I've been pretty busy this week, I started knitting my first ever pair of socks but I've not made anything else, I've been working hard digging at the allotment because I want to enter my plot in this year's "Godalming in Bloom" competition.
As always I had my camera with me and just had to take a picture of the beautiful Apple Blossom. We were lucky enough to have been left an Apple Tree when we took over the plot, I have no idea what sort of apples they are, but they're beautiful and crisp and very red and shiny, drooling at remembering the taste of last year's crop.
I'm really pleased to see the blossoms appearing, I had to give the tree a heavy butchering pruning in the winter, as it was growing out of control, was very straggly and we had a serious overcrowding of apples last year, many were far too small and bitter to eat as they couldn't ripen.
I don't know about you but I know nothing about Apple Tree's, but with the help of the internet and youtube I set about it with my loppers. I took loads off and got it looking like a sort of goblet shape with no branches crossing over, then I had to wait in anticipation to see if I'd killed it! I'm hoping the sight of the blossom means we'll be getting apples this year, but if we don't I'm just happy that the poor tree survived my butchering pruning attempt.
As I said before I've been doing a lot of digging with the help of Himself and now all the raised beds are in at last, it's been hard work but they'll look gorgeous when planted up. I've already planted my Sweet Pea seeds, if you look closely you'll notice my inspired (in my opinion) use of knitting needles to help them find their way onto the netting.
I think we'll leave the back half of the plot as mown weeds grass for the time being, although it's our second year we never got started properly until this year, due to Himself being so unwell over the last 18 months.
All that's left for me to do now is to tidy edges, plant the rest of the seedlings from the greenhouse, water and wait. Himself is in charge of cutting the grass, he enjoys doing it, I'll rake it up and that's it. The big old petrol lawnmower we got off FreeCycle is far too heavy and has a mind of it's own, it has a habit of moving off on it's own at a rate of knots and I can't keep up with it. I'm keeping my eyes peeled on Freecycle for a Sit on Mower, that'll be much more my style.
I'm so pleased with how much we've achieved, but I'll let you be the judge as this is what the plot looked like when we first took it over last March and why I titled this post "Digging is Crafting".
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| View from bottom end |
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| View from top end |
Wishing you all a very Happy Easter and a great week crafting.
xxx
I have garden envy right about now. #MySundayPhoto
ReplyDeleteYou can come and dig whenever you wish lol x
DeleteI really wish I had that to work with
ReplyDeleteThank you for linking up
Thank you for hosting.
DeleteI really think you've done well with the plot looking at the photos! It is my dream to get an allotment once we've moved house later this year hopefully! I would love to inherit an apple tree with lovely blossom on it too!
ReplyDeleteWhen you've moved contact your local allotment association straight away, the waiting lists are not as long as you'd think. Around here you have to be seen to be doing on your plot, there's no more hanging on to it for years and never touching it, but each association has its own rules.
DeleteWhat a lot of hard work. But it will be worth it when you have all those home grown vegetables. I briefly had an allotment, but we were allowed to have no perennials, which made it very hard work.
ReplyDeleteThank you, it's been hard, but next year will be so much easier. Sounds strange saying no to perennials, but each association is different and the rules are voted on at AGM' s by the members so there must have been a reason for it.
DeleteI have a similar pruning style to you - not killed anything yet ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's very good to hear LOL x
DeleteLooking good, I would love a beautiful garden and an allotment but I would have to make my husband do all the work as I am absolutely terrified of frogs! Good luck with it x
ReplyDeleteI've not come across any frogs yet, but we do have plans for a wild section to attract bees and other insects, I would love to add a pond for wildlife too, but have yet to apply for permission to add one. A little secret for you: I'm scared stiff of worms and freak out every time I see one and we have some whoppers on the plot. Yes I know it's a silly phobia and can make things a bit awkward digging as Himself has to keep coming over and moving them LOL.
DeleteWow, that looks exactly like my veggie patch when I first started! Looking really good and worth the hard work when you sit down and tuck into a plate of homegrown veg/fruit.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Nothing tastes as good as home grown, I'm sure it's all the blood, sweat and tears that improves the flavour LOL
DeleteYou've done a fantastic job with the allotment, we have one too and i know what hard work it is. Nothing beats harvest time though :) We just planted some sweet peas too, i love your knitting needle idea, might have to give that one a go! :)
ReplyDeleteThank you. Not too sure how successful the knitting needles idea will be, but as its quite breezy on our plot I think it can't do any harm to give a little helping hand. Would love to hear how yours grow too.
DeleteGosh, so much hard work, well done. A small patch left unmown and shrewn with meadow and wild seeds is great for wildlife and will attract bees and butterflies which is great for pollination. I'm looking forward to see your progress.
ReplyDeleteJan x
Thank you Jan, we've planted one bed with the Countryfile seeds for wildlife, and at the back around the old muck heaps we've left an unmown area which we hope to allow to grow wild and maybe add a pond, but I need to check with our steward about how wild we can let it grow and I need to apply for permission to add a pond, although the wild area is still a work in progress in my head at the moment, we're still very new allotmenteers at the moment.
DeleteThat is a lot of work you have put in, it's looking good.
ReplyDeleteThank you Andrea.
DeleteWow, Dawn, you, G and BB have done well. Looking good x.
ReplyDeleteThank you Lesley, last year was so difficult as you know, its great to be able to do things together again at last xxx
DeleteHi Dawn, thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving the good advice on weaving in ends of yarn when knitting. You have a big piece of property to garden. Good luck with it.
ReplyDeleteJulie at Jukie's Lifestyle
Thanks Julie
DeleteI am just waking my garden up !
ReplyDelete