31st December - The Last Day

As of midnight tonight we will no longer have Allotment 21. Sister has been calling Spouse and I Tom & Barbara (and Mel & Steve Margo and Gerry) all year which is why I will sign off today with a group photo.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thursday 28th December - Proverbs

Curiosity Killed the Cat were an 1980's band that had me wearing a silly beret for about a week. Last night it was Tiggy the cat who was determined to muck up my seed planning for next year. I'm going to grow all the veg that survived in 2006 and will also try some;

Asparagus Pea
Rainbow Chard
Ailsa Craig Tomatoes
Feltham First peas
Autumn King Carrots
Blue Lake Beans

I will also plant a big nepeta bush to keep Tiggy out of the way.

Wednesday 27th December - Hurdles

If the move goes to plan in January I am planning some raised beds for the veg plot. I'm not keen on sleepers etc which are coated in chemicals and am thinking of constructing some hurdles which will cost virtually nothing and blend in with the cottage garden. I have never seen them used for growing veg - has anyone tried it?

Spouse says if they were any good everyone would use them and that creosote in very old sleepers won't hurt anyone.

Tuesday 26th December - Christmas

Our sprout crop didn't quite provide enough for Christmas dinner but M&S did. Sister, champagne glass in hand, managed to out-glamour Nigella Lawson as she microwaved a fabulous meal for twelve.

Merry Christmas!

Saturday 23rd December - Carrots

Spouse, pictured here with a rather large hangover from last night, has gleefully pointed out that it is cheaper to buy carrots from the supermarket than to grow them.

How does that Tammy Wynette tune go?

Friday 22nd December - Frost

Thank you Gordon M for the fridge tip. I was about to shake the woodlice out of the pots and stick them in when we finally get an overnight frost. No sign of fog in Hereford, just blue skies, sunshine and frost everywhere.

Clare and Sharon at work are trying to persuade me to do a 10k run in July. I am claiming that a sporting injury prevents me.

Saturday 16th December - Christmas Lunch

It's going to be Christmas with Sister this year which is a choice between three ready meals. Will it be Sainsbury's Taste the Difference, Tesco's Finest or the M&S most irritating food adverts in the world? The suspense is unbearable.

Friday 15th December - Garlic

Hooray! After waiting for weeks, my garlic has started to emerge. I think I will also order some more of the Solent Wight garlic which we planted in late January and which we are still eating now. The house move is scheduled to be approx 3 weeks into the New Year which means I should be able to get an onion bed prepared in time.

Friday 8th December - Sprout Alert

No sooner do I tell Mel that I think we have a sprout thief on our site than someone sends me a link to this very odd but strangely satisfying game.

Thursday 7th December - Monty Don

For the first time in living memory, Spouse sat through an entire garden related programme without complaint. Why? Because Monty Don is one of the few men on earth with a bigger guitar collection than him.

Monday 4th December - Global Warming in the Garden

I've just taken this picture and counted five frogs in our garden pond at 5.30pm in December!

Bird-watching Spouse heard great-tits doing their pre-spring "teacher teacher" call today which he says you normally hear on nice days in late January into February.

At this rate I will soon be plugging in bird-box cam and chitting my potatoes.

Saturday 2nd December

This morning we cleared out the contents of the shed and greenhouse and gave lots of stuff to the neighbouring plotholder who has been so helpful over the year.

Note to Self: Remember to dig up some comfrey and strawberries before the hand over.