For various reasons, appointments, weather and a streaming cold, I seem to have had a bit of a blogging break. Our allotment visits have also been fragmented, so it's time to play catch up in more ways than just one.
This week we managed a couple of visits to the plot, both of which have been devoted to tidying up. If ever we needed to be convinced that incorporating the use of weed control fabric into our allotment strategy was a good idea, then any doubts have been totally banished. Without having covered most of our beds, the plot would have taken a lot of work to bring back to an acceptable state and we would probably also be in receipt of warning letters from the council.
One of my outstanding work was to finish pruning the cane and bush fruit.
I had already pruned the tayberry, blackberry and purple raspberry. I'd also made a start on the jostaberries and gooseberries so my task was to finish the jostaberries and to prune the summer fruiting raspberries.
Jostaberries produce quite large bushes and are fast growing. Last year I risked being quite brutal in my pruning regime and it seemed to pay off. Consequently I was equally brutal this year.
When I had completed the task, the bush looked quite different.
Attention then turned to the raapberries.
One of my outstanding work was to finish pruning the cane and bush fruit.
I had already pruned the tayberry, blackberry and purple raspberry. I'd also made a start on the jostaberries and gooseberries so my task was to finish the jostaberries and to prune the summer fruiting raspberries.
I needed to cut out all this year's fruited canes to ground level
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Well done you wrestling with all that and a cold! I just keep looking at mine swaying merrily in the sturdy breezes that put me off going out to garden!
ReplyDeleteThere was more than a sturdy breeze blowing here last night,Deborah
DeleteWhen I say 'sturdy breeze' I mean in excess of 25 mph, but I gather you had quite a blast last night? I just can't work when everything is whipping into my face or blowing away all the time.
DeleteWe had gusts of 30mph in the garden ( which maybe doesn't sound much but more than Brian of Ophelia) but the plot is far more open and windier.
DeleteHope you're feeling better. It's a good job that you're always on top of jobs at the plot, things don't get so out of hand when you don't make it down there quite so often then.
ReplyDeleteI’ve been left with a cough. Jo which is annoying. Without the weed control fabric we definitely wouldn’t be on top of things
DeleteAfter your enforced absence, and various ailments, I bet you are looking forward to getting back into a regular plot routine! I had my first work session at my new garden today. I was very pleased with the soil condition, and the plot is only a bit weedy - not completely overgrown. There are lots of fruit bushes and trees too - the owner loaded me down with apples to take home.
ReplyDeleteI guess the weather will determine whether. We can re-establish and sort of routine, Mark. How big is the garden that you have taken on?
DeleteIt's a lot bigger than mine! The part I will be using is probably twice the size, but there are lots of mature fruit trees, currants, berries etc too, which I may or may not get involved with.
DeleteHi Sue, we've just trimmed up our raspberries this week too. We are having a stretch of lovely weather, so, trying to make the most of it. I hope you've shaken the cold off and are feeling better!
ReplyDeleteThe cold is still hanging on Jenni but as a cough now which is especially irritating when trying to sleep. Our weather is changeable - gales yesterday!
DeleteGreat job - it is a feeling of accomplishment, isn't it? Coincidentally, I finally got around to de-grassing/weeding golden raspberry run yesterday. I dug the grass out, my daughter moved it to the hilltop - it was so much quicker with some help! Hope you are taking care of yourself and resting up - feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteI bet you are happy to gave sorted out that raspberry bed, Margaret. I just hope that I can keep on top of ours. The weather helps enforce resting and now the daylight ours have shortened there is less time to work on the plot.
DeleteI see you are not wearing gloves. Do you manage the hybrid berries without them? Your hands in the picture look quite delicate
ReplyDeleteThe jostaberry isn’t prickly, Roger so that’s fine. Now had it been the tayberry that would have been quite different - gloves for that. I have small hands but I don’tknow about delicate :-)
DeleteWe've been working on pruning and cleaning up our berry patch here too, though we have considerably less than you do. It does always give a sense of satisfaction to get it done though, doesn't it!
ReplyDeleteIt does, Brian.
DeleteWow! that's heavy pruning! Very hard work indeed! ;)
ReplyDeleteIt's not too bad with the right equipment, Malar. The worst task is tidying up afterwards.
DeleteBy my reckoning you are still well ahead. I haven't touched my berries (black, blue, goose) or currants yet. The autumn raspberries have only just stopped fruiting and I feel I should let them die back a bit before the ground level chop! I have a Jostaberry and a Gojoberry waiting to be planted out and some Malwina strawbs on order. So a bit of a revamp is due in the close season.
ReplyDeleteI don’t prune the autumn fruiting raspberries ‘til spring, Mal. I hope that the Malwinas perform for you.
DeleteI bet you are glad to get that pruning out of the way! I do hope you cold has gone now and you are feeling better.xxx
ReplyDeleteI am, Dina. I’m just left with a cough now
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