Mare's Tail

 

Quick facts

Common name: Horsetail, mare’s tail 
Areas affected: Will grow anywhere, even up through concrete
Main causes: May establish from spores, but usually arrives via rhizomes from neighbouring gardens, 
Timing: Seen in spring and summer; treat when every and where ever you see it.

I had lots of this on my allotment when I started 13 years ago, however there is very little on my plot now.

I just cut it off at ground level when ever and where every I saw it. 

Weeds

 My Grandad used to say "‘one years seeding is seven years weeding’, and how true that is.

Weeds are part of growing and as such must be dealt with a plan.

All  annual weeds  will spread thousands of seeds  into  the ground to await the right  conditions . Digging the the soil brings seeds from deep down and up to  the surface to grow.

Luckily, most of these annual weeds are pretty easy to deal with. Just hoe through them, leave them to dry or collect them for the compost heap. Catching them young is most effective – better to hoe little and often .

There are r weeds that are a bigger challenge. The Perennial and  it can live for years and  years.I just keep hoping them and digging them up where I can 

Brussels sprouts

 

A tip on how to grow good  Brussels Sprouts.

Make sure your plants are firm in the ground.

Stake them to avoid them blowing over

 

Feed the plant every month ( even in winter ) because they are big feeders.

Real bad pest

 My neighbour, is leaning to play the bag pipes on his allotment and it is driving me mad.

Any body know how to get rid of such a pest?

Bonfire Ash

 If you have had a bonfire last weekend,

 do collect the ashes and keep them dry for use in the spring. 

Ash is a  valuable source of potash fertiliser which many plants find useful  especially tomatoes and fruit trees.

Plant Flowers

 I was born in London during the battle of El Alamein in North Africa, 81 years ago..........We are still bombing each other 81 years on!

We need to plant more flowers.