Woodwork day

Been a cold day on lotty so help another plot holder shift some fresh horse muck. I also spent much of the time building a pot / plant stand and refurbished my potting bench. Have run out of green wood stain, so need to get some more. Felt good to get my pots organised for the big spring sowing session.

Pot store and somewhere to harden off plants

Refurbished potting bench

Project new bed completed!

UPDATE: I have been asked about the design of the compost bay - so I will share:

• I am no carpenter so the basic design is use what you have, fiddle and go with the flow.
• Tools: hammer, nails, screws, tape measure, saw, angled brackets, mallet, stain, brush...
• I have lots of spare wood knocking about - usually scavenged from skips. People throw away good stuff when renovating, so look out for builders skips! 
• The main wood is from pallets - this is good because usually the planks will be of the same length, so little measuring is done and if you base you design on the width of a pallet - all good!.
• The base of the bay is some hardboard I found, which I put on a base of rubble.
• I got 2 good square-ended posts which I thumped into the ground for the back corners of the bay, which I attached the sides and back panel to.
• The back is an old shed panel - slightly wider than the bay but no problem.
• The left side is a very solid hardboard pallet base.
• The right side is a mixture of an old pallet and some pallet planks nailed on.
• To attach the 3 sides to the posts in the ground I screwed angle brackets (bought these) to them.
• The front of the bay I put a square-ended post (like a hearth) and used angle brackets to attach this to the sides. I made sure the width of the front (hearth) is only slightly wider than the length of a pallet plank.
• For the front of the bay I nailed 2 pieces of wood (either side) with a gap wide enough so a pallet plank can slide up and down. These are free to be removed when digging the bay out - much easier!
• As the width of the opening of the bay is a pallet planks' length - no cutting of planks is required!
• I put some extra bit of wood around the top and edge to make it look a bit smarter.
• Gave everything a good stain - and hey presto!

Midway through constructing the compost bay

All done

Manured the newest bit

Strawberries planted in membrane

9 strawberry plants

Another 9 strawberry plants

New compost bin with retractable front

More space!

Still no rain - but all looking good!

Been busy (as it is my hols):

• Build new security fence
• Planted a Pear and Cherry Tree
• Painted the shed green
• Planted the Nasturtiums down the fence

Staffs County Flag (on neighbours plot)

New security fence

New gate

Potatoes up - have earthed them up now - sorry Radishes!

Carrots

Broad beans and Onions

Tomatoes and Nasturtiums 

Old compost bay - now replanted with Laural and squashes

New Cherry tree

New Pear tree

Very busy week on new plot

Been a busy week sorting out my new (free) greenhouse - repairing and painting.

Frame as I got it

Stained green and new plastic roof

Back view with panel

Side view - I have a window and new retaining wall