So last weekend, I didn’t do any work on the allotment. There is always work to be done but I’m still missing my work partner and so I need to do double the work to keep up and I’m not keeping up. I know that it’s my first full year of having the whole plot and I know it took me ages to get the first half more or less how I wanted it.

The new half at the back is in the much worse state, the soil is banjaxed and very dry, it feels like the only thing that grows is bind weed and because it’s so very dry, the paths are cracking and I can’t really get to the roots of the weeds. I’ve still not sorted out the other big bed and I really need to get plants in there.

So it’s all difficult right now. Even so, my brain is working on next year’s set of infrastructure improvements. All the new beds are getting another layer of planking because, there is bindweed coming up in them already, I don’t have this problem at the front end because my beds are deeper! We need to really mulch all the paths with a deep layer of woodchip because the soil at the front with a couple of years worth of woodchip is in much better shape. (I love my beds and paths but if I can condition soil under the paths that’s good for if I want to move anything and when it’s not my plot anymore)

At the back, I’m going to move the compost area right to the back of the plot, because the bird boxes are occupied and it’s really shady so I’m going to set up the compost area there and add some beds to the area that the compost bins are in now. I’m also going to make sure I have enough space for a greenhouse or a polytunnel because I’m going to have one by the time I’m 50. So as difficult as I’m finding it, it’s still giving me ideas!

I’m making it sound terrible but we’re done with the first crop of the year, the broad beans are done. I’ve pulled all the beans and taken the plants up. I’m going pot up all the self seeded verbena bonariensis, halve the size of the bed and it will be the second kale bed this winter.

I’ve got a ton of jobs, so here’s the list:

• weed the paths
• cut the grass
• weed the top of the plot
• weed the beds
• pot up the verbena
• half the old broad bean bed
• plant out and net the kale
• change the netting on the cauliflower bed
• sort out the second squash bed and plant out the squash
• thin out the beetroot
• stake the third tomato bed
• plant up the new blueberry plants

Here’s the list of the jobs I want to do but will probably not get to:

• paint the shed
• move the compost bins
• pond area