This month I was determined to start the last major infrastructure project for plot 37 - erecting a greenhouse.  Two days of gale force winds at the start of the month must have damaged greenhouses all over the north east, not just at our allotments, as the local papers were full of second hand ones.  Although the low price was tempting, I went for a brand new Robinsons AGL (8 x 6 foot) which had the advantage of being pre-packed with complete assembly instructions and metal base included. The wooden base I'd made last year was too short by a couple of inches to take the greenhouse, and I figured that a new greenhouse deserved a more secure foundation, despite coming with a metal base.  I was sorely tempted to lay down paving slabs (only 50p each from the society), but the thought of heaving 10 of them from one end of the site to the other, not to mention trying to drill holes in them with a cordless drill put me off.  Instead I decided to lay down a dry mortar mix bed (1 cement: 4 sand) a couple of inches thick along the sides to stop the metal base sinking whilst I assembled the main structure (you're advised against anchoring the base legs in concrete until it's complete). The compost bins were also looking sorry for themselves with their sides bowing out with the weight of the contents.  A double length of wire running along the tops perked them up no end. It was time to start digging in the Hungarian Grazing Rye as for about 2 months afterwards it suppresses seed germination.  You can see from the picture that their intensive root system was doing a great job at breaking up the soil.  Wanting to minimise damage to the soil structure caused by digging in wet conditions, I chose to simply turnover the rye, and cover with a thick layer. I'd also found a local mushroom farmer who was offering cheap mushroom compost and would deliver.  Although not organic, she didn't need to use pesticides during the winter, so it seemed like a safe bet.  Brassicas like alkaline conditions, and mushroom compost contains plenty of chalk, so 3 bags went into each of their beds.  They also contain spent horse manure, so I took a risk and also applied them to the beds for roots and carrots (they tend to fork if the ground is freshly manured).  The ground was too wet to rotivate the compost into the soil, so I applied a healthy double wheelbarrow of homemade compost (fairly decomposed, but a little on the twiggy side) to stop things blowing away.  I could always rotivate later on.