Allotment Blog

So, its be wet, warm, and sunny. Well thats idea bean weather, wether its french beans, runner beans, broad beans, or peas.
So what do you do with a glut, well freezing them is great, but have enough now. Offer a few lbs down the pub the some mates, always goes down well with the regulars and get a free beer as well...lol.
but after a while they go off the idea that its runner beans again.
So make chutneys, pickles, or bean curry by the big potful and sit it on the barbeque down the pub abd a quid a bowl for charity
well did that, done that, so chutney it is.

bag of runners, 4-5 large onions, hell of lot of sugar, and spices.
2 hrs and away I went.

Result is 9 lb of sweet spicy chutney that when left to 'cure'- that is mature, is great with cheese, or pork pie, or a poughmans.
cant wait till its ready.

heres the recipe.

2lb of runner beans (run a peeler down the backs if not a stringless variety)
1 1/2 -2lb of onions
1 lb od demerara sugar
1 lb of soft brown sugar
1 1/2 pints of malt viegar
1 tablespoon(tbsp) of turmeric
1 tbsp of dry mustard powder
1 1/2 tbsp of cornflour

I add
a good pinch of crush dried chillies ( from last years crop)
a good teaspoon of vindaloo curry powder
1 tbsp of black treacle
a good measure of Mascovado sugar

Method.
I top and tail the beans and slice then diagonally around 1/2 inch chunks. bring a pan of water to boil and add and cook for 15 mins till tender. Then strain the beans.
Meanwhile chop the onions and cook in 1/2 pint of vinegar in a large saucepan, the larger the better.
while the beans and onions are cooking till soft, mix the cornflour, turmeric, and mustard and add a little vinegar. blend till a paste is formed.
Now add the beans into the onions, and the rest of the vinegar. I add the chilli and curry powder now as well.
cook for 10-12 mins.
add the sugar and stir in the paste you made.
I cook for 10 mins and add the mascuvado sugar and black treacle.
cook for another 10 mins and spoon into sterilised jars, that have been warmed in a oven at around 120-150C.
allow to cool and then seal with proper preserve paper and lacky band, and top rescrewed tight.

wait a few months and yum yum yum
serve with cheese or pork pie, or a good ploughmans.

So don't freeze all those beans, have a go at so chutney making. you never know, you might get requests for some next year as well.
they dont call it the good life for nothing...

Well, I have had a great harvest of First and Second earlies.
I had over 20Kg of Arran pilots, and more of edzell blue, a floury purple spud. Great for mashing.
And only got 2 lines of the kestrel up and they are huge!
10 spud of over 300grams each, and all together around 10kg from just 2x 8 plants lines.

Below is one of the courgette plants starting to flower and fruit very productivly

Here are my onions and shallots, and in the top left corner you can just make out the lovely bright green of little gem lettuces.

And my sweetcorn id really doing well.

Well best laid plans always come a cropper. I have had to deal with a very serious accident at work, and had two courses to attend to. but things are moving slowly. My late broad beans are coming along, and all potatoes are now showing through, except the pink fir apples which I was giving last week by a neighbour. I have sown a variety of carrots, including purple haze, and yellow variety, along with Nantes and Samurai. Radishes and green beans are in place, as is the Alderman peas and Lady Di runnerbeans. My shallot and onions are coming on fine, though behind other plot holders around me, but are catching up quickly in the warm spring tempertures. Plot 49 has had the top 1/4 covered to kill off the couch grass and weeds so will become easier to start to dig through.

I have got to make room for butternut squashes and courgettes soon! more digging required..lol

Happy Mayday as well.

Ok, well he is a pic of the plots fron the air.
As you can see I havent go far to walk from the single shed we have at present.
Although if a 8x6 comes up cheap, a.k.a. free or near free, I will have it for plot 48.

Plots 56a and 48 are 120 x 24 ft, plot 50 is 50 x 24ft of which top 6ft is under the shade of the trees wher i have my shed.

