Category Archives: Plant Life

The end

25th September 2012 – Allotment Plot 326, it was over a week since Ella Montt’s last visit to Plot 326. There was evidence of a very slight frost; a dip in temperature that had tinged a few leaves of the Squash plants with the touch of autumnal death that signified their end. However, a few more female Squash flowers were attempting to open and receive fertilization from airborne insect life carrying pollen from the male flowers; the Squash plants’ lives were not over yet. The Climbing Bean plants were unscathed by frost and still reaching with eager anticipation towards they sky and bean production. Tiny beans were in the process of forming from the bean flowers.

Rain had happened after a prolonged absence, an amount that was significant, but Ella Montt found when she attempted to dig more Potatoes in some areas the wetness of moisture had hardly penetrated the soil. The ground was still hard close to the surface; there was only a trace of moisture in the soil.

The harvest of green vegetable matter was greatly improved.

When Ella Montt lifted a newspaper in the shed she disturbed a Common Lizard. The Lizard disappeared further in to the pile of newspaper. The recycled paper product would be used as mulch on the soil at a suitable moment.

Harvest: a mix of Raspberries and wild Blackberries = 6oz = 180g; Potato Nicola = 2lb = 920g and Desiree = 1lb 11oz = 780g; a mix of Swiss Chard and Canary Chard = 12oz = 350g; Oriental Red Mustard = 4.5oz = 130g, Mizuna = 3.75oz = 105g, Pak Choi = 4oz = 110g; Broccoli Raab = 4oz = 120g; Climbing Beans = 2oz = 50g; Broad Beans Hangdown Green = 1.5oz = 40g; Sweet Corn True Gold = 3 ears = 8oz = 240g.

On 26th September 2012 at Allotment Plot at MERL, it was raining. Two magpies strutted around the garden. Ella Montt fetched the wheelbarrow and the fork from the shed. Within a few days, the allotment plot tenancy at MERL was about to be over. It was time to start digging up and deconstructing the plot. The Brick Composter was taken apart brick by brick. Each brick was arranged in a pile two layers high by six bricks by ten bricks on the grass. The pile of bricks was counted. The number of bricks was expected to be equivalent to one hundred and twenty, but eight bricks were reported to be missing and there were only one hundred and twelve.

Several things emerged by deconstructing the Brick Composter. Eight of the total number of bricks that formed the composter were missing. The lower layer of the Brick Composter had sunk in to the soil and needed to be dug out with the fork in order to remove it. Between the bricks many slugs and a few snails were living. There were slug eggs in the composter. Centipedes and black beetles were also living in the Composter. When the decomposing plant material was removed from the composter, the soil beneath it was found to be very dry. The compost was not full of worms. There were no red wiggler worms in the composter, unlike the compost bins near the fixed up greenhouse at another location, where vast quantities of red wiggler worms live inside them. The compost bin at Allotment Plot 326 does not seem to contain red wigglers, but it is a cone bin structure and therefore creates a different kind of habitat. The remaining decomposing plant material from the Brick Composter was removed from the Plot in the wheelbarrow to the wild part of the garden to unite with other decomposing plant matter.

The bricks were moved from the grass, quantities stacked in to the wheelbarrow to be transported across the garden and repositioned next to the shed. At that point, Ella Montt realized that eight bricks were next to the shed, which may be an explanation for the missing bricks from the composter. A memory was recalled that previously plant pots had been seen sitting on these bricks. Ella Montt piled the bricks from the wheelbarrow on the ground and repeated the process until the bricks were stacked in their new location. The role the bricks had previously animated as the Brick Composter was now over, but it is likely that at some point in time the bricks will be re-appropriated in to another construction because that is there purpose, meanwhile they will be a habitat for wildlife.

Ella Montt started to dig the plants out of the Plot. The first to go were the two Comfrey plants. Their roots were extracted from the soil. Ella Montt had made a decision to save as many plants as possible, but some would meet certain death in this process. Plastic transportation flowerpots were on hand to be receptacles in this relocation process.

27th September 2012, it was day two of the literal deconstruction of Allotment Plot at MERL. Some plants that were removed from the Plot yesterday seemed to have survived the night (in another location). It had rained and this had watered the plants in. Ella Montt prepared herself for the final dig up. Plants would be saved where possible. The day was sunny, with a promise according to the crystal ball forecast of rain at sixteen hundred hours. Ella Montt worked steadily; large roots of Mint were removed from the soil and potted. As the soil was dug others on faraway parts of the planet were examining what potentially could be a significant realignment of tectonic plates that could be even more significant than the hyperobject of global warming and global resource use that is unsustainable.

Ella Montt wheeled the last barrow load of plant material residue to the distant wild part of the garden. An oak tree sapling on the edge of the path touched Ella Montt’s arm and transmitted an image of Joseph Beuys standing next to his virtual blackboard. Beuys turned to look at the oak sapling and then shifted his gaze to the eyes of Ella Montt as she became ready to telepathically transmit her three-year study of the Plot to Beuys download system. Whilst the Allotment Plot was downloading, Ella Montt placed the tools back in the shed and collected together the plant material that was to be relocated. When the download was completed, Beuys smiled and nodded as he turned back to his virtual blackboard to resume his calculations. At that point Ella Montt left the garden. The Allotment Plot at MERL as such was over, although it will be recoded in to other forms of communication. Allotment Plot 326 will continue.

Plants saved = 3 x small Tomato plants; 1 x sunflower yet to flower; at least two x Cosmos Cosmea plants; Mint roots and 2 x large Mint Plants; 2 x chive plants; 2 x small Marjoram; multiple Celery and Rocket plants; 2 x Comfrey plants; multiple Pot Marigold plants.

