Links to Mr. Middleton's weekly tasks for June first:
1st Monday, Rain Stopped Play
No allotment visit today, steady rain put an end to any plans for outdoor work. Instead, I watered the plants in the greenhouse at home, making sure everything was ticking over despite the change in weather.
Breakfast was porridge oats, lunch a ham sandwich and a banana, and dinner a selection of pizza slices, an easy end to a grey, wet day.
2nd Tuesday, Clearing Chard, Catching Seedheads, and a Warm Evening on the Plot
Visited the allotment today, continuing where I left off on Saturday by clearing the Swiss chard bed. The space is opening up nicely now. I also removed a salsify seedhead before it had the chance to spread itself across the plot, one less self‑seeder to worry about later.
There was plenty of weeding, the kind that slowly restores order, and I finished with a good watering session in the polytunnel, keeping everything going in the warm, dry spell.
Meals were simple and familiar: porridge oats for breakfast, a ham sandwich for lunch, and a slice of steak & ale pie with potatoes, beans, carrots, and cauliflower for dinner.
3rd Wednesday, After Work, More Clearing, and Sweetcorn In
Visited the allotment straight after work today before heading home. First job was to bag up the weeds from yesterday and Saturday, then take them to the recycling centre on the way back, another couple of sacks off the plot and out of the way.
I planted out half of my sweetcorn in the recently cleared area, the space finally starting to look purposeful again. A small but satisfying step forward.
Meals were simple: a banana for breakfast, a ham sandwich eaten in the back garden for lunch, and chicken and chips for dinner, our houseguests dictating most of the menus this week, though I still seem to be the one doing the cooking.
4th Thursday, A Day of Admin, Cuttings, and On‑and‑Off Rain
No visit to the allotment today. Instead, I spent some time doing admin work in the back garden, sorting through the little jobs that never quite make the main list. I checked on the cuttings for rooting to see how they were getting on, and made sure everything in the greenhouse was watered. The rain came and went throughout the day, never quite settling.
Meals were simple: porridge for breakfast, a BLT sandwich eaten in the back garden for lunch, and chicken tikka masala with rice for dinner, a warm end to a stop‑start sort of day.
5th Friday, Sweetcorn In, Soft Fruit Picked, and Evening Rain
Visited the allotment this evening. After dinner, I took the sweetcorn down to the plot to plant next to the batch I put in on Wednesday. Once they were settled, I did a bit of weeding and then harvested the first of the gooseberries and raspberries, a nice reward at the end of the week.I finished up by watering in the greenhouse. The weather was warm again, with rain coming on and off throughout the day.Meals were simple and steady: porridge and toast for breakfast, a BLT sandwich for lunch, and boneless chicken thighs in a tomato sauce for dinner.
6th Saturday, Barbecue Planning on D‑Day’s Anniversary and a Harvest of Cabbage
Visited the allotment this morning, not to garden but to finalise plans for the allotment association’s community barbecue on the 20th June. Fittingly, the meeting fell on the 82nd anniversary of D‑Day, a reminder of the generations who came before us, including those who once worked the very ground we now tend.It felt strange, in a good way, to think back: 15 years ago I was trying (with limited success) to bring our allotment community together, and from 2018 until three years ago my wife and I were doing almost everything ourselves. Now an organically formed barbecue committee has taken shape, and although I’m still involved, most of the planning happens without the need for me to micro‑manage. A welcome shift.After the meeting I harvested some outer cabbage leaves to shred and use as spring greens for dinner. Rain came on and off again throughout the day.Meals were steady: porridge for breakfast, a BLT sandwich for lunch, and leg of lamb for dinner with roast potatoes, mashed carrot, swede, the central vein of the cabbage leaves, accompanying steamed shredded cabbage, and purple sprouting broccoli.
7th Sunday, Apples, Baking Prep, and a Day Spent at Home
No visit to the allotment today. Instead, attention turned to the remaining apples from last autumn’s harvest, still stored in the garage and now ready to be used up. I sat out in the garden peeling and coring them, enjoying the fresh air while working through the pile.
Once in the kitchen, the apples were divided up: some set aside for an apple cake, half turned into a large apple crumble, and the rest sweated down to be baked in puff pastry for turnovers. A good way to clear the last of the crop before the new season begins.
The rest of the day was spent watering plants, tending the compost bins, and keeping things moving while the household focused on what we could do to help with the house purchase.
8th Monday, Two Visits, a Termination Letter, and Kittens on the Plot
Two visits to the allotment today, one in the afternoon and one in the evening.
