Scaffold board edging

I've only got a few scaffold boards left from my last scrounge so I stuck them in along the edge between plots 2 and 3, where the path crumbles away. Would be so nice to do the whole path both sides, for each plot but I just don't have the timber. Makes it so easy to strim the grass to an edge.

Tiled edge

Continued to sink old roofing tiles along the edges of the terraced beds to hold the sloping soil in.

Scaffold board edging continued...

Put second 8ft board in to continue the straight edge, making it easier to strim the path and weed the plot.

Scaffold board edging

If you do nothing else, neaten up the edge. Not sure where I heard this little gem and I don't really know why it is but a neat edge makes everything better.

strawberry bed

Had some strawberry plants that needed a place in the world so I dug out a section of the polytunnel bed, making the edge raised and chucking in some well-rotted manure.

Raised bed edge

Put some more tiles in to retain the soil where it slopes, eventually I'd like to terrace everything. Did lots of weeding yesterday too.

Dry bed and tiled edges

I've been trying to figure out where to plant a sedum I bought a while back and stumbled across an area in the flower bed next to the polytunnel, it's still a work in progress but I planted a creeping thyme and stonecrop too, the humble beginnings of a dry bed complete with a pair of old boots planted up with a colony of sempervivums. The boots incidentally were found in the little shed on our first plot, left by its previous owner, the planting up being an homage to his efforts.



I also built this raised edge below, so that the leeks could go in undisturbed by the sloping soil level. I used some lovely old roof tiles left on the swap table, I'm gonna do this around other edges that need soil retained.

Raised beds and gourd frame

Early June and mass planting begins proper. Planted out all tomato plants with marigold companions, salad crops like lolla rossa, coriander, basil, spring onions etc. Planted 3 pumpkins and one butternut inside the gourd frame and my climbing gourd varieties around the edges, every side of the frame is working hard to support produce including cucumbers and flowers like sunflowers and sweetpeas.

Finished raised beds

It rained hail today, and Michael told me there was lightning very close to the allotments, said it was close to getting him in his greenhouse on the hill - very scary. Anyway it was just raining when I got there, thankful for small mercies. Inbetween showers I finished the beds I started yesterday and planted 3 long rows of brassicas.

Raised beds for tomatoes and salad crops

Today it rained, undefeated by this, we still went to the plot to dig over the area set aside for tomatoes and other summer veg. Due to the fact that the ground slopes I started to built some raised beds around the gourd frame to contain the crops, tried this last year but the 6 beds were too awkward with small paths around each, so this year I really knew what was required.



This was the area prior to beds going in.

Raised edge in the bank holiday rain

Yesterday started to make a raised edge along the side of E7 due to the west to east slope. Rained rather heavily from about 5pm as forecast. I call this bed zone 3 and this season I shall mostly be growing the brassica family in it.