My allotment's too small

[doofaloofa]

You own it, but the council gets to decide what you do with it?

What's in it for you?

[Flo]

Few more pictures at the end to show how the work goes on the new plot. It's very patient work and there's an awful lot of buried plastic. I've decided to stack the rubbish high and then get rid of it all in one go. By the end of October there should be a notable area that could be used. Plans thereafter to be made. Takes more time as the other plot has to be kept in tip top condition first and foremost as that has most of the crops on it.

[Flo]

I have challenged the grandson to come brick mining with me. I have discovered the area where there were once ferrets kept. It seems to have a brick base but is buried nearly two feet deep. That's what we keep youngsters for isn't it? To go brick mining. Good thing he has an equally warped sense of humour to mine and likes a challenge!

[Green Aura]

Ooh, potential greenhouse base?

[Flo]

Yeah probably but not where it is two feet down under soil. Leaving where is would mean major earthworks moving to realign the allotment.

[Green Aura]

Have you not heard of a walipini?

http://www.treehugger.com/green-archite ... round.html

[Odsox]

The floor level of my big greenhouse is about 5' 6" below ground level, Flo.
I built it that way because at the time it was the only thing in an open field with panoramic views of the Atlantic, or in other words to protect it from storm force winds.
Since then trees have grown up everywhere and it's not quite so necessary for that now, but I would certainly do it again as the earth surrounding 3 sides makes a very good heat sink to the extent it has never gone below freezing in there in the 20 years since I built it.

http://selfsufficientish.com/forum/view ... 38&t=18367

[Flo]

Have you not heard of a walipini?

http://www.treehugger.com/green-archite ... round.html

New one on me - but mine's definitely a ferret run not anything so useful. Will have to excavate to see where it goes. Am certainly keeping the bricks for future use - have a plentiful supply from around the plot in a hollow by the fence. Think deep hollow as this allotment is on a slope with added deep hollows. Rather fun not.

But that's a thought about using some of the dips and dents to sink a greenhouse into which would allow some levelling of the plot. Good ideas all. Thank you.

[Green Aura]

I'd love one of these walapini's. We have such high winds that I think it would be worth it's weight in gold. I've even thought about where to put it - our house is a very long narrow box and is SW facing on the long edge. It would be perfect there - and probably lower our heating bills too. But I'm worried it would affect the foundations, being so deep. I have visions of the house slowly sliding into the greenhouse.

Plus, as you need a building warrant to sneeze up here, I'm not sure we'd get one, for precisely that reason.

[Flo]

It cheers me up to say that the rubbish has all gone to the tip. The son-in-law has a white works van that needs permits to go into the local household recycling centre. He got three as he hasn't used up his yearly allowance of 12. He had part of a van load of stuff to go anyway so topped that load up with my bagged up rubbish and then came back for the rest which went in easily with room to spare. So he has a spare permit that runs till next April.

Pictures of progress here

It's a sequential record for me as much as for anyone else. It shows that there's plenty of work still to do but a wet week would make digging out the remainder easier.

[doofaloofa]

I like the idea of the Walipini, drainage must be critical though