This was taken before I cultivated plots 50 and 56a....honest

What a good race!
Well one of the lads at work owns a share in Philson Run, which came 4th
and we all had money on him!
Goes towards a servicing of the Mantis

Being late with everything, I am playing catchup with the season. This means I am frantically sowing alot of seed in one hit. Having a week of nights has help as I can sow a tray or two before work as well. Today I didn't have work tonight and have done a lot of sifting and sowing. I took a break and went up to the lotty and watered the very dry ground. My potatoes are showing their first leaves, and the four rows of broad beans 4 x doubole rows have had mixed result so far. One bed has 2x2 rows and they are up and doing well, the other bed not appeared as of yet. The shallots are away and some of the onions are as well. I also got a line of Beetroot sown, the dependable bolthardy, as well as picking some young tender rhubarb.
So what have I sow so far I hear you ask.
Well I save a few pods of my chillies from last year, 2 Rainbow, 2 Apache, 2 dwarf scotch bonnets, and 2 piri-piri pods. I mixed all the seed up and in 2 trays of warmed moist compost, sowed the lot. They did rather well outside last year and so this year I am going to grow in the ground as well as in large pots which I ll move in and out of the greenhouse.
I have also sown 2x32 rootrainers of Alderman peas, These are a high climbing variety and will plant out same time as the runnerbeans I have sown, again I have sown a 32 cell rootrainer of Lady Di. I also have sown 60 Kinghorn Wax Freanch bean seeds, allowing for so loses, it may seem alot of plants, but I do love green beans and you can always freeze them during the harvesting period for use in winter.
I then got my cauliflowers underway. Galleon is the variety I shall be trying this time. very hungry feeders are cauliflower and the ultimate challenge in brassica growing, apparently. I shall in the next day or two get summer and winter cabbages going as well, this years summer wil be an F1 variety call Kilaxy, from suttons, and the winter crop will be the great January King 3 and if enough space allows a few Tundra as well.
Great thing about Brassica seeds is they keep very well.
I also got my butternut squash and courgettes sown today. The butternut is the F1 variety Cobnut and the courgettes are F1 Defender, I have had good crops in the past with these so am returning to them.
I have also got my leeks sown as well, again Musselburgh are my seed leeks and shall get a few plugs of another type in June.
And finally salads, well starting with the humble but lovely lettuce, 4 types sown today, Little gem 20 seeds, with Lollo Rossa, again 20 seeds, I love this lettuce and it does look nice in a bed next to two green types, 20 of Web's Wonderful and finally 20 Sangria, a loose leaved lettuce with red tinges on the green leafs. Along with 20 Rocket seeds, I have gone for a good mix of salads and shall repeat the same sowings in 2 weeks and then 2 weeks after that.
I also will sow a few lines of Lisbon white and North Holland Blood Red spring onions, in my salad bed. Hope to have that done by the end of next week/weekend.

I had a bit of a bonus as well, I got offered a 3 yr old pile of horsemanure free, and neighbour as allowed me to use his tipper, so when we get the top of Plot 48 dug, which will be in the next 3-4 weeks it will be just right to add the manure and plant out a nice block of sweetcorn. I have a few packets of Kelvedon Glory and will sow the lot and have large block of this sweet delight. Maybe even place a squash or two in between and allow that to grow through the corn. I have seen this done before with no ill effects on either plant. I'll also get a cash crop of salads in between the rows of corn, lettuce, or even a line of beetroot which I 'll keep small for pickling.

As with sowing a lot, I have a large bucket of large pieces of semi-composted material. So what to do with this, well keep it and use it as a mulch, very good around the base of plants, like sweetcorn and beans, keeping the moisture in the soil. I just placed it in an old compost bag and stick it in the shed for use later. And on that note, I have heard that this year's weather will be similar to last years so mulching is in order. It is all to do with sea tempertures and etc.

I shall look forward to posting a few images of the seedlings over the next few weeks, as well as sowing alot more. And of course, digging and digging.

During the Autumn I was working nightshifts, and was ill for a while, so the allotment was a little overgrown!
On top of that, everytime I did get a day off, it rained and rained, making the ground to heavy to dig.
So since early March I have been digging and digging. In the last 2 weeks I have sow broadbeans, and planted my spuds. All my shallots and onions sets are in as well. Today I have have washed and clean all my propogators, ready to sow various crops.
A good friend of ours has helped and really got the bug for growing his own. He doesn't want to take on his own plot, and said he is happy to help and learn by 'working' with us on our plot. As I have plenty of ground and a spare key, I agreed to this. He said he would be happy to have a share of the crop, again, only fair. So last few weekends when I have had time off, Aidy and Myself have been putting in the hours together. Actually it has been quite good fun, two people seem to get more done, not just because the work is shared, but also because of the fact you have a little conversation going. As a keen photographer, he loves bringing his camera and capturing the pair of kestrels on film. Hopefully I post a good pic or two here

We also have taken on another plot, it is behind our shed and goes to the edge of the allotments, around 14-15 Rods. This is a short walk to the entrance and is in fairly good order. It has been disused for 2 years, but I kept mowing the couch grass down all summer so not to seed, and will be starting to clear it over the next season. I might even get to plant a few crops on this just to keep it as worked. Between the 3 of us this shall be no so bad to do!