In the afternoon I met with the association secretary to reinspect the plot under a 28‑day improvement notice. Today marked the full 28 days. The plot has been tenanted since 1st September 2025, yet still nothing has been planted. With most plot holders having around 80% of their plots cultivated, this one stands out for all the wrong reasons.
We’ve had excuses since the start: “no tools”, so the secretary provided tools; “not warm enough”, despite recent temperatures above 30°C. In nine months, the tenant has visited five times. The surplus seedling table is ten yards from their plot, so even without sowing anything they could have planted something.
After receiving the notice, they did a bit of weeding and planted a dozen seedlings, but then left them. Three weeks later the weeds are back and the seedlings have failed through lack of watering. The secretary said he’d send me the new termination letter for me to edit, print, and deliver.
While on site, I spotted kittens with their mother on my neighbour’s plot. I mentioned it to the secretary, who thought they were on mine but hadn’t said anything. I contacted the tenant, who said he’d seen them on Sunday and was thinking of calling Cats Protection.
I went home, gathered water bowls and food, and returned with my daughter and son‑in‑law, who wanted to see them, to make sure the cat had something to eat and drink for now.
9th Tuesday, NO Allotment Today
I was due to head to the allotment today, but the day took a different turn, and I never made it there. My daughter and son‑in‑law finally exchanged contracts, though not until 5 o’clock in the evening, after being kept waiting all day.
Just as we were about to sit down for our evening meal, the call came through to say they could collect the keys. So after eating, we travelled over to Liverpool to the estate agents, where we were handed a single key despite the house having several locks.
The rest of the evening was spent changing the remaining locks on the outside doors. While doing that, we found a letter from the Land Registry stating that the title deeds still had unresolved issues, meaning more work for the conveyancers in the coming week. It was another blow in what has already been a long, stressful process for them since the 22nd of May.
So, no allotment visit today, just a long evening of keys, locks, and paperwork.
I've temporarily stopped listing my meals whilst home life is greatly disrupted but I have managed to lose 6lb in weight in the past 3 weeks.
10th Wednesday, No Allotment Visit
An early start today. Before heading into work, I posted the 7‑day termination notice to the plot holder who hasn’t cultivated their plot in nine months. After that, it was straight into my usual Wednesday split shift, so there was no visit to the allotment at all.
When I finished the first half of my shift in the early afternoon, I went over to my daughter’s new house to measure up the mortice locks so they can be replaced. Then it was back to work for the late shift, finally finishing at 9:15pm.
A long day, mostly on the move, and nothing done on the allotment but at least another small job ticked off for my daughter's house.
11th Thursday, Another Split Shift, No Allotment
No visit to the allotment today. It was another split‑shift Thursday, and the day was already full before it even began.
After finishing the first half of my shift in the early afternoon, I headed straight over to my daughter’s house to fit the new mortice locks. The job itself went smoothly enough, but the roadworks on the way back caused a delay, and I ended up getting to work ten minutes late for the second half of the shift.
I finally finished at 8:30pm, completely exhausted, I’d barely eaten anything since breakfast, and the long day caught up with me by the end.
12th Friday, No Visit Today.
No visit to the allotment today. By the time I finished work I was absolutely shattered. I had planned to head over to the plot, but after sorting out a hire van for tomorrow, the tiredness caught up with me and I ended up having an afternoon nap instead.A quiet end to the day, and probably just what I needed.
13th Saturday, Moving Day, No Visit to the Plot.
No visit to the allotment today. The entire day and early evening were spent moving furniture over to my daughter’s new home, and by the time we finished it was 8pm. I’d put potatoes in the oven before the last run from our house to hers, but they decided to order pizzas and even brought a bottle of champagne to celebrate finally moving in. By the end of it all we were absolutely shattered. We slumped in front of the TV and ended up watching some mismatched boxing, the sort of thing that feels like time I’ll never get back, but it did the job of letting the day wind down.A long, tiring day, but at least the move is finally done
14th Sunday, A Quiet Return to the Plot
Finally managed to visit the allotment this evening. Most of the day was spent moving more items over to my daughter’s house, and they stayed with us for one last night. My wife said it felt like a bereavement, but to me it felt like getting our freedom and normality back.
After their evening meal they headed off to their new home, and I went straight to the allotment. I watered the polytunnel, everything in there had survived well, and picked a few raspberries. A fresh crop of new weeds had appeared in my absence, but I got back to the job I’d left six evenings ago: putting in supports for the beans, now a good foot tall.