Blackberry Jam and Global Warming

5th September 2012 – At Allotment Plot 326 cabbages that had been devastated by unknown predators moons ago had recently been producing substantial re-growth. The plants had now almost reached a point where hope of harvesting vital material from them may occur soon as long as predator intervention did not manifest itself again. The re-growth had generated from the plants stalks that had been left rooted in the ground. It would seem close to an allotment miracle if harvesting from these plants could be achieved. Other seeds that had been planted yet never germinated or never achieved growth beyond seedling state before they had disappeared remained elusive to vegetable reality and shrouded in mystery circumventing their demise.

It was a beautiful sunny day. The soil was dry. There was no rainfall and none expected anytime soon. Ella Montt gazed in to the crystal ball searching for evidence of rainclouds. Ella Montt fetched the fork tool from the shed and dug some potatoes. The potatoes were few and small in size. On every visit to the allotment it was becoming increasingly more important to water the vegetables. Ella Montt went back and forth with the watering can to the water source. Squash and Climbing Bean potential was still apparent.

Harvest: Potato Desiree = 2lb 12oz = 1.27kg; Chard = 1oz = 30g; Red Mustard = 2oz = 60g; Mizuna = 3.5oz = 100g; Wild Blackberries = 6oz = 160g; Raspberries = 1oz =30g.

6th September 2012 – Allotment Plot at MERL, the soil was very dry, plants were growing very slowly or not growing at all. Ella Montt fetched the watering can to assist the plants in their efforts. As they soaked up the water, the inaudible sounds of relief from the plants were almost loud enough to hear.

Harvest: A human handful of mint, chives and 3 Climbing Beans Runner Enorma.

9th September 2012 – Allotment Plot 326, there had been no rain now for days! Beautiful sunshine prevailed and extended the summer. Due north, in the Arctic, the ice was still melting. The reason for this extended summer melt had been declared as global warming as a result of human activity all over the planet. There was one more week to go until the peek melt process should halt and the freeze should begin again. There was now a forecast that the Arctic could be ice-free by the years 2015-16. This is very soon. A sense of inevitability in a time line of progression will bring doom to some species and life to others. These species will be both animal and plant. The scavenger human waited for the melt to be completed complying a list of actions to implement. But now, prior to the inevitable melt, a fleet of nuclear powered vessels are already operational, ready to break through the ice in the name of human consumerism, because the controllers do not want to afford the time to sail around the borders of the ice field. The total devastation of a seemingly pristine environment seems to be already on course and unavoidable because of human will.

Harvest: Wild Blackberries 6oz = 150g; Broad Beans Hangdown Green = 4.5oz = 110g; Potato Charlotte = 3oz = 65g.

Ella Montt’s extra tasty Blackberry Jam recipe = 1kg Wild Blackberries, 1kg fairtrade organic sugar, 1 wax free organic lemon, 1 stick organic cinnamon bark or ground cinnamon. Method: place clean jam jars to heat in oven at about 100c; simmer blackberries with cinnamon for approximately ten minutes; add sugar, dissolve, then boil rapidly for twenty minutes; add zest and juice from lemon, check jam regularly on chilled saucer to see if it set. Remove from heat and pour carefully in to hot jam jars, seal immediately, eat as desired.

13th September 2012 – Allotment Plot at MERL, it was warmer in the sheltered garden than beyond the walls of the enclosed space. Autumn was approaching. It had rained on the previous evening, the first substantial shower in weeks, but the shower was short lived and localized to a particular area, as was the habit of all weather patterns on the Island. Across the planet, in a different sphere to the nuclear powered ice breaking fleet, super trawlers from one land mass are poised in the ocean close to another land mass. The super trawlers prerogative is to trawl the water for living species that will then be ripped from their habitat, gutted and frozen on board the vessel. Ella Montt examined the Allotment Plot staring at the state of the plant life and wondered how these two types of vast seafaring objects were given human permission to exist at this point in time in the history and place in the universe? The vessels are part of the massive hyperobject known as global warming, but how much the vessels will affect the infinite space of the universe has not been calculated, because they are contained within the planet’s gravitational system.

A white butterfly, possibly a cabbage white, fluttered over the plant life at the Allotment Plot, but it did not settle; there was no brassicas to lure the butterflies sensory mechanisms. A Sunflower was growing out of the hardened soil. Before the rain on the previous evening, the temperature had dropped, bees were now franticly busy visiting the companion planting, not just the pot marigolds and cosmos, but also flowering wild rocket. The bees seemed almost aggressive towards each other in their pollen collecting activity and perhaps desperate to gain access to the flowers. Neither were ready to die in the cold yet. The fear of frost loomed closer to the plant and insect life. Ella Montt hoped that frost would stay away for at least a month if not more, because of vegetable production. A store of vegetables is needs to be accumulated in order to survive the winter season.

Harvest was once more about to be minimal. Allotment Plot at MERL’s days are numbered, time is running out, but the Allotment Plot will be continued elsewhere. Drought was once more overwhelming the Plot. Tomato plants on the Plot were still tiny and trying to flower. At another location, next to the fixed up greenhouse, tomato plants and tomatoes were growing and vibrant. At Plot 326 the tomato plants had rotted with blight early and Ella Montt had vowed not to plant tomatoes there again.

Harvest: Pot Marigold, Camomile and Cosmos seeds = 2oz = 45g; a mix of chives, mint, Celery leaves and Runner Bean Enorma = 5oz = 160g.

14th September 2012 – Allotment Plot 326 – In the attempt to remove potatoes from the concrete like soil the fork was in danger of fracturing. The Raspberries seemed to be dehydrating through lack of moisture. It was not clear if vegetable productivity would be realised or collapse in on itself due to weather temperature and conditions.

Harvest: Broccoli Raab = 6oz = 170g; Red Mustard = 4oz = 100g; Mizuna = 2oz = 40g; Potato Desiree = 2lb 12oz = 1.27kg.

