Tuesday, April 04, 2006

Pixies and plans

God, has it been that long? In my defence I've actually been at the plot! No sign of eejits next door, though Mysterious Markers have appeared that leave me no possible conclusion other than a secret army of pixies have been recruited to plant things at 5am when nobody's looking. Or someone turned up one evening in the week and bunged some shallots in so that they could spend the weekend in the pub. But that's far less likely.

I have: Dug and raked and planted 3 types of leeks and 2 types of spring onions, all of which have failed to sprung.

Killed my sweet peas.

Had help! K from across the road, veteran of many a shared gin-soaked evening, gave up his afternoon in the Grapes to spend his hangover digging with me. He dug lots, I dug less. I was very pleased and grateful.

Discovered that K (a) is a big fat girl who couldn't get out of bed the next day because, I quote, his "spine is broken"; (b) is still at the denial stage of root removal as I was last year - i.e. if it isn't a foot long it isn't really there; (c) that it's catching. I really couldn't be arsed to properly go over the entire bed-and-a-half that K had dug, so dug a couple of trenches, shoved some new potatoes in, and made vague promises to myself about sifting the soil as I earth up. Yeah, right.

Dug another bed, also rather half arsedly, and slung some hardy peas in there. Doubt they'll even germinate, but it gave me a sense of achievement, and I have got another 4 varieties at home.

Dug out path on what eventually will be my brassica seedbed. Gave up. Dug out a few bramble roots. Gave up. Began compost heap and turf stack. You know what's coming. Refuse to feel bad about all the giving up, as at least I was there and did a bit. Two hours each day for four days is better in a way than eight hours over two, because at least I can move in the morning. Wonder if K will be up for more digging at the weekend? Will put him on bramble duty, hee hee.

Shent is really threatening the Mary Poppins thing in all the high winds. (Ceratonia - remember her umbrella? Afraid I'm going to go into the shed for shelter and land in a London street full of chirpy chimney sweeps). Can't do bugger all about it though.

Drew up complicated rotation plan for crops on allotment that would allow me to harvest year-round and try out all the seeds I have including the odd experimental ones. Went to plot. Realised plot half the size of the plot in my head that I've planned for. Oop. Alliums (i.e. onions, garlic, leeks) taking up far more than the 1/4 plot I've allowed for them because they were more or less all I could plant through the winter. Hmmm...

16 Comments:

Blogger Greenmantle said...

To quote a phrase " Lady you kill me!" It's always worht waiting for your updates as you are damn funny. Err...That is your posts are I mean.

Good luck with the digging etc.
I only dream of the luxury of a gullible assistant.

6:50 pm  
Blogger Bupster said...

Will try to keep on top of the updates. Home computer is elderly dinosaur slightly deaf and blind - "What's that you say, dear? Save? Save what? Snore....." - so have been avoiding the pain. Bad bupster. Must do better.

9:57 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Signed up for my first allotment today and found your blog by a stroke of luck (my 4 year old daughter tried killing the lap top with a herd of cows....don't ask!).

My allotment consists of row open row of dandelions....can't wait.

Had a chat with the head chief at the allotments, I'm desperate to stay organic, so the allotment geezer highly recommends killing everything in sight with gallons and gallons of chemicals. (thankfully he stopped a little short of suggesting napalm).

Least I got the allotment rent free for the first year (yes - it's in that bad a shape!)....just had a stump up the 'subs' of £1 which will see me through till next March.

any advice would be gratefully welcomed.

1:42 pm  
Blogger Statto said...

Bupster you're in the wrong job - you should be in print! Found your blog whilst ggogling allotments (how sad is that?).
You should give up the day job and then go 50:50 with the work on your allotment and finding a publisher and writing a book. They could even make a TV series!!

4:26 pm  
Blogger Joanna said...

So glad to find another allotment holder in Cambridge! Look forward to reading more.

12:10 pm  
Blogger Bupster said...

Have just started new job in which I have actually to do some work, hence appalling record of updating. Must do better.

3:28 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We finally get our allotment this Saturday, after waiting on a list since Novemeber 2005 and found your blog while Googling. It's had me and Mrs Bonzo in stitches, and been a great insight into what we're up against!

Why are allotments so increadibly exiting???

We've got a few crop plants smothered in weeds, a nearly shed which is locked and we get to break in on Saturday and see what we get! About 1/3 of the plot is covered in tarps and ready to plant, the rest sounds pretty much like yours!

12:06 pm  
Blogger Peggy said...

Please write some more blog entries! Do not deny your readers.

8:44 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hallo, i really love your blog. i'm putting together a greener living guide for the guardian, we want to be a bit unserious about it all and not get too The Sky's Falling on Our Heads, and wondered if we could borrow some of your tips for our gardening section? With a link to your blog at the bottom of course?
my name is Bibi van der Zee, and you can ring me on 07747 635 750, or email me on bibizee@yahoo.co.uk

1:52 pm  
Blogger Jooles said...

Wow - it puts all of my failing efforts into perspective. Have just purchased enough black sheeting stuff to cover the whole bleedin' lottie and feel a sense of anticipation at killing all those damned weeds and bugs. Ha ha!

2:45 pm  
Blogger fwyalchen said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

5:37 pm  
Blogger fwyalchen said...

I'm not sure you'll get this as the blog seems to have lain idle for a bit. It's Matt Davies from Aberystwyth here. After about five years of absence your name popped into my head so I thought I'd give you a Googling (thankfully not a euphemism!) and I have found this beutifully crafted blog. It's lovely to know that your ascerbic wit and spoon-like bluntness are still gracing the stage of humanity. It would be a poorer place if they were not.

I've enjoyed greatly what I've read thus far so can we have more please? (Predatory gin palaces permitting!) We must catch up at some point. If you do a web search for 'fwyalchen' I'm not hard to hunt down! Take care, Matty.

5:38 pm  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi.

Found your blog last night and really enjoyed it. Will certainly be returning.

Happy Gardening.

Margaret.

9:15 pm  
Blogger Bupster said...

Hi, all, sorry for being so hopeless. This is the beginning of a new dawn, or some such. I have a new computer, at any rate...

12:54 am  
Blogger Mika said...

Already bookmarked! Read Later. Incoming Call..

Carney Properties

2:59 am  
Blogger Unknown said...

I've enjoyed reading this one.. thanks for sharing hopefully more post to come.

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4:59 pm  

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