It was clear that this weekend wasn’t going to have the best weather. Firstly it’s a bank holiday, Secondly we’re in England and thirdly the weather forecast did not look promising. Usually any of these three is an indicator that there could be rain. Any two of the three is an indicator that they’re really could be rain. But to have all 3 line up on the same weekend is a certain sign of rain!
We had grand plans for the weekend which included jobs at home and jobs on the allotment. With quite a few plants still to get in it was important to make a start.
A return visit to Granny’s greenhouse also identified a large number of additional things which we had forgotten that we were planting including the squash and some cutting flowers which were heading for the garden plot.
Quickly the allotmenteers loaded the plants into the car to take to the allotment. When I say quickly the loading was somewhat fraught by discussions as to who was to carry which plant, how they were to be carried and the odd repotting of 1 or 2 from the tarmac. Once loaded in the car it was time to go the allotment. Collecting a bag of compost from the driveway on the way, we were off.
We arrived at the allotment and a further discussion as to who was the carry what plans was completed and soon we were walking through the slightly long grass, which has already grown since the previous visit.
As we approached the plot, the weather was still ok at this point and spirits were high. There wasn’t much rain in sight, but no sooner had the trowel hit the soil the spits of rain started. Slowly scraping back the soil the plants started going in one plant after another being careful as we separated them.
The allotemnteers were by now well aware of protecting the roots during potting, repotting, repotting, repotting and planting out. No one wanted to damage any of these ones little roots.
The allotmenteers pointed out some other people were leaving but by this point the slight bit of rain and turned into more of a shower. The allotmenteers and I had to finish the planting before it was too late and by the time we got all the plants in it really was starting to rain. I have to confess I was beginning to be a little bit concerned about the car seats…. Once we were finished we jumped into the car and headed home.
I think it’s fair to say that it wasn’t the ideal weather for planting out, but with a determined spirit and a little madness we got it done!