19th September 2012 – Allotment Plot at MERL, the night-time temperatures are dropping alarmingly, frost happened in other places but not yet in the garden. Allotment Plot 326 was on higher ground and Ella Montt had been unable to visit it this week, she paced the virtual floor and waited anxiously to find out the fate of the vegetation.

Harvest: Celery leaves = 1.5oz = 40g; Runner Bean Enorma = 2oz = 50g.

The activity on Allotment Plot at MERL will be concluded on the 26th and 27th September 2012 when the Plot will be deconstructed.

A Common Lizard

18th July 2012 – Allotment Plot 326 – Heavy rain showers were falling. Ella Montt stood in the doorway of the cramped shed waiting for the rain to ease. The ground was wet and would be muddy if any digging was about to occur. When the rain eased off slightly, EM moved from the shelter to survey the Plot. Wild plants were reaching full seed capacity in the quest to continue their reproduction process. At this stage the immanence of plant reproduction would not be easily thwarted. (Seeds will fall and reseed). The Allotment Plot desired on some levels to achieve a wild plant free zone to aid vegetable productivity. However, the diversity of wild plants on the plot encourages a wide diversity of insects and other wild life that contribute to the health of the vegetable plants and the vibrancy of the soil. The Plot needed more attention to keep the wild plant life in check and some areas might look shabby and neglected, but meanwhile this neglect was reinforcing the biodiversity of the plot. At some point in time the neglect areas might be modified, but the sustainable environment for biodiversity should be maintained; no introduction of herbicides would be necessary.

The Spring planted Broad Beans plants had grown tall. The well-established Bean pods were mainly on the lower half of the plants. The Broad Bean plant is an ancient food crop cultivated by Mediterranean Countries for at least 8000 years. It produces its own nitrogen in the soil and so does not need feeding.

Ella Montt accessed the Onions and the Garlic. There did not seem to be many Onions even though quite a number had been planted last Autumn. There was much more Garlic; its foliage was drying off. It became apparent that the moment to harvest the Garlic and Onions had arrived so the fork was fetched from the shed. The ground was wet so the Garlic was easy to dig. The amount of Garlic dug from the soil seemed a good harvest, (but a memory of how last years Garlic had rotted later on after its harvesting still lingered). Unlike this years Garlic, the Onions were not in such a good state. Some Onions harvested were healthy and firm, but others were soggy or had already rotted and disappeared in to the soil.

Potatoes were also dug from the soil. The Potatoes were somewhat on the small size presumably as a result of the inconsistent weather, which had been at various times consistently dry or consistently wet. The variants of temperatures were not assistants in aiding some vegetable plants to really flourish, unlike the wild plants that survived without hindrance. Vegetable Seeds were planted, (perhaps optimistically), the growing season on the Plot is not over yet and for some seeds it is just beginning.

Seeds planted: French Bean (Dwarf) Royalty; Runner Beans Enorma; French Beans (Climbing) Markant, Blauhide and Barlotta Lingua di Fuoco; a mix of saved Squash seeds from plants grown in 2011; Leaf Beat Rainbow Chard and Beetroot Detroit 2.

Harvest: Potato Red Duke of York = 3lb 4oz = 1.47kg; Broad Beans Hangdown Green = 2lb 12oz = 1.24kg; Leaf Beet Perpetual Spinach = 7oz = 200g; Leaf Beat Swiss Chard = 7oz = 200g; Onions Radar = 2lb 1oz = 940g = 12 bulbs; Garlic Elephant = 2lb = 930g = 3 bulbs, Thermidrome 3lb 2.5oz = 1.44kg = 20 blubs and Vallelado = 2lb 11oz = 1.22kg = 25 bulbs.

On 19th July 2012 at Allotment Plot at MERL, for the time of year the night temperatures were often low for this land position on planet Earth, but eventually it rapidly became a warm, humid day. The Mulberry’s were starting to form on the Mulberry Tree close to the Allotment Plot. William Morris had been sleeping emerged in the bark of the tree, but suddenly he yawned, rolled over, rubbed his head, blinked his eyelids and sat up.

Parts of the Planet were affected by severe drought and other parts were experiencing flooding. Both extreme conditions were contributing to a downward spiral in crops that the humans could harvest.

At Allotment Plot at MERL, Garlic, Onions and more Peas were harvested. The Garlic foliage was placed in the Brick Composter to decompose. Rocket Esmee seeds that had been grown on the Plot were scattered on to open soil.

Harvest: Peas Ezeta’s Krombek Blauwschokker 1lb 1oz = 740g; Onion Radar 1lb 9oz = 705g = 11 bulb; Chives 1oz = 20g; Garlic Elephant 11oz = 320g = 2 bulbs, Thermidrome = 13oz = 300g and Vallelado = 7oz = 200g.

24th July 2012 – Allotment Plot 326 – It was a very hot sunny day. The soil had dried out again and the temperature had risen. A small forest of four Oak Trees seedlings was growing in a pot. The seedlings had been collected from Plot 326 and now need a planting destination so that they can grow as Trees for the next 1000 years. The Acorn is a much neglected food source of protein and carbohydrate and can be used as a substitute for coffee. The Fruit trees on the Plot had produced virtually no fruit. There was a promise of potential Raspberry’s sometime in the not too distant future as the plants were starting to flower. A few more Onions were dug from the soil. A large Dragonfly circled in the air feeding on insect life that was un-discernable.

Harvest: Potato Charlotte = 2lb 12oz = 1.24kg; Onions Radar = 1lb 8.5oz = 700g; Broad Beans Hangdown Green = 3lb 10oz = 1.65kg.

