Plenty of chips

The weather has been incredibly wet and pretty cold.  Currently, the back garden is frozen having not had chance to thaw during the day despite the sunshine.

Since the last post, a large pile of clippings (mainly or entirely Leylandii/Cypress as far as I can tell) arrived at the entrance of the allotment site, following my plea to a couple of local tree surgeons over the festive break.  During the following week, I moved around 20+ barrow loads to Bed 3 of my plot (shown in photo below) and since then completed the job with another 14 or so loads last week.  There is some skepticism around concerning the use of conifer clippings given their impact on soil acidity plus something about poisonous resins or some such.  Some gardeners are more relaxed and I am choosing to take that route.

I plan to use some around the raspberries and fruit bushes and perhaps also over the strip of strawberries I plan to dig up.  It may be that covering the old strawberry plants with a thick layer will be sufficient to kill them off.  Remaining clippings can be spread near the storage box to keep weeds from taking hold and providing a bit of a habitat for various critters.  Potatoes are a likely candidate for Bed 3 this coming season and they may appreciate a little bit of any acidity due to having the chippings sit there for a couple of months warming the soil.

In other news at the plot, three more broccoli plants have snapped leaving just one.  I cannot imagine that one will also make it through.

The leeks are standing ok but I should use them soon before they are eaten away entirely by the bugs.

And the rhubarb is starting to sprout.

I have washed a lot of pots ready for the season but still need to start cleaning the greenhouse.  The garlic is up in the two pots in there - my insurance against failures at the plot.  

Just before Christmas, I think, I checked in on the compost in the left-hand bin at home expecting/hoping that it would be ready to mulch the beds.  Alas it was nowhere near.  I wish I had taken a photo for a comparison but checking today, I think it has developed somewhat despite not getting to required temperatures.  

I emptied it and refilled it with some iced water and coffee grounds between some layers.  Will be interesting to see what happens to the temperature over the next couple of weeks.  Will be in a bit of a bind if I don’t have compost to spread and use in pots by Spring.  I’ll turn again in a month.

Last weekend I bought the first bag of compost this year along with 6 long trays for the greenhouse.  I am hoping these will each take 3 pots and will make it easier to keep the pots moist and the greenhouse floor tidy.

I’ll try to get some greenhouse cleaning done tomorrow and may treat myself to a new pair of secateurs.