2nd weekend in April 2016

Well the second weekend in April is now over and now is the time I think for a quick look back.
 Sunday had me sowing a few flower seeds and I also purchased 2 blueberry saplings to plant out in pots later next week once I obtain enough ericaceous compost to fill two large pots .

Pots drying ready to be used for pricking out into.

 It would seem that this year I've sown more tomato seeds than usual some of which I've imported from America because they have long been extinct in Britain . I've spent several evenings pricking out tomato and pepper seedling with still more seedlings to be pricked out in to individual pots but has the evenings are still bringing frosts I'm limited on space at the moment as to where I can store them all safely. Varieties that I'm growing for the first time this year are Potentate , Abu Rawan , Acme , Ailsa Craig and Yellow Currant.

My old allotment entrance along with the wind damaged arch.

 On the allotment I've managed to replace my exterior fence and gate with a metal one that I managed to get from the plot holder opposite mine as he was retiring at the end of March. I spent the Tuesday erecting the fence with the assistance of my wife but due to the bizarre weather this week (hailstones , rain , sunshine,winds and frosts) it was Friday before I could treat the fence to a good wire brushing followed by a coat of Hammerite to protect it for the foreseeable future.

My newly acquired allotment entrance before it's restoration.

 Due to lack of space in the greenhouse from pricking out earlier seedlings the only seeds that I have sown this week have been flower seeds . I'm not utilising the polytunnel or the lean-to greenhouse at the allotment to their full potential at the moment . I really must get all those none growing tasks out of the way before May .

Fuchsia Berry plants arriving safe and sound.

 I ordered 10 of the new Fuchsia Berry way back on Easter Monday and I'm pleased to say that they finally arrived in good health on Thursday and will soon be taking up space in the fruit cage before it all gets too full.
 Until next week I thank you for reading/returning, Paul.

Getting to grips with the plot Easter 2016

It's been quite a while since I last updated my activities on plot 44 and that has been due to a whole range of issues that allotmenteers deal with from time to time - life . My grown up children are now studying in London & Liverpool , the dog has recovered from last year's spinal injury but still needs to lose weight . Allotment wise I've spent quite a bit more time than I would have liked on setting up a proper association on the site and for my sins ended up as chairperson this year . 
I've been sowing seeds since the start of February whilst also getting my plot back on track . There's still a long list of improvements/repairs that I would like to complete and I have been steadily carrying out improvements since the beginning of March replacing the fence and I've even managed to construct a mini lean-to greenhouse on the side of my shed which has been on my wish list for the past four years. 
I have always been a bit of a seed hoarder and this year is no exception so whilst I was off work during the Easter weekend I spent a few days getting myself in to some sort of order. I've divided my seeds between seven seed tins and labelled the tins as follows : Flowers & Fruit Seeds ( Sunday ) , Alliums & Root Veg ( Monday ), Brassicas & Squash ( Tuesday ) , Salad & Herbs (Wednesday ) , Miscellaneous (Sweetcorn, Cardoon,Samphire etc.) ( Thursday ) , a tin that contains the various seeds that I've saved myself from last year's plants ( Friday ) and finally a large tin marked Legumes ( Saturday ) . 
 I sow seeds from one of those tins each morning and now that we have lighter evenings I spend a hour or so pricking out previously sown seedlings before preparing seed trays and choosing the seeds from the next day's tin to sow the next morning . So far this new time table is working whilst allowing me to lend more of my free time completing improvements on the plot . Until next week I thank you for reading/returning, Paul