We’ve not done masses of work on the plot over Christmas, but we have finally got all the raised beds assembled and in place. The last ones to go in were in the polytunnel.

As usual, there is less actual room than I thought. We won’t be putting in shelves and for winter there is just enough room for the table and chairs to go in for when we want a break or a cup of tea. Next week I’m going to sow some leeks and sweet peas and those pots will end up resting on the beds, for a bit. We’ll find space somehow.

After we did the raised beds, we were talking about the blueberries and which ones we needed to repot, when I noticed that I was missing one of the blueberry bushes in the grey pots. This is one of the harder things about allotment life, there are over 100 plot holders on site, I don’t know all of them but someone has walked to the back of the plot and stolen an entire blueberry bush. The two in the grey pots were the oldest ones and I’ve waited years for them to be really productive, so it sucks.

I have posted on the site’s Facebook page and asked them to give it back but I think it’s gone, I am so cross about it. It’s horrible to think that there is someone in our allotment community that steals things, not just the bush itself but all the work I put into growing it. I can buy another but it won’t be as productive for a good long while.

The work list is growing and spring is almost upon us, but these are the things I’d like to get done over Jan and Feb. Some of that is going to be money dependent (compost and raspberry cages) but I’m confident that we’ll be in good shape for Spring.

• weed paths not already wood chipped and wood chip them
• cut back and transplant various roses
• weed rose garden and pond area
• weed and clear iris garden next to herbs
• sow leeks and sweet peas in the polytunnel
• sort out planting in the new flower bed next to polytunnel
• sort out boysenberry/gooseberries next to new flowerbed
• sort out caging for raspberries so they have support and don’t take out anyone’s eyes next year
• top up compost on beds that need it (all of them that aren’t actively growing anything!)