Planting up the allotment (2)

Trench twelve has been competed and the soil put back and levelled.  While I was doing this, I was cropping the purple sprouting broccoli.  I needed to clear where they were growing to dig over the ground before planting the potatoes.  As the purple sprouting broccoli was harvested, I put the plants at the bottom of trench twelve.

The broccoli has grown to about 5 feet in height and to show this, I took a photograph.  I lent it up against the new blackberry supports.  I put my spade and fork by it to show how big it was.  They are full sized spade and fork.  I think that they are about four feet tall. This plant was one of the largest but they were and are all about this size.  I have about twenty still in the ground awaiting harvesting.

My giant purple sprouting broccoli. It is
over five feet tall.  

Broccoli growing in the brassica bed.

I doubt whether I will get them quite so big this year but I am quite proud of them now.

I found some good clay at the bottom of trench twelve and dug it out to puddle the pond.  I filled the pond with water and await to see if it leaks out.  The sides of the pond have been levelled but I will have to redo it after I have finished the path to the green house and the greenhouse foundations.  I am hoping that I don't have to alter it too much.

I have taken up the tarpaulins and tucked them away on the next allotment -which I will start to dig over after planting up this one.   I have sown some more green manure on this bed because it will be planted with cabbage, cauliflower, swede, kohl rabi and brussel sprouts and they will not be ready until April.  I might do the same with the pea  and bean bed although I will be planting this up sooner.

I have decided to put rhubarb, late purple sprouting broccoli, leeks and confrey on the next quarter allotment so I will have to pull all the stops out to get everything finished.

I have started trench thirteen but have not done much because I had to take my daughter and grandson to town to do some shopping.  I will continue it tomorrow.