Clairesallotment's Blog

Firstly, Happy New Year to you all!! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to all those wonderful new adventures that await us all in 2019.

I always write myself a list at the beginning of the New Year, it’s not really a resolution list, but things I would like to accomplish over the coming year. I write a list most days, otherwise I’ll forget what I am planning on doing. Whether I complete everything is another matter, but it’s good to look back on the year to see what you have managed to do. I find this gives me a feeling of great satisfaction.

So here is a summary of my list from 2018:

More gardening ebooks – I wanted to write at least 12 more of these in 2018, but was only able to write another 3, still it’s more than writing none at all.

Chickens in their new home – The concrete base of the new chickens home was started at the very end of 2017, but the shed itself was constructed very early on in the year. Then I had to put in their perch, nesting boxes and feeding trough, as well as construct their new run. The girlies moved in early on in the year. They’re still very happy in their new home and have lots of room to play, and it’s much easier to clean them out.

Gardening workshops – I wanted to do at least 10 workshops, but only managed 4. But considering as I’m new to the area, and it was my first shot at them since we moved, I guess it’s not bad. Soon I’ll be sending out my information packs to the schools.

Raised beds up and filled – This happened with the help of Mark, my mum & dad, and the kids. Thank you all very much for your help. I managed to grow vegetables in 3 beds, and got the fruit bed filled and planted by the end of the year. The soil has settled, so I need to top them up a little, but that won’t take long. We also constructed 4 small beds and a herb bed. The herb bed is yet to be planted in.

Greenhouses – Both the concrete bases were made, the greenhouse frames were put back together, and the glass was put back in. I had to go and buy a few panes of glass, but the shelving units were soon in and the greenhouses were up and running in no time.

Victoriana Nursery – In February I started a part time job, just a couple of days a week, but as they got busy I needed to work 5 days a week. Sadly at the end of December I had to say goodbye, as I’m now gardening for local people in my area. I learnt so much while I worked there and the staff were all fabulous. I’ll still pop in to see them when I can, and order my plants of course.

That’s all on the gardening front. In 2019 I’m planning on making the garden “perfect”, basically meaning that I’ll try and be as organised as possible, and get so much more out of the garden then I did last year. I want to do more school gardening events, get my chicken book published, write a murder mystery (gardening related of course), and get some more hens (we’re down to 2).

I do have a life outside Claire’s Allotment (yes I know it’s hard to believe), so I also managed to do the following in 2018:

As you know I’m a church bell ringer, and I’ve been ringing now for 32 years!! Yes I’m that old. I also set myself some goals for this as well, so here goes:

I wanted to ring in at least 5 different towers, which I did (think I rang in over 10 towers I’d never been to before). I wanted to ring at least 10 Quarter peals, I actually rang 14 quarter peals (all either Doubles, Minor, Triples or Major). I wanted to ring at least 1 peal, which I did, and I learnt a plain course of London Minor, which I now know.

I didn’t manage to ring a quarter peal on 12 bells, though.

In 2019 I want to ring at least another 10 Quarter peals, with at least 1 of those on 10, 11 or 12. I would like to ring another peal, and try at least 5 new towers. Now I can learn a touch of London Minor, and would like to leant a plain course of Lincolnshire Major. I do understand that this will mean nothing to many of you, but some you’ll understand.

Well that should keep me going, and with all the other Claire’s Allotment bits planned. I should be very busy.

Wishing you all a wonderful 2019, and please let me know what’s on your list for 2019. Let’s all encourage each other this year to reach that much further than we think we can go. So that by the end of this year we can all look back and say “Look what I did this year!”

Autumn is upon us and some of the plants are coming to an end. Now is the time to start harvesting your winter squashes and pumpkins. Here’s how mine got on this year.

Not quite sure why I look so scary and toothless in this picture…..

Lottie and Dottie would be proud. Click HERE to buy the book. So you can grow some next year.

It’s that time of year when you can start to harvest some of your brassicas. They’ve been growing really well all summer and your managed to keep the birds and most of the butterflies at bay. So now you get your reward.

Harvesting them is very easy, so let me show you how I harvest mine….

Remember to check for any caterpillars that managed to get through, it just takes a couple of minutes, but is worth the extra effort.

“How’s everything getting on in the greenhouse?” I hear you cry…..

Well let’s have a look shall we…..

It’s that wonderful time of year when you get to harvest your wonderful, warm, sweet tomatoes. Whether you are growing them in a greenhouse or out in the garden, they will taste amazing!!

Here’s how I harvest mine….

Please don’t cry it’s only onions….

Now the tops have gone all droopy it’s time to harvest my onions. Considering as they went in very late they’ve not done too bad….

Now is that time of year when we start to harvest our potatoes. Freshly harvested and cooked potatoes have so much flavour, it makes you realise how flavourless the ones in the shops are.

Here’s how I’m harvesting mine this year.

I hope you enjoy tasting your freshly dug up potatoes, just add a little butter and a sprinkling of fresh herbs to hot new potatoes….yum!

It time for me to harvest my garlic, and it’s very easy to do. Make sure that you dry the bulbs for at least a month before storing otherwise they may go mouldy. If you want to store them in a fabric sack, or be fancy and tie them up in a fancy plait it’s up to you.

Here’s how I harvest mine.