Winter weather

Weather affects what we can grow and the work we can be doing in our gardens and allotments. Here in Sheffield, as with most of the UK, it has been snowing. Perhaps more pertinently there have been sub-zero temperatures, freezing the soil and limiting the work that could be carried out. As a result our open day for January was cancelled.

Before the weather turned really cold I did make it down to Lotti where more preparation was underway. I have previously promised more on crop rotation and i will get around to it. I'm waiting for our open days on 16th February & 16th March, where there will be free workshops on composting and plot planning to take advantage of. I've already mentioned that we've been preparing our raised beds for this season's planting. As well as clearing the beds we've been topping them with manure  - where we can get it - and well rotted compost for the brassicas.

I admit this may not be the most exciting of photographs but it does demonstrate the culmination of some very hard work. It will be all the more satisfying when we come back to it later in the year to harvest the veg. Fingers crossed the weather permits better growing conditions than last year.

In addition to the work on Lotti, Hillside Harvest is working with Sheffield Council to improve access to the allotments. Personally I walk down and if you've seen my earlier blog on Rivelin Valley you'll understand why. For others who live further away, or with equipment to carry, a car is really useful. Parking on Hagg Hill is not ideal so we're working on a path to link the lower allotments to a car park off Rivelin Valley Road. There is a path through Reaps Wood but some work remains to connect the path to the allotments. There is a small brook to be crossed and some undergrowth to be cleared. We are hoping that we'll have volunteers to help on our next open day and possibly a sleeper or two for a small bridge and steps up the bank of the brook. If all goes according to plan there'll be a more pleasant and safe route through the woods for all the allotment holders toward the bottom of Hagg Hill. I'll be reporting on progress as it happens.

Back on the allotment we were also moving fruit trees. Hillside Harvest has had to scale back operations and has handed back a couple of plots to the council. Recently some fruit trees were replanted on our main site. I think they'll make an attractive addition to the site entrance and hopefully be bearing fruit for many years to come.