I am not going to do 'beds' as such on this but just have the whole plot as open ground, and so easier to work every year. I am putting money by to buy a good rotorvator at the end of the summer. Even doing others plots for a small charge will also help recoup the outlay and for servicing it over time.

So my aim this year is to keep this blog regularly updated and current. I would like to thank those who have other allotment/gardening blogs for linking mine to theirs.
Happy Growing to all of you
CG

It amazes me that you only go away for short while and then come back and you get behind quickly. well my minigreenhouses are now empty and the lottie now semi full of young seedlings. Broad Beans and Garlic doing well and a bed full of Sprouts and cabbages. Peas are coming on as are the lettuces I sowed early. my shallots are slowly coming into sight. The spuds are sprouting, and the rhubarb is well developed.
The fruit trees from Aldi are settled in and doing that well, the Elstar is blossoming already.
I dug 2 trenches 2ft x1 1/2 spits deep and filled with well rotted manure, and covered with shredded newspaper. then backfilled. This well be for the Runnerbeans (Scarlet Emperor) and (Alderman) climbing peas. I will sow next week when the ground is a little dryer. I also planted some Maigolds, which are suppose to help against certain pests along the edges of the Brassica bed.
The ground temperture was 6 C , being a heavy soil and damp, it will warm over the next week as the outlook is reasonable good.
I have started my second sowings of peas and lettuces at home, Also started off some sweetcorn, and tomatoes. Using a 3ft isteel rod i managed to make some 2ft holes, filled with compost and sowed some parsnips, intercropped with lines of radishes. 3 lines of carrots. I also planted out my onion sets, and the seedlings I grew from seed. I am a bit late but as we have have some very wet and cold weather, I am not to bothered.
I have around 25x21 ft of ground left to fill. As this is where the manure had stood for nearly a year, the sweetcorn and my leeks will go here with any other crops through the season.

The plot behind my shed is to be repossesed by the council and I got my name down quick to have 1st shout.

Yesterday, I got my shallots in and dug 4 large holes ready for the fruit trees to go in.
Though they are going in the bottom of the plot where I havent dug over the ground, I sieve and cleared the soil to a great extent. I made the holes around 4ft x 4ft, as this will allow me to dig the ground when I do get there, without risk to the tree roots. After diggin a spade and 1/2 deep, i forked over the bottom of each hole, add some well rotted manure and then a 4 inch layer of the sieved soil back in. A quick watering and left it overnight.

Today I went to the lottie and taken the fruit trees out of the plastic wraps, soaked their root for an hour before I started to plant them. I drove in some 4ft stakes and then carried on digging over the bottom of the plot. After an hour, it was time to plant the trees. Adding the soil and firming in, I cover each area with a barrowful of manure as a mulch. I am going to train some of the branches by fixing them with wires anchoured to the ground. This will bring the braches more horizontal with give a better crop.
I also planted out the peas the grandkids sowed( see below). One thing I have to learn is how to stretch out plastic bean netting better...lol. Pulling this way and that way, I never get it even. I suppose if I warm it in warm water before I try to unravel it, this might help, I will give it ago, next time. 2 canes and one acros the too and one line of peas done. A second line put in 2ft from the first. A bit more digging and I am near the flat ground on the plot where the green house is to be sited. I put the base rail together and moved it around to see which way will give me the best light, but also not cast too big a shadow across my neighbours plot. She seem to love her flowers and I wouldn't wish to affect her wonderful display she has. When I took the plot on last year, her little plot was quite magnificent.
I also limed the brassica bed, which I need to get on with tomorrow, I have another night where no shipping is in, so can be up the lottie another 6 hours. With the cammping stove, and a couple of packets of cuppasoup, it is quite pleasant to spend some time up there. As with today, I expect I will come home with the last of the twilight. If the weather holds, of course.
Just had an offer, 20x 3m gravel boards. well not going to turn those down. always come in handy. Wonder if I could blag a few fence posts as well..