27th July 2012 – Allotment Plot at MERL – The green colours of the plants were fading, a yellow tinge seeping through the vibrant green. The Pea plants were drying off. EB was examining the Potatoes. She advised that digging should commence sometime soon. It was next consecutive day without rain in a line of days without rain. The soil had dried again, because of lack of moisture and hot daytime temperatures. Across the sea’s water mass the land to the west was in severe drought, the sweet corn and soybean were scorched and harvests in some places were failing. A loss of human lively hood is occurring and farmed animals will be slaughtered because the feed the humans supply them with is unavailable. Humans on one land mass supply humans on another landmass with corn and beans so the problem is not a rural local problem confined to one land mass, it is a global problem. Meanwhile on other land masses flooding continued in unexpected places and was drowning plants and other living things. The ice on Greenland had decided to melt to illustrate the extremity of the Planet situation, in days previously a large iceberg had broken off a glacier. Satellites recorded imagery of the ice melting on the land mass, but there was no immediate solution. Human media showed the remarkable images of the newly green land. Then most of the humans forgot about Greenland, because other things such as human achievements in contesting sports distracted them. Whilst the other humans were distracted some humans took the opportunity to make plans to mine Greenland for precious gems, minerals and metals. It was another preventable ecological disaster waiting in the wings to be directed by humans, but it was understood that most humans would not notice until the disaster until it was too late. WM stood in the shade of the Mulberry Tree. The first fruit were ripening on the tree.

The Peas were coming to the end of their lifespan. The Runner Beans were starting to flower. The soil was dry. Ella Montt fetched the watering can from the shed and applied water to the Plot. Some Climbing Bean plants had emerged from the soil, but it was almost to late now for others to follow. The window of this particular Plot’s activity was closing, two more months and it would be over.

Harvest: Peas Ezeta’s Krombek Blauwschokker 14oz = 400g.

31st July 2012 – At Allotment Plot 326, black Beetles, a Common Lizard, and other wild life were living in harmony with the rhizome activity of plant life. The Common Lizard was discovered sitting on damp cardboard when another piece of cardboard was repositioned. The reptile did not move away quickly, Ella Montt went to retrieve a digital image-recording device, but as she returned the creature went to hide before image focus was achieved. The reptilian tail could be seen poking out form under a piece of wood and was then left undisturbed.

Some areas of the Plot’s soil were damp and workable while other patches were dry and it was hard to gain leverage with the fork. Black Beetles appeared in different places. More potatoes were dug and Broad Beans harvested. Some wild plants were removed from around the Plot and deposited in a composting pile. Many more wild plants remained unhindered. Beans and Squash seeds that had been planted recently were germinating, but Ella Montt’s crystal ball was cloudy and it was hard to see if the seedling plants would live long enough to produce harvestable vegetable matter in the next few months before frost would come. More seeds were planted in an attempt to grow edible greens. Others vegetable seeds that had been planted a few weeks before were emerging with potential.

Seeds Planted: Runner Beans Enorma; French Bean (Climbing) Markant, Blauhide and Barlotta Lingua di Fuoco; Carrot Nantes II; Calabrese Green Sprouting; Broccoli Raab; Cabbage Wintergreen; Oriental Red Mustard, Mizuna and Tokyo Bekana.

Harvest: Leaf Beet Perpetual Spinach and Rainbow Chard 7oz = 250g; Broad Beans Hangdown Green = 4lb 13oz = 2.175kg; Potato Red Duke of York 1lb 9.5oz = 730g and Charlotte 4lb 4oz = 1.94kg; Red Onions Red Baron = 4oz = 100g = 2 bulbs; Onion Radar = 12oz = 340g = 6 bulbs.

Field Mouse, Potato

26th March 2012 – At Allotment Plot 326, Ella Montt removed items that were cluttering up the shed and in doing so disturbed a Field Mouse habitat. A Mouse exited the shed in the bottom of a big tub that had drainage holes around its base, after a few moments hesitation the Mouse escaped from the tub by squeezing through one of the holes. Then the Mouse ran across the Plot and disappeared down a hole next to the netted area of over wintered cabbage plants. Ella Montt had discovered many Mouse network holes across the Plot. She much preferred the Mice to larger rodent creatures.

Ella Montt moved the patterned carpet and repositioned it so that she had access to the soil next to the Broad Beans, Onions and Garlic. The soil was dug over. The left arm of the digger had suffered a fracture in December 2011 and was not as strong as it had been prior to this happening; battle with bramble rhizomes was now more difficult. Covering the soil whilst not in plant production was necessary to thwart bramble invasion. Ella Montt planted some more Broad Bean seeds. The seeds seemed vibrant and ready for growth activation. Parsnip seeds were planted next to the Broad Beans.

Plot 326’s soil was starting to crack, because of lack of rain. The pile of apple tree branch wood had dried to tinder. Ella Montt repositioned the woodpile, so that she could fold back the ground cover beneath it to examine the soil, which had been covered over the winter. The soil was ready for planting, so the covering was replaced to wait for the planting activity to commence. It was essential that the soil was not left uncovered, because the heat from the sun would evaporate any moisture contained with in it.

Seeds Planted: Broad Bean Hangdown Green 1 row x 10 seeds; Parsnip Halblange White 3 rows (an unspecified amount of seeds).

29th March 2012 – Allotment Plot at MERL’s soil was starting to harden. Ella Montt forced a hand fork in to the ground and finished planting the row of EKB Peas. Non-human wildlife is eager to find food so any germinating seeds that rise from the soil when the plot is unattended, will be at great risk and will probably be eaten before the plants have time to mature. One frost damaged Globe Artichoke plant had survived from last year and was starting to revive.

The sky was blue and cloudless apart from the trails from aeroplanes. The temperature was pleasantly warm, almost like a summer day, however it was still March. On the Island, Human purchases of Water Butts were reported to be up by 800%, yet there was still no rain to fill the Butts. At another location water was saved after utensil cleaning activity to be deposited on the soil surrounding plant life in the garden.

