Progress Made at the Allotment!

Today, we rented a strimmer (Americans read: weed whacker) and cleared the lower half of our 10-rod allotment. The strimmer worked well and cut the grass more effectively than the two mowers we used earlier in the week. It’s just about possible to see in the top centre of the photograph the compost pile we started with the grass clippings and some vegetable waste we had collected at home. In the foreground is a big pile of grass clippings which is the beginning of a second compost heap that will be in the bottom right-hand corner of the allotment. So, basically, the ground is cleared and we’ve started to compost.

Next, is to mark out where the raised beds will be and install boards to make them. Thus, it will be very clearly indicated where the grass paths are and where we will grow stuff. A raised bed is an area made from a square or rectangle of boards. Once the ground is prepared in a raised bed, it does not need to be repeatedly dug. Raised beds are an ideal way to grow crops of vegetables, fruits, cut flowers and herbs. Anyway, you’ll see what I mean as we progress further with allotment. We continue to meet others who are gardening at Fernbank and I must say everyone is terribly friendly.