Got away from work at 2, so went to the lottie and got the first sowings of Broadies in. Though they have been harden off over the last 2 weeks, I didnt fleece then, and last nights frost which was alot more severe than forecast has blacked the tips. I am not overly concerned because it will force out another shoot and bush the plant out. Saves me tipping (pinching the tip out) when they get to 12 inches.
I have cover them with some plastic hung over some bamboo hoops.

I took some pics of the red cabbage, Minicole, lettuces and the purple sprouting broccoli

these have come on well.

These are a bit leggy but I will pot on in 3 inch pots in the week.

This is the first time I have grown PSB, so have no refernce to see how they are performing.

These are the Lettuce sown in the art of sowing article. I am keeping them under a lid, inside the mini greenhouse.

The reason I made my beds 8 feet wide is I have a oak beam just over 8 feet so I dont have to tread on the soil. After letting the soil settle for a week, it is a case of a light raking and plant away.It is amazing how many large stones come to the surface.
You can see the before and after either side of the beam.

Money doesn't grow on trees, but it helps grow them.
I have spent a bit over the last few weeks. I went to Lidl's and got 5x (5M)cloches, they look quite good, and even after a few seasons, can always get Plastic from my local supplier and refurb them. At £3.49 each they cover a bigger area than the Hannicks ones.
I also purchased 1000 3 inch pots for £30.00 from a Nursey that is closing down. The Chap has also sent me an extra parcel with 130 x 2 litre, 120 x 9cm, 30 x 1litre, and a few extras to value of £15. Very good value!
The Oniion seedlings are now in the minigreenhouses. With the sun we have had, only interupted by small quick flurries of snow, nothing much, they have responded well. The Lettuce are also in there, but still under a proagator lid. They also have done well. My early sowing of Purple Sprouting Broccli are
Sunday I am going to plant the fruit trees from Aldi. Set up a couple of the cloches to warm the soil and to plant out my Broadies. I also will do a second sowing of 'Onward' Peas. I will also start off some leeks, Musselburgh, in the 3 inch pots.
The final task planned is to dig in amount of the well rotted manure in the potato bed.
I feel like the season is now underway.

Been up at the plot today, from 10am, till 1pm, then I had enough. Cold had got through to me, and that's unusual. I finished the next bed, and path, as below. covered with 4-6 inches of chippings.
Spent an hour at Family Trees in Shedfield, I was looking for some Espallier trained trees. £24 for 1 tier, and £30 for 2 tier. They were not open, however the proprieter did come over and show me around a quick tour and gave me a catalogue.
I have seen bigger examples but it is late in the season. I think I will wait till next season, i.e. November to buy.
Here is the address:-

Family Trees
Sandy Lane, Shedfield, Hampshire SO32 2HQ
Tel: 01329 834812
Offering: Top fruit trained. Roses and evergreens
List/catalogue: SAE for catalogue

They open from Nov-Apr and wednesdays and saturdays only.
planted on more onion seedlings, have 130 Red Barron now in pots and modules. This might sound a hell of a lot, but I really love red onions.
I plant 4 inches apart and rows 9 inches apart. This gives me medium size bulbs packed with flavour. I always harvest every other one, as I work through the harvest. this gives me larger Bulbs towards the end of the season.
The Peas which the grand kids sowed have come up and about 2 inches high. I was going to place out in the mini greenhouse, however with this cold spell going to last a week, I have placed them on the windowsill in the backroom which is the coldest in the house. This will hopefully stop them getting leggy.
I have seen the price of cloches and as my beds are 8ft wide, I am going to buy pvc corrugated sheets. super clear are the best as this allows more of the wavelength that plants need through. at £5.00 each. is the same price as a cloche and will last 4-7 yrs.
Storing them away in the dark will prolong their life as they go brittle with sunlight. Closing the ends of with some spare greenhous glass and they are easy to move along as needed.
Next big job is to get the greenhouse up, for which I ordered replacement bolts from Harrod Horticulture. £7.50 and free delivery for 100 sets of Nuts and bolts.
Once this is erected in situ, then I can finish the final beds on Plot 56, and then get my Asparagus in. Then is time to turn to Plot 50

Yesterday I could not do alot because of the weather. Having a day off work, it really annoys me that the weather doesnt play ball...lol
I pricked out my red barron onions and so now have 80 pots with a single seedling in...and still have more to do.