Ella Montt took the garden fork and removed some of the dried plant material from the Brick Composter and placed it in the wheelbarrow. The plant material had yet to fully decompose, because lack of moisture was preventing this. EB stepped out of the reading room window and joined Ella Montt at the Plot. Together they dug the soil over and made trenches for potatoes to be planted in the Plot. The Potatoes were placed in the ground. Ella Montt used the garden spade to shovel the new soil from the Brick Composter on to the Plot to cover the newly planted Potatoes. EB earthed the Potatoes up. The remaining dried plant material was emptied from the wheelbarrow back in to the Brick Composter. Ella Montt fetched the watering can and watered the Plot. EB stepped back in to the reading room.

Seeds Planted: Pea (Edible Podded) Ezetha’s Krombek Blaschokker x 30 seeds; Potatoes Lady Balfour Main Crop Potato x 15.

Harvest: a pinch of Chives.


1/11/11 – Allotment Plot 326- another perfect day to dig. An amount of soil was dug over; all plant residues were removed from dug area to the compost pile. Darkness fell early and ended the activity.

03 November 2011 – At Allotment Plot at MERL, Ella Montt found the Squash plant that had tried so hard in recent weeks to produce fruit, had succumbed to the time of year and died. Ella Montt removed the dead plant from the soil and placed it with respect in to the Brick Composter. The day was warm and Ella Montt was able to harvest Climbing Beans.

In the last few days, Seven Billion humans had notched up their existence on Plant Earth; a fact that was recognised and then forgotten about quickly as more humans started to arrive through the reproductive system. Humans pulled in their stomach muscles because space was in the process of becoming increasingly restricted. The humans continued to work the Earth’s surface, many of them constantly complained that that production was slowing and there was not enough economic growth. Ants and worms, which are also in the process of working the Earth’s surface, could not account to the humans their numerical existence on the Planet. The worms had sent out a warning that fracking for gas had probably caused an earthquake in a northern region of the Island, but the humans needed more energy to drive its machines so would probably forget that detail also sooner or later. The Island’s solar dream suddenly cracked and fell in to pieces on the ground. The worms mumbled at the stupidity of the humans who had shattered the solar dream before its speculative reality could become established and a prominent form of energy across the land.

At Allotment Plot at MERL Autumn was becoming more and more visible in its process. Ella Montt had spent time considering the relationship between the Mint plants and the Sweet Potato plants. The idea that the Mint should be allowed to extend its rhizomes across the Plot was a fascination, but it had now become more interesting to Ella Montt to dig up an amount of the Mint plant and save it as an object in a continuation elsewhere, not to be replanted, but as a dried preserve or as an extracted living mass separated from yet still joined to this particular aspect of the Plot.

The Mint as a plant was in the process of seeking to dominate the Plot. Allowing the Mint plant to grow to an unrestricted size would be appealing, because of its ability to send out runners that created new plant nodes, but the Mint would hinder any attempts in vegetable productivity. It also seemed to equate to a responsibility to the Earth’s surface, if Mint was allowed to overcrowd the Planet would that sustain the ever-increasing human population? Or would the Mint become a plant tyranny? Soon humans may not be able to sit down and might have to just stand if they are all to be accommodated. The crushing of Mint under foot would at least provide a pleasant aroma.

Ella Montt carefully dug up Mint roots and runners exposing herself to the awe of the Plant’s industry. The Plant was embedded in the soil in true complexity. A tinge of regret was experienced as the roots were removed, but by necessity its Plot domination had to be thwarted, and more space was reclaimed for vegetable production. However, a few shoots of broken Mint rhizome may have been left to grow once more so that the Plant will have a chance to regenerate, because it is also a valuable participant in the Plot if not left untamed.

The Sweet Potato plants were removed from the soil and relocated to a central area of the Plot.

Harvest: Beans (French Climbing) Blauhide = 4.5oz = 130g. Mint Root = 9lb 13.5oz = 4.4Kg; Mint foliage, an equal amount (approximately) was placed in the Brick Composter to decompose (although it may root itself and grow).

04 November 2011 – Allotment Plot 326 – Harvest: Oriental Tai Sai = 5oz = 140g; Kale Red Russian Curled = 2oz = 40g; Perpetual Spinach = 4oz = 110g; Rainbow Chard = 4.5oz = 120g.

10 November 2011 – Allotment Plot at MERL – As Ella Montt stepped through the glass door in to the garden a black pheasant was disturbed and it ran from the Mulberry Tree to the cover of the trees across the garden where the foxes have their den. This was the second time Ella Montt had seen the pheasant in the garden. Perhaps the bird was a shape shifter? William Morris had not been seen lately, (because he was busy with the exhibition of his work in London), Ella Montt wondered if the bird was William Morris in disguise?

The Climbing Beans from a distance looked like they needed to be cut down, but on close inspection some of the Plants had started to grow again, as a result of the weather remaining warm. Another Squash plant was attempting to grow. The warmth of November was prolonging the life of some of the plants. Ella Montt tidied up some of the companion planting, which was beginning to fade, whilst the tree leaves grew golden and fell to the ground. Harvest would be minimal.

Ella Montt fetched a fork from the Shed. It was no ordinary day, a pulsating excitement vibrated across the Plot as Ella Montt reached in to a brown paper bag to extract garlic cloves to be planted for over wintering. The Garlic cloves were pushed in the soil in the space that the Mint had occupied. The planting of Onion sets followed this action.

Planted: Elephant Garlic = 2 cloves; Garlic Thermidrome = 9 cloves; Garlic Vallelado = 10 cloves; Onion Radar = 40 sets.

