It’s been an interesting few weeks. I had ten days off work,
was in work for four, then was offered furlough, so I’ve now been on furlough
leave for a week. It’s such a peculiar situation and it's all very surreal – the
world is shutting down and lots of people are unfortunately dying, but I’m in a
nice little bubble where everything is fine and we’re healthy, and it is quite
hard to believe the statistics from the world. How can this be happening when
everything is fine?! But of course, it is not fine, and it’s actually all very
weird and strange and unsettling.
My anxiety is quite high at the moment and I’m having
trouble getting off to sleep, even though my medication has sedatives in it. I had
baggies under my eyesies the other day! I have been doing small bits of crochet
trying to keep my brain and hands busy, but I cannot do complicated stuff as I do
not have the brainpower and it frustrates me. I have been making larger mono-colour
squares. Eventually these will be sewn together into a blanket (there’s a
surprise), but focussing on one square at a time is doing good things to my
brain, and it also means I’m not spending that time on social media – can’t use
my hands to crochet and aimlessly scroll at the same time!
I have had four days up at the allotment this week. Partly due to furlough but also because the weather has been so, so, so good! It’s been beautifully sunny which means that the bottom road and turning-around-corner have dried out, and my plot isn’t as squelchy as it usually is. I have ticked off lots of little jobs, a couple of big jobs, and have also decided some new jobs for the year!
So far this month (I was furloughed from April 6th),
I have;
·
Planted potatoes – two rows, in the ex-bean bed
by the shed. This bed doesn’t flood as it’s at the top of a slope so the spuds
should be fine. I have planted Maris Piper and Casablanca. I haven’t grown potatoes
on the allotment for about eight years so it’ll be interesting to see what
happens.
·
Weeded the herb patch. I knew when I rebuilt it
that I should’ve done it properly and put down cardboard or paper, and then
fresh compost on top – but I didn’t and now I’m paying the price. I removed an
awful lot of creeping buttercup (I love it, but not in my veg beds), docks,
teasels (I left a select few for wildlife). I also dug out some strawberries
and teasel plants to bring home to plant in the garden. I could do with going back and replanting it all, and putting down some mulch - but not right now.
· Painted a new shipment of timber in preparation for raised bed building. I have enough new wood for four beds! They are all going to go at the bottom of the plot where the flooding is worst, and then I can actually use this space to grow things. These beds were initially dug by my friend Adam when I first had the allotment, but I am now completely remodelling this area to make better use of the space.
· Painted a new shipment of timber in preparation for raised bed building. I have enough new wood for four beds! They are all going to go at the bottom of the plot where the flooding is worst, and then I can actually use this space to grow things. These beds were initially dug by my friend Adam when I first had the allotment, but I am now completely remodelling this area to make better use of the space.
·
Dead headed the daffodils that had gone over so
that they put energy into the bulb ready for next year. The paperwhites are now
fully on display in the flower bed by the plum tree and are looking fab. The first
tulips are also starting to open and there are lots more buds to come, and I have
decided to plant even more tulips next year – maybe along the edge of the plot
as a boundary line.
·
David spent a happy few hours (!!) in the sun lifting
paving slabs, digging out a massive trench, lining it with sand and then
relaying the same four paving slabs. This was done in front of my shed which
means I can actually open the shed door now without it dragging across the
floor. Last year I quite literally ripped the door off the hinges so that was a
job that needed doing. I want a double row of slabs in front of the shed to
stop it getting so boggy so we/he needs to do more digging and laying…
·
Decided where I am going to dig a pond! I am hopefully
going to start digging it within the next couple of weeks and then I can order
liner when I get paid. If I get paid – furlough means I am receiving a smaller
paycheck so I can't fritter it all away on the plot.
At home I have been sowing seeds in the raised beds (salad
crops, beans, peas, potatoes, flowers) and I have planted up the trough
planters. David has built me a high-level trough planter thing that Momma P
gave to me, and he also put up the solitary bee house on the fence. I have seen
dark edged bee-flies in the garden and these are parasitic on solitary bees, so
I am hoping this means there are solitary bees around too. I have seen a male
hairy footed flower bee too, but no females yet!
I have spent a happy morning potting up most of the plants
that have been occupying our second bedroom. I had three trays of sunflowers
for this years sunflower challenge – I am growing giant, pikes peak, harlequin,
earth walker, and Italian white. I also had pots with seedlings that were
started by one of my Green Gym groups at work, so I have potted up some
tomatoes, courgettes and pumpkins. Some are for home, some for my plot, some
for Momma P, and maybe if I can squeeze them in, the rest will go to work when
we’re allowed back.
I am also having a go at growing my own LOOFAH this year!
This was supposed to be a work challenge – getting each group to try and grow
the most/best/biggest loofah. Alas, it hasn’t happened at work but I am still
growing some. I started nine seeds so there will probably be enough for work
when I go back. The first one has started poking up! They apparently need a
long, warm growing season.
David and I are so, so, so, so lucky and happy and grateful
that we moved house when we did. Having our own space is helping a lot, and so
is deciding to sign up to Netflix. I am not sure how long I am off work for –
my current return to work date is June 1st but it might be earlier
than that, so I may have a long time to keep up with gardening! I am hoping
that we can still access the allotment as I am only leaving the house for allotment
and shopping at the moment, and have been combining the two into one day, so I go
the plot and then hit up the shops before coming home again. I’m not sure I will
survive if the council shut the allotments…
