There's not much happening now that the weather has put the freeze on the growing season. Parsnips, cabbages, kale, brussel sprouts, jerusalem artichoke and next spring's leeks are shrugging off the the icy weather on their own.
I've taken the opportunity to put into action my "great soft fruit cage plan" for 2013. This was going to be the great soft fruit cage plan for 2012 but was put on ice until the preparation time became available. The wood was collected from a skip when a building renovation was under way and they were being thrown away. I am happy to give them a second use. They've waited in a pile standing on bricks until now.
I've already posted a picture of wooden poles soaking in a bucket of preservative. Well these have now been fully painted with preservative and moved to their new location to dry out.
The next step has been to install the uprights:
I know my joinery limitations, so every joint is made using an simple L shaped bracket and 4 screws.
The suspended beams will be next to be screwed into position. Then all I need is the netting. And some sort of access point. I've got all winter to finish off so I am pretty pleased with progress so far. There will be no point in netting the roof until after any danger of snow has passed.
Of course devoting 1/5th of the plot to soft fruit has upset my 5 year rotation plan which has had to be adapted to a 4 year rotation. The Alliums and Other Roots will now share a block. Planning is actually a large part of the fun of allotment gardening - plans working is the payoff.
Happy winter days.
I have only ever worked on a 4 year rotation plan Mal and it has seemed to work fine for me so I am sure it will for you too. How tall is your cage?? Any ideas on that door yet?
ReplyDeleteHave a word with Martyn as I have to scramble my into out 'fruit cage' by bending a bit if chicken wire back!
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