Harvest: a pinch of Coriander Filtro; Leeks Blue Green Winter = 2oz = 60g; Parsnip Halblange White = 15.5oz = 440g; Rocket Wild and Esmee = 1oz = 30g.

14 November 2011 – Allotment Plot 326 – Visibility had been subdued all day. The Sun was like a light bulb with a dimmer switch that had barely been turned on. A mouse seemed to be living in the Plot’s Shed. Ella Montt took the fork from the Shed, and dug more soil. Some hidden potatoes were discovered. Garlic cloves were planted. Ella Montt hoped that next years Garlic harvest would be bountiful and not rot as most of this years Garlic had done after harvesting for no apparent reason apart from the hottest drought inflicted April on record. The soil vibrated with excitement as the over winter planting took place in anticipation of the next calender year’s growing season.

The darkness descended early plunging the allotment in to a blanket of shadow that had a slow grip across the earth’s surface. A bio dome of Plant Life lit by artificial light was floating off in to deep space on the other side of Saturn, tended to by the droid Dewey (Silent Running). The Allotment Plot is firmly rooted to Earth’s human Allotment system, classified as a hegemonic from of Leisure. Ella Montt knew the Practical Planting Practice that she was learning through working on the Plot can be transformed in to methods of survival as eco systems close down though disruptions to synchronicity or if humans experience sudden loss of Planet control through demise of their species from pestilent disease or climate meltdown brought on by their own making. Cultivation of vegetable matter for food consumption will be a necessary skill.

Planted: Elephant Garlic = 3 cloves; Garlic Thermidrome = 24 cloves; Garlic Vallelado = 30 cloves.

Harvest: Oriental Tai Sai = 1.5oz = 40g; Perpetual Spinach = 1.5oz = 40g; Shallots Red Sun = 1.5oz and 40g; Carrots Autumn King = 2oz = 60g; Potatoes Madeline = 1lb 1oz = 480g.

17 November 2011 – Allotment Plot at MERL – Early in the morning it was misty, a light, brisk rain shower started to break up the clouds. Later, when Ella Montt arrived at the Plot the sun emerged for a while. A wheelbarrow, a fork and fairtrade gardening gloves were fetched from the Shed. Next to the Shed was a Sycamore Tree. The trees leaves were mostly fallen to the ground and slowly starting to decompose. Ella Montt filled the wheelbarrow with leaves several times, each time wheeling it across the garden to empty the leaves on to the Plot, then collected more leaves from under the Mulberry Tree. Piles of leaves now covered the Plot, not in a decorative arrangement, but in a deliberate attempt to add mulch to the soil and promote its fertility.

The Sweet Potato plants looked like they were suffering from the cold, yet it was not cold. A weatherman had announced that the temperature of the Island had been throughout November 3 degrees warmer than normal. The temperature was still pleasant for humans, but generally speaking this could assist the decease in synchronicity, elements of life outside of the humans’ windows were becoming further out of alignment and was another indication of global warming, the hyperbobject that surrounds the planet and permeates inside the window.

Ella Montt had observed from a far the disruption to the Occupy protests. Human droids who were also part of the 99% were employed to deter the 99% away from their campsites. Captain Swing had called an emergency meeting at the wood table close to the Plot. William Morris appeared stepping out of his role of wall paper. EB climbed out of the Reading Room window. The four sat around the table and discussed the direction of democracy. The conversation turned to extreme weather, then back to the 99% versus the 1% and then to the problematic desire for economic growth that contributes to the hyperobject. EB reached in to the library to pull out a borrowed image of a crop rotation plan that if used in every garden (dig up the lawn) and allotment of land could reduce dependence on the supermarket. Plant life needed to be depended upon more than authoritarian humans. The conversation returned to extreme weather, the four were concerned about the famine in Afghanistan, extreme drought will be followed by winter snow, many humans in remote areas do not have food to see them through the winter.

Ella Montt was very conscious that the harvest from the Plots that she was working with had dropped back. There was still a store on onions and potatoes. Next year Allotment Plot 326 would need to engage in enhanced vegetable productivity, this productivity is not the same as world economic growth, it is to do with ordinary survival dependent on plant cultivation.

Harvest: mix of Beans (French Climbing) 1oz = 35g; Rocket Wild and Esmee = 0.5oz = 18g; Leeks Blue Green Winter = 3oz = 80g; Celery Tall Utah = 2oz = 60g.

Mulberry and Potatoes

7 August 2011 – Allotment Plot 326 – Harvest: Tomato Gardener’s Delight = 3oz = 80g; Beetroot Bolivar = 1lb 4oz = 580g; Potato Madeleine 12lb 15oz = 5.9kg.

8 August 2011 – Allotment Plot 326 – Harvest: Runner Bean Enorma = 2oz = 60g; Potato Madeline 4lb = 1.82kg; Beetroot Bolivar = 1lb 8oz = 700g.

11 August 2011 – Allotment Plot at MERL – A fine mist of rain was falling across the garden. William Morris rolled out of his carpet from where he had been sleeping under the Mulberry Tree. His hands were covered in dark stains from the juice of Mulberry fruits. Ella Montt now understood why he liked the Mulberry Tree so much; the fruits are many and delicious! Mulberry Trees can live for a long time, and they will often look like they are falling down to one side, this is so they can re-root themselves in to the soil to insure their survival. Towards the base of the tree the Mulberry will grow long trailing branches that are also seeking to root themselves.

Ella Montt cut the Nettles and Comfrey growing in the Brick Composter and scattered the leaves over the compost. The Companion Planting’s wild beauty was tamed with a piece of string, because the Cosmos Cosmea was blocking vital sunlight access to the Squash plants. Some of the Pot Marigolds were removed for the same reason and their plant residue was added to the Composter. The Plot was saturated with the vivid colour; green was punctuated by orange, yellow, pink, white and scarlet (the latter from the runner bean plants).