The Lettuce I sowed for the Art of Sowing article (CLICK HERE TO Read The Article) have come through. nice little lines and spaced seedlings. The Lollo Rossa have really germinated well, the Little Gem are behind by a day or two.

Another 10-14 Days and they will be ready to prick out or plant out if the weather warms a little, under cloches.

I am chomping at the bit really as I want to get my spuds in soon. The earlies and main crop are chitting well.

Saving 2 litre plastic milk cartons, for individual cloches and anti slug collars. Buy inserting them at least 3 inches down, around plants also acts as a watering vessel. thus saving collected rain water. Brought 4 fuirt trees, from Aldi. these will go towards the bottom of the main plot, and at £4.00 each, I am not really worried about the production of lots of fruit.
1 Bramley, 1 cox's orange, 1 Elstar and one concorde pear.
Over the next 2 weeks will have the green house erected and the final beds on the main plot done.
Then I will start on the small plot. I also have reserved the plot that backs on to the small ploy. behind the Cherry trees. this is a large plot and is fairly flat. I wish to construct a polytunnel here and a potting shed. I also have first refusal on a large greenhouse which the flater ground will be easier to place.

If I get this plot soon, fingers crossed, then I will rough dig and just plant main crop spuds. I will also keep the beds narrow, no more than 6 feet wide.

No my garlic hasn't shown any signs of life, but this cold snap may kick it in.
Did a few soil readings today and all over my plot the temp was 4C. I might use the last of the Black Plastic Mulch to warm the spud bed up. Cabbages and sprout seedlings doing fine. Broad beans are really going well, as is the onion seed i have sow. I have sets but like to grow both and compare at the end of the season. Sets have a bolting habit, and seed is more difficult, though I find it easy enough.
Leeks will be sown in the next week and I use seed tape for them, less thining.

Oh Boy, I am cream crackered. Went up to the lootie today at 12.00 and returned in the dark at 1830.
I finished the next path/top edge of the next bed.
I ask the council for a delivery of chipped bark, which was promptly done. Yor can smell the pine and yew. quite a bit of green in them as well, which I dont mind as in 4-5 years time as it rots, will be giving a quick sieve and tossed onto the beds and dug in. As I have quite heavy soil this will be a soil improver, just like the commerical ones you buy at garden centres, DIY stores.
the paqth with the base trod down. I must have looked funny to anyone who could see, shuffling and jumping back and forth along the path to get a slight slope and even surface.

Then it was up and down the hill to get the chippings, plodded on and every 3 barrow loads raked them even and firmed them down.

You can see that here I got a layer 4-5 inches deep, though I did add more and got around 6 inches before firming.
Have been busy sowing indoors and all seem to be coming on well. I even had time to do an article on the Art of Sowing which I will leave the link below.
I have had good feedback for it.
CLICK HERE TO Read The Article
My youngest grand daughter cam to see me last night. She has got into the seed bug, only because they are good rattles....lol

Cant wait till the summer and have all of them up the lottie. Thats why I am having a lawn area in front of the shed. couple of picnic tables, and a BBQ. Pick a few pea pods and toss them on for 30 secs each side. the sweetest peas you ll ever taste. ummmm

Came home and found a house full of grand-children. Well, I thought. lets get them calm. Out came the Quality Street tin (thats a free plug if you wish to pay, multi-national...please), and then all the seed packets.
What shall we sow then kids.
This one Grand-dad, that one Grand-dad....lol
ok, ok, ok.
In came the fold out potting table, a bag f seed compost and up to the back room ( still aint got my guitar room yet...lmao.)
A tray each, and 20 peas. Onwards these are.
Sieved the compost, firmed down. and sowed and watered the seeds.
As I wrote out the label. Karmen, my queen Bessie, asked, what are you writing Grand-dad.
I am writing the date and Early peas.
They are not Early, they are mine.....
So I have a tray of Karmen's peas and a tray of Tyrelle's peas
Don't you just love their wit.
At least they will get interested in their food and maybe growing it.

