It has been rather stressful of late, and time spent on the plot has been something of a premium. Today, I planned to get a couple of jobs done.
First thing to be done was to sink Rose Climbing Danse De Feu and rose Climbing Golden Showers beneath the arch that mama H and had constructed during the summer. This would act as the gateway to project othello. I have high hopes for this, as the other roses did so well.
Then there was the sinking of tulips. My second favourite flower after roses. Approximately 210 were sunk today. I got somewhat inpatient with the bulb planter and trowel. Ended up making small trenches with the magic spade. Probably not the best way, but a lot got sunk at once. Sunk today were Darwin, purple collection and everlast.
Most of the summer squashes have now ceased fruiting, and do nothing but sulk. These were chopped down and taken up today, with the dismembered components but into a raised bed. This was a bed, that this year had contained king edwards potatos. These were grown in horse poop, but the bed had sunk; with the poop decaying. It was very shallow, so in need of topping up. With the daleks quite full, the remnants of the squashes were piled into the bed. Quite bulky at the moment, lots of green material. This, with the leaves should decay down into some growing medium. There is plenty of time over the winter before next years growing season.
Pops had a brain wave. I didn’t ask for one, but he had had one.
The poly tunnel needs a pathway inside. Pops has constructed one. Three planks of wood, and joined together with stakes forming what pops described as ‘horns’.
First he wanted to level the inside.
Then he put the plank down, making sure that the horns were bedded down so that they could be covered with dirt.
And he made sure it was nice and level. All very snug. I’m under instructions to make sure that add dirt to the edges and way it down.
Armed with black weed suppressant, my other plan was to lay down paths. Every now and again, the site gets woodchip. Today there happened to be big two tonne pile rescued from a tree surgeon.
Between my ma and I, we have wheelbarrowed paths. Leaving seven large beds ready for the autumn.
The box came, the anticipation rose. The instructions and guidance were printed off.
Setting out the pieces
work in progress
Parents and the poly
getting there
peek inside
ta-dah!
The whole plot
Today was D-day.The day scheduled for the raising of the poly. It would be done today, that was the mission. Mama and H started fairly early. Half a lie in, and down to the plot with the box. All the bits were taken out. Mama went to great pains-after the arch debacle-to count out each of the components. That we had enough, the right ones. Make sure.
And off we went. Carefully constructing the one side, painstakingly making sure that we had the right strut. There was waggling of nuts and bolts. I didn’t think I needed a spanner, so I didn’t bring one. We brought one back later, to tighten things up. It was very straight forwards screwing things together.
Of course, my trenches were wonky. Those that I had measured out and dug last week oh so diligently. The area inside was a bit big still, so with Ma holding the two sides I had to dig around half the poly area to make it sit properly. I never, make things easy for myself.
Mama and I constructed the frame. Then time came to anchor it. I had an anchoring kit, with some long pegs that had come with it. These were twisted into the ground. I was mid wallop with the mallet when pops turned up as much welcomed help. This was after all, something of a Dad job. Mallet was surrendered to Pops, promptly going around and whacking the pegs in. I have in addition to this, staked the corners and also used tent pegs. Not necessary, by in the manufacturers instructions; more for my own piece of mind.
Next phase was to put the cover on. In the first instance, we got it inside out. So taking off, started again. Slid it over the frame quite nicely and neatly after the sticking on of anti hot spot tape. I don’t want the skin burning! Fits very snugly, very closely. As mentioned before, we had wonky trenches. These now corrected, allowed the poly to sit fairly flush. The frame has a skirt, so the dirt from the trenches was now shovelled back onto this. Allowing the poly to have additional anchoring and support.
The inside, as you will noticed is still grassy. This was on a return visit, dug over by the parents. Pops is threatening to dig it over again, before we put a path down the middle and horse shoe the area.
In taking up the other of the plot, we have gone from 89sq metres, to the grand sum of 200 sq metres. I borrowed Dad’s measuring tape so that I could arrive at that figure. Allowing me to further take stock of what was where.
There are a lot of builders bags at the back, I know. All to be used, filled with waste and autumnal leaves. The Wendy house is there, as are the raised beds, daleks and water buts. In addition, there is the top end. Sukh shanti garden at the bottom is separated from project Othello by the arch.
A bit of hard prep today, for project Othello. I hate digging, and generally avoid it.
One is not talking about slimers or slugs. But this:
Had seen one in wilkos, and thought it might be nice as a gateway to Project Othello. This really was a two person job. Ma and I had to fight to out it together. The holes were wonky. The instructions unclear. However, Ma and I laboured on, and managed to get it raised.
Asked a lovely plot neighbour-he in the background-to help sink the legs. I concede that it’s probably not very robust. In fact I need to fix some of the rungs that are loose. But it might serve its function. All being well, red and yellow roses will climb up it. And perhaps will line the side if it too.
Project Othello is now levelled entirely. It as neat as it will be, at this time of the year. The area marked out will dug, for the possible, hypothetical poly.
Have only ever sown onions from seed once before, and didn’t have much success. Am trying again, with some Ailsa Craig seeds. Two trays, with seed modularised. May well be too early or too late depending on what you see or read.
In the week and a half that she has been off, Mama H had managed to generate four builders bags of dried, dying, decimated grass. I have contributed, before you get ask! I have been given the duty of shovelling the grass in to the bags.
The playing field is slowly being levelled. Mama H is a woman on a mission. Thanks to the rain, much of it can be hoiked up to reveal the dirt.
The plastic does actually look quite nice. As nice as plastic can look, it has the look of potential about it. The grass has been chopped down, and then covered with cardboard or newspaper in places. At the moment, half of the plot is cleared, with not a lot left.
Just behind the builders bag are the the devil’s own brambles. As lovely as raspberries are there are some along the side anyway. Trapped behind the bags, the brambles can be kept away.
Till I decide, that is, whether I am cutting them down or cultivating them. Those bags can also be filled with leaf mold over the autumn winter, so nothing here is being wasted. The plan is to clear up to the bags.
horticultural 'obbit 