EB stepped out of the reading room window and walked across the garden with a fork. She dug up the first batch of potatoes. As the potatoes were removed from the soil, active earth worms were revealed. The condition of the soil had changed with the introduction and growth of the tubers. The change was a much desired improvement in vital soil fertility. It can take several years to improve soil for optimum growth and equally it can take just as long to deplete the soil of vitality depending on the growing methods employed.

Harvest: Potato Lady Balfour = 5lb 3oz = 2.37kg; Herbs, Mint, Sage, Chives 2oz = 40g; Runner Bean Enorma = 14.5oz = 410g; Bean (French Climbing) Blauhide = 2.5oz = 70g, Blue Lake = 3oz = 80g, Neckarqueen = 1oz = 3og, Barlotta Di Fuoco = 2oz = 50g.

15 August 2011 – Allotment Plot 326 – Harvest: Kale Red Russian Curled = 1oz = 20g; mix of Perpetual Spinach and Rainbow Chard = 6oz = 160g; mix of Beans = 3.5oz = 100g; mix of Peas = 11.5oz = 330g; Tomato Gardener’s Delight = 5.5oz = 160g; 1 Onion Red Baron = 2oz = 60g; 4 x Courgette Cocozelle = 1lb 9oz = 700g; 4 x Courgette Patriot F1 = 6lb 0.5oz = 2.74kg

June 15th and 16th

The previous evening (June 15th), Ella Montt had travelled with William Morris up the river to visit a group of humans who wished to hear Morris speak at a social space. The place was where it is oval down by the gasworks, a short walk from the river. Whilst Morris spoke, they had left his rowing boat tied up by a bridge in Vauxhall. The humans at the social were a mixed group of individuals who sort alternatives to the labour machines that they were reliant upon. William Morris explained the folly of over production or mass production of the commodity as opposed to the process of hand-printing wall paper and fabric in complicated 32 colour block designs. It was not just the aesthetic; the process of which although exacting was nevertheless purposeful and time consuming, but in terms of employment in time hours it allowed an hour or two left over in the day for cultivation of plant matter at the allotment. After the social event, Morris was sleepy and Ella Montt had to row back down the river, so she switched the boat to fast forward mode and they returned in no time. William Morris rolled himself in his carpet and slumbered peacefully under the Mulberry Tree. Ella Montt left him there and tuned into an electronic headset and processor.

June 16th – At Allotment Plot at MERL, Ella Montt removed the net that had been surrounding the Peas, then harvested Broad Beans and Peas. It was no accident that the words “botany” and “starch”, kept repeating themselves over and over again in Ella Montt’s head, she was under the influence of prescheduled programming and imagining the starch molecules moving inside the living plants. If she stared hard enough, perhaps she would see them. It is the plant starch that is part of photosynthesis that is keeping us all alive. The ability of plants to convert light, oxygen and water and to absorb carbon dioxide never ceased to amaze Ella Montt as she worked in the garden.

Eve Balfour strolled across the garden to check on her Potatoes and ask about the Oak Trees seedlings that Ella Montt was collecting from sprouting acorns at Plot 326. Beuys was interested in Ella Montt planting them in the field at the Farm to replace the collapsed 1000 year old tree. More plant residue was removed from one area of the Plot and placed in the Brick Composter to become another part of the Plot, an evolving ecotope. Ella Montt planted out Celery Tall Utah and Celeriac Ibis seedlings echoing the action that had taken place at Allotment Plot 326 on the 11th June. 1 x Koralik Tomato plant was planted within the row of Tomato plants beneath the large Bamboo Tripod.

John Ray, Carl Linnaeus, Philip Miller were standing across the garden discussing loudly their theories and evidence that constructed the science of plants. The Three had recently watched a BBC television program on Botany that presented their work to a 21st century audience and they were somewhat excited about re-comparing their findings even though they were several hundred years old. Tansley (also a Botanist), appeared at MERL’s reading library window. He climbed out and crossed the lawn so that he could converse with The Three on Ecosystems and the plant as a machine.

Meanwhile, Ella Montt had shifted 6 x 9ft dark Bamboo canes to MERL’s garden to become part of the Plot. One 9ft cane was added to each of the six smaller Bamboo cane arrangements so that they individually now contained four sticks of Bamboo. Ella Montt tied each Bamboo cane arrangement together with stripes of strong plant material that had been taken from a tropical plant near the fixed-up-greenhouse at another location. The Bamboo constructions became stronger and connected to the energy levels above the Plot.

Ella Montt removed slugs and snails from the Peas and placed them in a different area of the garden. Pot Marigold and Borage flower buds were starting to open. The visitors to the garden drifted off to their resting places. Then a vent in the sky opened and it rained.

Harvest: Broad Beans = 4oz = 100g; Peas (various mix) = 1lb = 450g.


11th May 2011 – In the studio, the cultivation of Comfrey and Sweet Potato plants in glass jars continues. The Sweet Potato’s rhizomatic roots were accumulating in to an amazing mass at one end of the tuber, whilst at the other end of the tuber the vine leaves also sprouted. Soon it will be time to plant the Sweet Potato in to soil. Sweet Potatoes can take from four to six months to develop a substantial vine and tubers in the UK climate. Bob Flowerdew recommends growing the vine vertically in order to save energy and space. A vine that spreads in all directions horizontally across the Plot appeals to Ella Montt, but she will endeavor to grow the Sweet Potato in both formats, horizontally and vertically as part of the Plot. Back at the fixed up greenhouse in another location, other Sweet Potatoes are preparing themselves for this particular experiment. Three more tubers were sitting in glass jars of water, starting to grow roots and a fourth was discovered developing life-like veins in the draw of the refrigerator. The veins suggested that the Sweet Potato was about to mutate in to a vibrant new life form. On 16th May, a shift occurred, the four Sweet Potatoes were transplanted to soil in separate pots in the fixed up greenhouse to continue their process of cultivation. On the 17th May the rooting Comfrey and Sweet Potato were removed from the studio, they journeyed  (in a bicycle pannier) to Allotment Plot 326 and then made another journey to a waiting area in anticipation of their next move.

