Here's the first couple of weeks or so of the measurements I've been taking on my plot at the Hill Rise allotments (click to enlarge). Done it more as a test for how easy the graph is to read, since I've got some doubts about the early readings. I've now got the thermometer protected from the early morning sunshine so recent readings seem much more reliable.
Getting really carried away with things now... bought a rain gauge yesterday and that's now in position, though no rain to record yet. Seems sensible to recalibrate the temperature graph from when I've started the rain measures (today).
Although I'm using a traditional but trusty max/min thermometer, spotted an interesting Gardman digital thermometer while buying the rain gauge. Didn't buy it because it wasn't clear if it records both inside and outside max/min temperatures... but on further investigation it appears it does. Tempted to buy it so I can record temperatures inside the greenhouse as well as outside.
Got loads of seeds planted this week, desperately trying to keep up with the schedule I've set on my planting calendar (click link under 'Welcome' to view). There's a picture below of one of the beds. Looks like I'm way ahead of where I've been in past years. Even got around to mapping out a plan of my allotment plots, which I'll be providing a link to when I've tidied it up. Having tried a number of software programmes I finally realised doing it in Excel, with its natural grid pattern, was best. What it's told me is I'm not going to be short of onions this year (got more than three beds full of them!).
Went to the second meeting of the Hill Rise Allotment Association this evening. Had a very interesting and entertaining talk from Selwyn Richardson, an experienced soil scientist. He placed great emphasis on getting nitrogen into the soil to have healthier crops. Fortunately for my chickens their droppings are just about the best things for this... the chooks have been a bit sparse in the egg laying department recently and I'm having difficulty keeping up with the voracious appetite of my youngest granddaughter, Izzy, who must have her egg for breakfast every day. So only having two eggs from the four of them since Wednesday is a bit of a problem. Having another reason for their existence will save their bacon (or more appropriately chicken chasseur). Actually no chance of them being given the chop since they all have names now.
Interestingly Selwyn said there was no problem in putting chicken droppings straight into the soil. This got much more nitrogen in and wouldn't burn crops so long as it was dug into the top six to eight inches. Comparative values for various fertilisers and manures was given as a handout which I'll reproduce if I can get permission, along with the soil analysis data supplied by Richard (who again did a great job in organising the event).
Great excitement at home. We've had a pair of robins hanging around the garden for a few weeks, they even popped into the nest box I put up at the beginning of the year a few times. This morning the female (I presume it's the female, you can't tell with robins) started carrying nesting materials into the box. Here's a picture of progress so far. Hoping to have a clutch of eggs soon!
 | One of raised beds full of newly planted seeds |
 | Greenhouse filling up with plants etc |
 | How the plots look this month |
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