Well, I’ve finally got round to getting down to my plot to start digging over the soil and getting it into some sort of shape ready for planting in Spring next year. Thought I’d left it too late as the temperature has really dropped and the frosts have started. It was with slight trepidation that I loaded the new fork into the car and headed down to the allotment. The weather was bright and brisk and there was certainly a chill in the air. I unlocked the gate and parked up. Boots on, tools out and down to the plot to face the frosty ground. It was about 11:00am on Saturday 10th December 2011. At this time of day at this time of year even on a bright sunny day the trees that line the river mean that the majority of my plot was in shade and the frost was lingering like a bad omen. The allotment was also eerily quiet. Udtiratlila . I was expecting to see at least a couple of cars parked up on my arrival but the place was dead. I thought to myself that as the newbie I’m obviously behind and that everybody else is well into there preparations knowing that the frosts were on their way. Well it needs to be done so no point dwelling on it.
I decided to start at the top (road) end of the plot as this was where most of the sunshine was and the frost had receded. I started work by digging a trench with the spade across the entire width of the plot (approx 7.5 metres). The trench was the depth of the spade by its width. My plan was to dig a trench and then using the new fork turn the soil by digging directly next to the trench and turning the soil into the trench. I repeated this process until I had dug an area approx 2 metres wide. The soil from the original trench was then deposited into the new trench on the far left of where I started. This area took me about 2 hours of digging. In order to prevent weeds from re-establishing themselves over winter I covered the area of dug soil with weed suppression fabric.
A few people did turn up while I was working. A lady with her dog popping by to harvest some leeks and an old fella got out his chainsaw. I couldn’t see what we was doing with the chainsaw and for the life of me can’t imagine what he needed it for but hey each to their own.
Will have to get back down next Saturday and get as much as I can done before Christmas. Maybe Santa will bring me a Rotavator to make things easier…………….