Quince strap

I replaced the bin bag that was helping to support the quince with a proper strap.

New compost bin

The compost bin is absolutely overflowing and I can't get anything else into it. This photo from the back doesn't do it any justice. I'll get another of the front because I forgot this time. That's over six feet of organic waste from just my side of the plot.

You can see where I've started the new compost bin round the back of the old one. It's got a moderate amount of new material in it and a little bit of existing compost to start it off.

I've got only one pallet for it so far and even if I had another one, I couldn't get it in because of all the scrap wood i've stuffed down the side there. I'm going to buzz-saw that up next week.

The main problem with the new bin is that the path to get to it is mainly a border filled with ferns. I have to cross into the neighbouring plot to get to it sometimes. And to get to that path I have to go through a weed-infested border on my side. So, once I'd sorted out the nursery bed, which made up half of the weedy border, I put in some stones to start a path round to the compost area. It looks rubbish now, because it is, but I'll level them and fill the gaps with herbs and the like.

Nursery bed

Before I get onto the nursery bed, here's how the final cross-plot path is looking.

I've filled a bit with bark chippings and finished the junction with the path through the fruit area.

I've done only one side of the fruit path and three bricks of the other side, but you can get the idea. The stomped grass in the pathway is about 10cm higher than the final path will be, so I feel quite high when standing on it (it's also higher than the concrete area). There's quite a large drop where the small slab is (in the foreground) where I carved out some of the turf.

On to the nursery bed. John (my plot-mate in 65a) donated some blackcurrant cuttings, which are about 90cm long. He got an established bush from his father-in-law who pruned it and suggested using the trimmings. I've put them in a new nursery bed, which used to be covered by a messy compost heap. It's right next to the apples at the end of the concrete area.

I've also put two cuttings from the quince tree in the bed on the off chance that they'll take (they are at the back right). My hope is that they'll be successful and give me a chance to try out an experiment in grafting. The theory goes like this:

• Quinces are often used as stock for pear grafts.
• Pears can also be grafted onto hawthorn (do you see where this is going?).
• Therefore, quinces can be grafted onto hawthorn.

Of course horticultural techniques rarely follow such general rules, no matter how logical. However, I'm going to give it a go as I may have spare quince buds (it's bud grafting that's required) and have a hawthron hedge that could be jazzed up with quince branches.

Growth

Spring is almost here (I think it is here, but never mind). The flower bed is filling with the transplanted daffodils from the rest of the plot, though some are still dotted randomly in the other beds.

There are certainly enough flowers to last us through the spring. I planted garlic a few weeks back and it's coming on nicely. It's next to the raspberries. I'm working on the theory that the garlic will keep harmful insects away from the raspberries, but should use marigolds instead as they are better known for that. It's a bit of an experiment (more on experimentation later).

The snowdrops from Burton Agnes have settled well and have fat seeds pods, which is good news for future snowdrops under the hedge. The smaller ones in the photo are from the compost heap on the allotment and are a bit further behind. No seeds from them either, by the look of it.

Check out the buds on the hedge. It won't be long until the leaves are out.

The last set of photos show the rhubarb bed. This little patch is looking pretty good. I'll probably split it come the autumn and fill any gaps in the rest of the bed.

You can see that this patch is much further on than the others. There are quite a few buds breaking out, but not throughout the bed. I think the hedge maybe suppressed some growth; with it modified and more simpathetic (privet is less forgiving than hawthorn) things should get better.