Back home, even though it was late, I planted out the dinner‑plate lily bulbs I’d ordered in May, setting them into three tubs in the front garden. By the time I finished it was 10:30pm.
A long day, but a satisfying one, and good to be back on the plot.
15th Monday, An Evening of Catch‑Up.
Visited the allotment today. After my evening meal I managed to spend a solid 90 minutes on the plot, starting with listing the jobs needed to catch up. I worked through some weeding, harvested raspberries, and began planting those bean plants from last Monday evening, finally getting them into the ground. Meals for the day were simple and familiar: porridge oats for breakfast, a ham sandwich for lunch, and a jacket potato with egg and beans for my evening meal before heading out. A useful session, and good to feel things moving forward again.
16th Tuesday, Keys Returned, Beans Planted, and a Busy Evening on the Plot
The day began with a message from the association secretary, updating me on the plot holder who received the 7 day termination notice last week. She’d turned up with a friend, still insisting it wasn’t warm enough to plant anything or even work outdoors. The secretary asked her to take a look around at the plots full of crops, which didn’t go down well. After a mouthful of abuse, she finally handed over the gate key and left. With 14 people on the waiting list, the plot won’t stay empty for long.
After work I headed home for a late lunch, sorted a bit of admin, and gathered the tools for the allotment before setting off. First job was trimming the jasmine hedge at the front, followed by strimming the grass that’s been creeping out around my plot. I finally finished planting out the bean plants, a job that’s been hanging over from last week.I harvested some lemon balm, filled watering cans from the waterbutt, and left them in the polytunnel ready for tomorrow, rain is forecast tonight. Before leaving, I packed a compost bin full of the day’s trimmings and then headed home for a late dinner.A full day, but a productive one.
Breakfast was porridge and a coffee. Lunch was a cheese and ham sandwich. The evening meal was a sausage casserole courtesy of my wife's cookery lesson she had been teaching.
17th Wednesday, Split Shift and Barbecue Preparations
Another split‑shift day, finishing late. Managed a brief visit to the allotment before dusk to give everything a good watering, the soil still thirsty after the warm spell.
Most of my attention now is on getting the last bits ready for the community barbecue this weekend: tables, signage, and a final check of the gas bottles. The plot looked calm in the evening light, a quiet pause before the bustle of Saturday’s gathering.
18th Thursday, Bread Drop‑Off and a Quick Watering Round.
A simple, steady day. I stopped by the allotments to drop off the bread in the Hut, ready for someone else to turn into sandwiches for Saturday’s barbecue and community day. With that done, I gave the plots a quick watering before heading home. Not much else to report, just a small contribution toward the weekend’s preparations and a bit of care for the plants.
19th Friday, T‑Shirts, Artex Samples, and a Quiet Realisation
Dropped off some printed T‑shirts at the allotment today, ready for Saturday’s barbecue and community day. Another small job ticked off the list as everyone gets things in place for the weekend.
After that, I headed over to my daughter’s house to take artex samples so they can be sent off for testing to see whether there’s any asbestos present. Not the most glamorous job, but an important one to get sorted.
On the home front, my wife’s mental health hasn’t been too good lately, and it’s increasingly looking like I’ll be going solo to the barbecue on Saturday. Not ideal, but we’ll take things one day at a time.
A quieter sort of day overall, with a few necessary tasks done and a bit of thinking about the weekend ahead.
20th Saturday, Community Barbecue Day
A big day on the allotment with the community barbecue finally taking place. After all the planning, it was brilliant to see more than fifty plot holders and their families turning up and filling the site with proper community spirit.I ended up running all three barbecues, one for the meat eaters, one for the vegetarians, and one dedicated to the vegans, keeping everything organised and cooked safely without any cross‑contamination. It was a steady rhythm of turning, serving, and chatting, and it felt good to be right in the middle of it all.
What made the day even better was watching the organically formed barbecue committee take charge of the rest. Instead of having to manage every detail myself like in previous years, I could focus on the cooking and enjoy the atmosphere. The weather held, the food went down well, and the allotment site felt exactly as it should, neighbours sharing space, stories, and a meal.
21st Sunday, A Busy but Rewarding Afternoon
An active and rewarding afternoon on the allotment today. I got stuck into some dedicated weeding and managed a sweet little raspberry harvest while the sun was out. The plots were quiet, just the usual hum of bees and the sound of tools in the distance. The real moment of the day came from our unexpected visitors. The kittens that had been roaming around the site over the last couple of weeks finally made their way down towards the treasurer’s plot. Cats Protection were able to step in and safely round them all up, making sure they were cared for properly. A relief for everyone who’d been keeping an eye on them. A productive day all around, a mix of jobs done, fruit picked, and a small bit of drama resolved.