Well I had woke up, with all intentions of going up the plot, and to get some more digging, and other little jobs done. Alas the heavy rain made it impossible. So with my share of rootrainers that came the other day, we had 50 between 3 of us, I had 20 sets. I started to fold the plastic books and rack them. I feel like I am presenting a Floyd gig, and have a wall of these propagators in the spare room. With them having 32 cells each, thats a lot of sowing.
when the sun did break through, in mid afternoon, I got all the pots I have and with a bowl of hot water, added Jeyes fluid, and sat and washed and checked all the 2 1/2 inch and 3 1/2 inch pots I got. Boy, I didnt realise I had so many.
I went to Aldi's and purchase two mini greenhouses. Normal around 22-30 quid. £10 each!

took 5 mins each to put up and are now in the garden along the south facing wall.
popped up to the plot, and saw 4 wonderful rows of broad beans ranging 4-6 inches tall.
The Garlic is still a no show
Hopefully the weather will let up in the next week or so, I want to get some early veg in the ground.
potatoes are chitty well. and Red Barron onions, which I have sown are coming on well in the seed tray in the window. Will have to thin soon.

Well I finished work friday early and went up to the lottie for a few hours.
I have finish my early potato bed, and the bottom edged getting the next path down.

I have garlic in the raise bed and still waiting on it to shoot, it is getting late, would have expected some signs of growth.
Broad beans are doing well and am harding them now. should be ready to plant out in a week or two.
Red Barron seeds have germinated well and are doing fine. as with some red cabbage and summer cabbage, Primo.
Hope to have my footings done for the green house by next weekend. going to stand the base plate on paving slaps that I got free of charge.
This is a serious case of catch up, because spring is nearly upon us and a sense of urgency is creeping in. The nice thing about growing veg, it doesn't matter if your a week or two late, Nature is quite forgiving.
looking at building a compost bin, with aerated sysem fitted. quite easy and cheap. ideal for the amount of manure I tend to get for the first 3-4 yrs, to improve the heavy clay soil. Aerated bins help speed the break down of the material and means I can sustain a high tempeture in the pile.

Well again I am sorry for the long absence from writing. Having a major op and recovered , best laid plans wasted. I am behind on the plots and am spending alot of time catching up.
Well my spare room which was to be my guitar room is now a nursery! Chitting spuds, I have 1 eary, 1 second early and 2 main at present.
Arran Piper, Lady Charlotte are the earlys
Majestic and Desiree are the Main crops.
Red Barron onions are just showing and red cabbage and summer cabbage (Primo) are 3 inches high.
I have a 12 x 8 greenhouse to erect, and so after digging over the last plots that are needed immediately, will get that up and running.
Broad beans were pot sown yesterday.
will promise to keep up this blog now all is well.
bye for now.

sorry for lack of posts lately.
this is due to a) being at work and then a few hours at the lottie and b) not having any other time to sit a write up it.
Anyway, progress is going well at the plot.
The shed is up and only problem was one pane broke as i lifted the front into position.
After dragging it up the hill from the car park, in very hot weather I putting it together all bar the roof. Along with 30 lengths of 6x1 inch gravel boards, and a few other items I was quite knackered. A quick rinse of the inside walls and didnt the smell of the pine fill the air. 99% of the timber is sound, just a bit here and there needs to be replaced, but we will do this later. We re-felted the roof and placed it on top the next day.
We were giving a square compost bin, like the ones in B&Q, and I got a large bin and water butt at a discounted rate from our local council.
they have been delivered and installed at the plot.
We also had a visitor to our little piece of land, My father-in-law decide he would like to see what we had let ourselves in for(and to see when his spuds would be delivered!). So last Saturday, he came up and a small smile broke when he saw the shed, he had originally put it up back in 1979! They dont build them like that anymore. Sitting in the warm sunshine we had a little chat about the way we where going to lay out the plot and the fact I was going to terrace it down the slope.

Myself and Dad in deep discussion!

The same morning I had a delivery of 1.5-2 tons of 3/4 rotted horse manure from the local stables. This cost me £15 for delvery. He was telling me not many order this time of year, I think he was glad I did. He turns it regularly and told me it was a bit dry, due to the recent very dry spell. well it took me from 10:30 to 17:30 moving it. I did have a little rest every 10 barrows, it did get very hot that day. the final mound is around 10ft wide and 16ft long and is about 4ft high.

A 1/3 of the final pile!

I added a sprinkling of water as i built the pile, just to add a little moisture to help the composting. when finished (94 barrowloads later) we cover it with a length of the same black plastic I am using for the plot covering.
Already it has dropped by a foot in height as it has really heated up and started to rot well. A nearby plot holder has a long stick and thermometer on the end and he checked the pile temp out of interest he said. It read 112F and this is ideal according to him.