So I guess I've realised that I need a new game plan for the allotment now I have a tiny person in tow. I came up with this set of commandments while down on the plot on Sunday.
1. Mulch, mulch, and mulch some more
I can't be doing with a lot of weeding this year - too much heavy labour, too time-consuming. So I am going to mulch heavily with cardboard, newspaper, grass cutting and straw - every patch I can, barring the raised beds which are fairly weed free. The accompanying pix are the before and after shots from an initial bout of mulching my blackcurrant bushes - thick layers of newspaper topped with compost from the heap. I am going to try growing potatoes through a mulch for the first time, too.
2. Don't feel guilty about buying young plants
Yes, I will sow from seed when and where I can, but it's better to concentrate on raising a few plants successfully myself than trying to do it all.
3. Do a bit of edging every time I go to the plot
I get really discouraged when things start to look scruffy - if I can keep things in hand little by little, it'll help me stay focused.
4. Turn the compost heap at least once every fortnight
I want to turbocharge my composting this year - not least because I need the compost for mulching etc, plus it's great exercise!
5. Focus, focus, focus
I tend to adopt a bit of a scattergun approach on my plot visits, and am easily distracted by small, unimportant tasks rather than the core things I need to be doing. So I am going to get the key things done first - sowing, harvesting, watering, pest control - and leave the repainting the toolbox etc for another day.
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