Links to Mr. Middleton's weekly tasks first:
1st Saturday, Early Rain, Plot Discussions & a Town Show
Woke up at 5am to the sound of rain, so I went back to bed instead of heading out for the planned 6am allotment visit. I’d been due to meet one of the early‑bird plotholders to discuss a few things, but with the weather shifting the morning around, I turned up just before 9am instead.
Managed to assist and speak at length with the plotholder in question. He’s downsizing to a more manageable plot, but despite the Secretary recently ordering two skips, both filled, he still has huge amounts of hoarded rubbish to clear, and less than a week to move all his stuff to his new plot.
Afterwards I grabbed a brew with a few of the other plotholders in the “café”, with the usual chat about how this year’s weather has affected the harvest.
Before heading home, I did a small spot of watering and weeding, then went back home for lunch before taking my wife to one of the local town’s shows for the afternoon.
A full day in the end, weather delays, plot discussions, a bit of graft, and a welcome change of pace later on.
2nd Sunday, Garden Watering & Shed Finials
No visit to the allotment today as the heatwave continued, so the focus stayed at home. I did the usual watering in both the front and back garden, trying to keep things going in the dry spell.
Spent some time sawing new finials for the shed’s bargeboards, then got them painted and attached, another small job ticked off while the weather stays fine.
Later on, I sorted out clothes indoors before preparing a few seeds to sow later this month, getting things lined up for the next round of planting.
A quiet, practical day, home jobs, watering, and a bit of preparation for what comes next.
3rd Monday, Heatwave, Apples and a Surprise in the Apple TreeToday has hovered around 27°C, and we’re still firmly in the middle of this heatwave. Every now and then we get a little spit of rain, but nothing that actually wets the ground. After work I headed to the allotment and managed a small bit of weeding before the heat got too much.I harvested some apples from my Arthur Turner tree to give the remaining fruit a bit more space to grow. When I checked the large apple tree in the centre of the plot, I found the same sight I’ve had for the last four years, it’s been turned into a pigeon maternity ward once again. The pigeons have built a nest right in the branches and are sitting on their eggs, completely at home.Despite the heat, I’ve felt quite upbeat today. I was all sorted for work this morning with no rushing around, and I’ve ticked off a few tasks at home too. I even managed to clear out some old rotten wood from the front garden, take it to the recycling centre, and get rid of it. That’s freed up about four feet of extra garden space at the front, which feels like a small victory.A productive day all round, allotment progress, a bit of home improvement, and even the pigeons seem pleased with themselves.
4th Tuesday, Still hot today, though we finally had a bit of rain to break the heat. It eased off in the afternoon, but after a long day at work I was too tired to venture out this evening. Sometimes you just have to call it a day and let the plot look after itself for a night.
A quiet one, but well‑earned.
5th Wednesday, Still quite a bit of rain today, with showers on and off from morning through to mid‑afternoon. Eventually it eased enough to let me get down to the allotment for a short visit. The ground was wet but workable, and I managed to harvest a fresh batch of courgettes before the next shower rolled in.
A brief visit, but worthwhile, always good to bring something home even on a rainy day.
6th Thursday, A long working day today meant no visit to the allotment, but I still managed to keep things moving. Spent a bit of time sorting through my seed boxes, getting a few packets ready for the next round of sowing. I’m hoping to fill the winter gap on the plot and maybe sneak in a few late crops before autumn finally closes the door.
Not much else to report, just preparation work this time, but it all helps keep the momentum going.
7th Friday, Still hot today, the kind of heat that makes the afternoon feel twice as long. No visit to the allotment this time, most of the day was spent getting things ready for the local gala tomorrow. Plenty to sort, pack, and organise, but it’s all worth it when the community comes together.
A quiet one on the gardening front, but a busy one behind the scenes.
8th Saturday. Saturday was very much a community day rather than an allotment one. Me, my wife, my daughter, and my son‑in‑law all headed down to the local gala together, helping out with the charity fundraising. It was a good turnout, plenty of familiar faces, and a proper bit of local spirit with everyone mucking in.
My daughter and son‑in‑law stayed right through into the evening, enjoying the atmosphere and having their meal there before finally heading home. By the time I got back, there was just enough daylight left to squeeze in one last job, a quick round of watering in both the front and back gardens to keep everything ticking over.
A busy day, but a good one.
9th Sunday, started off with a bit of domestic duty, went for a big shop with my wife, did a little gardening at home, and then headed to the allotment in the late afternoon. I harvested some beans, some fruit, gathered up a few windfall apples to experiment with in the kitchen, and even pulled out a few more early potatoes, small but still good.
10th Monday, The day began with work, the usual early start and steady graft. By the afternoon I was back home, sorting through a bit of admin on the kitchen table.
It was the evening when the real work of the day began. Down at the allotment, the light was soft and the air cooling as I set about a spot of watering. The beds took it well. Marestail was springing up again, so I pulled up the fresh shoots before they could get ahead of me. More windfall apples were gathered, just as they had been the previous day, nothing wasted, everything put to use, the old wartime message still ringing true.
Back home in the kitchen, the Home Front effort continued. I commenced a batch of rhubarb cordial, chopping and steeping the stems before leaving them to strain overnight. A small act of thrift, turning what the garden gives into something useful and refreshing.
