. We are also assessing ground cultivation versus raised beds possibilities, and have opted for a 50-50 approach.
Some of the neighbouring plot holders at our new site have offered us compost and manure and even seedlings in a couple of weeks time, and where wildlife at our former location consisted largely of flocks of pigeon and magpie (not forgetting one of the highest population densities of grey squirrels in the whole country) at our new site we have thus far observed hares and pheasants and even exotic looking waxwings in the last 2 weeks.
The Dirt-digging Mrs. has purchased Bedfordshire Champion onion seed, Tuscan black and Scottish Green kale seed, tender and true parsnip seed and cornflower seed; and we also bought some onion sets (Stuttgarters) and Jumbo peas; and our short term plan includes shallots, main-crop potatoes and broad beans which we shall start off in pots in the next fortnight along with the Bedfordshire Champion seed.
All in all things are moving apace, and though we were a little deflated (to say the least) last autumn when reconciling the reality of our experience at our former location, what a difference a month can make.
There are not too many photo opportunities on a midwinter’s allotment plot, and all the more so when it’s an overgrown unused plot, but we are making headway, and though at present we have little to show of the planned schema at this stage we will simply post this photo of the other two workhorses on monsterinthecorner, i.e. The Barrow Bug and The Dotty Dolly…
We have much to do that needs doing on our new plot, and much to say regarding the decision to leave behind all the effort of the last seven years at our former plot; but, we’ll concentrate solely on the doing.
We’ll take a leaf from Davina McCall’s New Year’s approach to life’s challenges, and simply say that by This Time Next Year the Monster shall be a transformed creature.
At present we feel somewhat akin to Eliot’s journeying Maji, having decided on quite the worst time of year for such an undertaking, but, just as with those ancient sages the prize shall be worth it, and also by way of acknowledging the day that is of course…
At the moment, and while winter dormancy allows, we are busy transferring all our fruit trees and bushes from one allotment to our new plot located 5 miles away. The weather has remained favourable enough for the time of year, but the car will need a professional valet after the move is completed.
Currently we have one foot stuck in the old with the other foot finding its way in the new, and while not in any way drawing comparison with Shakespeare’s descriptive prowess of the mighty Julius, it strikes me –Cassius-like that is- that we …perhaps…
bestride this narrow world, Colossus like,
and beneath us crawl some petty lot,
peeping out from that shadow cast
to dig graves on their dishonourable plot…
Yes. That’ll do Pig.
With courtesy nods of course to TS Eliot, William Shakespeare and Dick King-Smith
After six and a half years on a former site, yesterday, January 1st 2017, was the first official day on our new plot. The manager at the new site allowed us move and transfer a lot of our fruit bushes over the last 3 to 4 weeks, and yesterday saw us split and move some Timperley Early rhubarb crowns kindly gifted by our daughter who works a plot at this new location, whilst today we will split and move some of our own personal favourite from the old site, the Victoria stools we planted when we first arrived there; we shall leave nothing to the scavengers save their ignorance and loss.
We shall be very busy in the short term, clearing, cultivating and establishing our plans in our new location, and it shan’t take us too long at all to forget the utter filth, appalling practices and some very dangerous people at the old allotment site,,,so here’s to a brand new start in every way…
Monster In The Corner... 