A quick update on the allotment!

Despite the minus 1C temperature on Sunday, I told Dearest Son it was time to go get some seaweed. So we did.

There is a place not far from us where we can collect it very easily and it doesn’t seem to matter when you go, it’s always cold. I can’t recall one time EVER when I was warm doing this job.

I’m always careful not to take anything still attached to a stone as that is still alive and growing. I filled up a few bags and we headed to the plot.

The area I wanted to put it is for the beetroot. I asked someone who grows amazing beetroot what tips he could give me as mine has been pathetic for the last few years, despite feeding the soil. He suggested seaweed.

It will be sitting there for a while before I’m planting into it and if it hasn’t rotted down enough by then, I’ll make gaps between it as I put compost down in December so the ground has been well fed. Weeds have grown well in this bay – home-grown compost has some risks! Luckily most of it is chickweed which comes out easily. Sadly though, the ground was frozen so I couldn’t get any more weeding done on this visit.

Bring on the pruning shears!

I’m no expert at pruning but I do know I need to take out anything Dead, Diseased and Downright in the way. I also wanted to use some of the blueberry cuttings for propagation. Another experiment as I’ve never done it before but after some research, February seems a good time to do it, just before everything wakes up from their Winter slumber.

I also attacked the redcurrant bush. It is big and some of the branches are too low down which was making harvesting difficult. Actually, I have a confession about the berries: I like picking strawberries, but I really don’t like picking the redcurrants or the blackcurrants! I do it, of course, but they are so time consuming. I don’t mind the blueberries as I eat some during the process – perks of the job and all that!

I realised just now that I didn’t take photos of the blueberry bush but no big deal. Actually, I was interrupted by a lovely plot holder who is sadly giving up his plot. He has helped us out many times, especially with fixing the fence but his health problems have made it too difficult for him to continue. He gave us 4 bags of bark as a leaving present! He’ll be missed by many I’m sure.

I’m putting together a video for YouTube so if you want to see it all in action as it were, head over to my channel: https://www.youtube.com/@myslicechannel

Obviously I would love it if you subscribed there also – and actually watch the videos! I think everyone assumes YouTube only counts subscribers but it actually tracks how much of your content is watched and that’s how it decides whether or not to suggest your stuff to other people.

You learn something new every day!

Get some seaweed if you can, get pruning and enjoy your gardens.