11th Tuesday, Heatwave Routine and Home‑Front Gardening
Another scorching day in what’s now the fifth heatwave this summer, so there was no visit to the allotment today. Work took up most of the day, the usual early start rolling straight into the late afternoon.
Back home, the heat shaped the whole rhythm. I spent time watering the back garden, making sure everything stayed alive in this relentless weather. While I was out there, I harvested the blackcurrants before the birds had them all, a good, glossy crop but reduced in amount probably due to the conditions. The front garden got a tidy‑up too, chopping up prunings from the weekend and getting them straight into the compost bin. My thoughts are that I'm going to have to generate quite a bit of compost to use as a mulch if conditions persist.
Because the soil at the allotment is drying out so quickly, I’m preparing to start sowing in modules at home. Hopefully the seeds can germinate safely in cooler conditions, growing on until they’re strong enough to be taken to the allotment. It’s the only sensible way to keep things going in this heat.
A full day, even without setting foot on the plot.
12th Wednesday, Eclipse Break and Seed Surprises
A really long work day today, 7am right through to 10:30pm, the sort of day that leaves you feeling like you’ve lived two or three different lives before bedtime. The only pause came in the early evening when I stepped outside to eat my dinner and watch the solar eclipse, a brief moment of calm in the middle of the shift.
Even with the heat climbing past 36°C, there was no chance of getting to the allotment.
This evening, once I finally got home, I sorted through more seeds. I’d been hunting for corn salad, but instead unearthed a pleasant surprise, a packet of overwintering Japanese onion seeds, perfect for sowing in September. A good find, and something to look forward to as the season turns.
13th Thursday,
The heatwave rolls on, and after work I managed a visit to the allotment. The committee were about, so we spent a bit of time getting things in order for Saturday’s community barbecue, small jobs, last checks, and making sure everything looks welcoming.
I squeezed in a quick round of weeding and watering before heading home. Harvested a handful of radishes and picked up more windfall apples while I was there. Still no sign of the cornsalad seeds, they’re hiding somewhere, but not on the plot.
A steady, useful evening despite the heat.
14th Friday 14th August Heatwave Pause Before the Big Barbecue
The heatwave continues, and after work I was absolutely shattered. In my head I’d planned a million and one jobs, but in reality I ended up chilling out in the heat. I brought the bin and the recycling bags and tubs back into the garden after collection, and that was about the limit of my energy. No visit to the allotment today.
Most of the evening was spent speaking with the other committee members online and over the phone about the national alert concerning barbecues. I posted a reassuring message on the association’s socials to calm any worries among members.
Later on I sorted my equipment ready for tomorrow’s community barbecue. Still no sign of the cornsalad seeds, but I did uncover some Pak Choi seeds and a few others that can be sown now — a small win to end the day.
A quiet, necessary pause in the heat.
15th Saturday, Community Barbecue Day
A full day centred on the big allotment community barbecue coinciding with National Allotment Week, with my wife and me manning the grills from start to finish. The morning was spent prepping at home, sorting utensils, checking the food lists, and making sure everything was ready to go once we arrived on site.
The secretary was still under the weather, so he wasn’t able to attend. Before the event got underway, I had to pull aside one plotholder who was moving plots. He’d received his current plot in a tidy condition just two years ago, yet was now hoping to leave behind broken glass and other rubbish as he shifted to a new one. As chairman, it fell to me to make it clear: the rubbish needed to be moved, or he’d risk losing the plot altogether. Not the nicest job, but necessary to keep standards fair for everyone.
Once that was dealt with, the day settled into its rhythm, smoke rising from the barbecues, people arriving steadily, and the site filling with the familiar mix of chatter, food, and community spirit that makes these events worthwhile.
After wrapping up at the allotment, I finally found those corn salad seeds, also known as lamb's lettuce, right when I was packing up at home. I went ahead and sowed them into modules that night.
16th Sunday, Home Jobs & a Trip to Liverpool
A quiet day with no allotment visit, but still plenty done. I spent the morning sowing Pak Choi (choko) and plain‑leaved parsley into modules at home, keeping the succession planting going. After that, I sorted through more seeds, getting things organised for the next few weeks of sowing.
Watering was done the old‑fashioned way today, watering can in hand, front garden first and then the back, making sure everything stayed hydrated. A quick check in the greenhouse gave me a nice little reward: a harvest of cucumbers, fresh and crisp.
In the early evening I travelled over to Liverpool to step aboard the Nao Santa Maria, a lovely way to round off the day after all the gardening jobs.
17th Monday, After‑Work Sowing & an Evening on the Plot
After work this afternoon I filled a few more modules at home, sowing Cauliflower ‘All the Year Round’, Choi Sum and Broccoli Raab to keep the late‑summer sowings moving along.
In the early evening I headed over to the allotment. Inside the polytunnel I spotted signs of rat activity, something that will need tackling before they decide to settle in for the winter. A steady bit of weeding followed, along with continuing the potato harvest, pulling a few more radishes, and gathering up the windfall apples scattered around the plot.
Before leaving, I direct‑sowed turnips into the front bed. And just as I was heading out of the gate, the rain started, a proper steady fall that carried on for the rest of the evening.
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