22nd Monday, An Afternoon Visit After Work
Straight after work, I headed over to the allotment for a bit of afternoon weeding and watering, especially around the beans which are coming on well in the warm weather. While I was there, something really caught my eye, the borage I planted years ago as a small university experiment has now taken over in full bloom. What started as one square foot to test how the soil’s pH levels affected growth has turned into plants popping up here, there and everywhere across the plots. It’s incredible how strongly it self‑seeds, and seeing it thriving after all these years makes me think it might be time to re‑test the soil pH and compare it with those old measurements. A simple visit, but a satisfying one, and a reminder of how experiments have a habit of living on long after you’ve finished them
23rd Tuesday, A Quick After‑Work Visit
Another straight‑after‑work trip to the allotment this afternoon. The heat was still sitting heavy over the plots, so I gave everything a steady watering to keep the plants from flagging. While I was there, I managed a small but welcome rhubarb harvest, enough to start thinking about another batch of cordial. A brief visit, but a productive one in the middle of the warm spell.
24th Wednesday, Heatwave Setting In
A short midweek visit to the allotment this afternoon. The heatwave was really starting to kick in, so I focused on steady watering to keep everything from wilting. The plots felt still and heavy in the heat, but everything looked in good order, just one of those essential check‑ins to keep things ticking over during the warm spell.
25th Thursday, Long Workday.
The heatwave was in full swing, temperatures pushing over 30°C from morning right through the evening. It was the sort of heavy, unmoving heat that slows everything down, and after an early start followed by a late‑afternoon meeting at work, there was no allotment visit today, just not the day for it. Work dominated the hours, leaving little space for anything else. Sometimes the best choice is simply to step back, rest, and wait for cooler air.
26th Friday, A Quiet, Necessary Day
My wife’s mental health has been troubling again. She’s lived with poor mental health for over thirty years and, even with medication, there are times when things slip and the weight of it returns. With that in mind I kept the day simple and close to home.
I made a brief visit to the allotment, just enough to water the plants in the polytunnel and make sure everything was ticking over. After that I turned my attention back to the fence at the side of the garage, carrying on with the maintenance and getting a fresh coat of green Ducksback on it.
Not a big day on the plot, but a day shaped by what needed doing, both in the home and outside.
27th Saturday , Fence, Heatwave & Plenty of Watering
Another day spent painting the fence at the side of the garage, carrying on with the fresh coat of green Ducksback. I hadn’t quite realised just how many lengths of wood make up that fence until I started working through them one by one, it feels twice as long when you’re holding a brush in the heat.
The heatwave was at its peak, so I did my best to keep out of the direct sun, taking it slowly and working in the shade whenever possible. There was plenty of plant watering to do as well, making sure everything stayed alive through the hot spell.
A simple day, but a tiring one, fence, sun, and keeping the plants going
28th Fence Finished, Heatwave Rising, and a Trip to Liverpool
Another day on the garage‑side fence, adding that fresh coat of green paint. I finally managed to finish it at last, though I hadn’t realised quite how many lengths of wood made up that fence until I worked through every single one. With the heatwave at its peak, I did my best to stay out of the direct sun and keep the pace sensible. There was plenty of plant watering to do as well, everything thirsty and drying out fast in the heat. In the afternoon, I took a break from the graft and headed to the M&S Arena in Liverpool with my daughter and son‑in‑law to watch something together, a welcome change of scene after days of painting. Later on, I visited the allotment in the evening for another round of watering, keeping things going through the hot spell. A full day, fence finished, family time, and the plot tended before nightfall.
29th Monday, Evening Harvest in the Heat
Another warm evening on the plot, so I started with a steady round of watering to keep things going in this dry spell. Once everything had a good drink, I moved on to harvesting, a lovely mix today. I pulled some bright, sturdy rhubarb, gathered a handful of ripe raspberries, and picked through the gooseberries for a decent haul.
A simple visit, but a satisfying one, the soft fruit is really starting to show its worth now.
30th Tuesday, Another Scorcher
Another scorching day, with the heat sitting over everything from early morning right through to late afternoon. I finally finished work at almost 5pm and headed home feeling the weight of the long, hot day. Apart from the essential watering of the plants, I didn’t do much else, just one of those quiet evenings where the heat leaves you with little energy for anything more.
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