On Friday 13th May, having gazed in to her crystal ball for what seemed like an eternity, Ella Montt chose to see the day as auspicious rather than ominous and carefully selected plants from the fixed up greenhouse to be transplanted in to new growing positions. The view in the crystal ball that held the uncertain answers to the weather conditions seemed changeable and still cloudy. Ella Montt remained unconvinced that the chance of frost was unlikely, but as it was approaching mid May the risk in planting out frost tender plants was diminishing and so a chance that there would be no or minimal frost damage should be taken. Freak weather occurrences can occur from time to time, snow in May, hail in June, but the crystal ball did not contain that kind of information.

Ella Montt arrived at Allotment Plot at MERL and examined the Plot. The first Comfrey plant had been partially eaten probably by slugs or snails. At least six of the Sunflower plants and three of the Cosmos plants had revived and survived the drought conditions. The Plot was now dominated by the flowering green manure plant Phacelia Tanacetifoli, which was attracting several different types of bees. William Morris arrived at the Plot he had stopped to rest from rowing his boat upriver to Nowhere on the Thames in search of some early haymaking activity. After starring at the Plot intently WM asked Ella Montt if she may design a wall paper for his collection. Then he wrapped himself in his carpet and fell in to a slumber underneath the Mulberry Tree.

Ella Montt had to remove some of the plant material Phacelia Tanacetifolia, because it was obstructing the light from the Broad Beans and also the amount of Bee activity was making it difficult to work around the Plot. (The Broad Beans are nearly ready for their first harvest). The discarded plant material was placed in the Brick Composter to decompose in to a different kind of vital matter. Plenty of flowering plants were left for the Bees to continue their processes. Ella Montt fetched the watering can from the shed and watered the Plot. Although it had rained on the 6th and 7th of May drought was still persistent. Ella Montt spun around and transformed her work wear and identity, (see video evidence). The identity of an allotment holder is no longer predictable.

The Peas could be seen growing through the netting, some plants reached out their tendrils to catch on to the net for support. A snail was found on a Pea plant. The snail was removed from the Plot to the other side of the garden and placed in the wild area.

Packets of salad seeds were opened and a mixture of varieties were combined and then scattered in a row between the Onions and Lady Eve’s Potatoes. The seeds were: Oriental Giant Red Mustard, Mizuna, and Tokyo Bekana, Rocket Wild and Rucola, Lettuce  Lollo Rosso, Brun d’hiver, Marvel of the Four Seasons, (Red) Roxy and Solix.

Ella Montt then planted 9 Sweetcorn True Gold seedlings to one side of a row of Broad Beans and added 3 more Climbing Bean plants to each of the 4 Climbing Bean bamboo pyramids (the 5th pyramid has Dwarf Beans planted next to it). The ground was then prepared amongst the Garlic for planting Squash and Courgette plants. One of each of the following plants were planted: Squash Big Max, Black Futsu, Buttercup, (Pumpkin) Cinderella, Fictor F1, Green Hokkaido, (Pumpkin) Jack O’Lantern, Marina Di Chioggia, Musquee de Provence, and Uchiki Kuri, Courgette Patriot F1 and two Courgette Cocozelle.

It was a cloudy day without much sun, rain levels for the time of year were still exceptionally low. The earth is very dry under its surface.

At Allotment Plot 326 bags of Spinach are being harvested on a regular basis. Two bags were harvested on the 16th May: 1 x 1lb = 420g and 1 x 1lb 2oz = 460g. This has been an ongoing event for the last 4 weeks.

Sweet Potato Root

A solitary white root has appeared on the one remaining (the third) Sweet Potato that sits in a glass jar of water on the table in the studio. The Sweet Potato will need to grow more roots and then it should grow Slips, which are the leafy shoots of the vine. They can be cut off and planted separately and more Slips should grow once the Sweet Potato is in full production. Ella Montt has no previous experience of successfully growing Sweet Potatoes so the prospect of progression is tentatively awaited. D&G were seen peering through the studio window discussing the single root.

Thirty Days Have September

Thirty days have September… on 30/09/2010 at the Allotment Plot at MERL the clouds sat over the garden, but they were not as heavy and low as the three preceding days and there was a faint chance that sun could break through later or it could rain or both (both). The month of October loomed peeping and edging closer as every minute passed. The end of one growing season and the start of a new growing season looms, the over wintering will begin. A need to make space for this action in the limited Plot area is becoming more necessary as the days pass. The Climbing Beans leaves are starting to look like they have endured chilling over night temperatures as the autumnal hours of daylight diminish. It feels like it will be an early winter, but the weather is unpredictable and warmth can seep back when it is least expected yet yearned for.

Allotment September

In a week when it is announced in the media that one in five plant species are in danger of extinction through human activity an underlying fact is emphasized that plant life is the basis of all life on Earth. The Cosmos Cosmea blooms attracting insects for late pollination, where other flowering plants have faded with the last remaining days of summer. Late in the season the Squash plants are determined to sustain a chance of production.

Squash baby

Harvest commences: Dwarf Beans Royalty 1.5oz = 40g; Rainbow Chard = 3oz =75g; Kale Pentland Brig = 1oz = 30g; Climbing French Beans Blue Lake = 5oz = 140g; and Blauhide = 1.5oz = 40g; Runner Beans = 9oz = 260g; Herbs, Parsley, Sage, Marjoram, Basil and Mint.

Cosmos Cosmea & Insect