Reflections 2019 w42

The greenhouse is nearly completed. A few more frame pieces to go on and then the rubber and one can start glazing. Just in time for the freezing weather.

My time working on it has been limited because of the carpel tunnel in my arms, it causes me to drop the tools when working overhead, and because of the angles of the nuts, they have to be done – overhead. Otherwise i would be onto the glazing stage now.

Anyhow, I will at least be able to start experimenting with a thermal battery in the greenhouse, basically a barrel of water that gets heated up in the daytime by the sun, to see if it will make any difference to making the greenhouse frost free. Thats the goal, I do not want it at a high temperature, just enough to stave off the freezing.

I have yet to decide which side to place the top window, and wether or not to use one off the old greenhouse.

Yet to research…Is there a reason the top opening windows are staggered? Or can they be placed opposite one another? Two on one side, against the prevailing wind direction. or not.

Is there a reason for the open window placement???

One hates my brain when it goes off on a tangent like this.

Reflections 2019 w41

It’s getting lonely at the allotment, for this year, my first year of having my own plot, I am growing over winter. And I am the only one that is.

Plus I have the greenhouse to assemble.

The plant suppliers have unfortunately let me down with the autumn asparagus, that will not be arriving until march now. But one has planted the broad beans, peas,  winter lettuce, over wintering kale, cabbage and broccoli, I think.

For some reason this year has had a bunch of labels disappear, and my papers with notes on have been destroyed in the move around. However, with all the rearranging that has taken place this year, any veg grown is just classed as a bonus.

Last years leaf mould has yet to be moved into its next container, to make room for this years leaves. Some more branch shredding, moving water buts to their final places, guttering and of course the greenhouse to be assembled, glazed and benches/shelving to be built inside it.

The plot started looking like a building site and it looks like it may see the latter parts of the year looking like one as well.

But it should be finished for the start of the next season, and I will be in front with the crops.

Well that’s the plan.

Reflections 2019 w40

One went to the allotment to harvest some crops and had an unusual sight, it left one wondering if this winter is actually going to be a winter here in the uk.

The sight was of a squirrel, nothing unusual there, but this one was on a fellow plot holders sweetcorn. Well, what was left of it.

The squirrel had eaten nearly the entire lot.

Squirrels are common around the plots, but one has never seen them go for the sweetcorn before, especially eating it in situ on the stalk. They had left only the cores. A sad reminder of the crop that was.

I also had a couple eaten as well.

Normally the damage done by wildlife is minimal, but this year it seems to have been heavier. Whole crops have been decimated, and not by the usual suspects – the slugs.

I had problems at the beginning of the year with squirrels, they kept pinching my fleece of the plots, piece by piece. I presume to build nests. But unless I cover my entire plot with a fruit cage and netting one is going to have to stop the problem somehow.

Luckily for the squirrel, killing them is the last option. The first is to see if everything is trying to fatten up for a bad winter. This would explain the extra eating nature seems to be doing.

I am going to make some precautionary measures so the over winter crops get some protection, just in case.

One prefers working with nature whenever possible, even attracting it into the plot as helpers. But I’m not spending my time and money growing organic food stuffs for it over me. And I’m not against the idea of pigeon and squirrel in the pot.

They have been told this.

Reflections 2019 w39

One has jut had a Holliday in wales again. Wet, windy and a lack of fish in the sea.

Not all the weather was wet to be honest, myself and my brother had a couple of afternoons sitting in stunning little bays watching hundreds of ferry swimming around below our feet, just no larger ones to catch on the hook. Luckily for me the views are the main part of the fishing, catching is a rare bonus.

However, my brother and I did look like we were fishing at different seasons. I was in shorts and he was in a quilted jacket, thick trousers and complaining he was cold.

One has been taken off my anti psychotic meds now, and the anxiety attacks are getting worse. Until it can be proven that my pain medication is/or is not causing the rash/bleaching of my skin it is in the great wisdom of the psych team to not place me on any meds for my mental health.

Which would not be a problem if the medication was just part of the treatment plan, as I was told it would be 8 years ago. But it is not, so how low one has to go before they change their mind we will have to see. I suppose it all depends on how quickly I get through the tranquillisers one has for emergencies.

I hate this treatment ‘plan’.