Not having written anything since late September pretty much sums up the amount of time I've spent at the allotment in recent weeks. With a continuing busy work schedule my free time for tidying the plot has been scarce to say the least. That said, I've been enough times over the past month or so to gather in the last of this year's fruits and summer vegetables.
Amazingly, the cougettes continued producing right up to the end of October and eventually it was me who curtailed their existence to clear some room. In previous years the first chilly nights of September had knocked them back but these were obviously made of much tougher stuff. The pumpkins (six from one plant) and the butternut squash (three from one) were picked before any frost could damage them and they have ripened nicely in our front room. After the fun of Halloween there are still a couple left for winter soups.
The sweetcorn was a great success and the last few cobs have now been frozen for use over the winter. I thought about leaving the plants in the ground over the winter but in the end they were uprooted and burnt on the allotment bonfire this weekend. I'll definitely grow the same variety again because they managed to ripen even in this poor excuse for a summer.
The final main crop of this year was the bramley apples. The old tree did us proud and we now have about two sackfuls awaiting treatment. I've given a fair few away but there are still more on the tree so some element of mass processing will be required. Spicey apple chutney will make stocking fillers for Christmas and, if I can get hold of a decent fruit press, I have my mind on a gallon or two of cider!
A quick visit this afternoon in the the drizzle and murk confirmed that the over-wintering veggies are doing well and will ride out the cold and damp until spring. I expect a good crop of purple sprouting broccoli, some fine spring cabbages, and a harvest of leeks throughout the winter months. I also checked the parsnips and was pleased to find long, clean tapering roots that were easy to lift thanks to the work I've put into the soil over the past few years. This year I started them off in grow tubes and planted them out individually once they'd germinated and got a good set of leaves. On the evidence so far it worked a treat and I'll do the same next year.
Once the bramley sheds its leaves it is in for a haircut as it has grown far too large and is also now shading some of the other fruit bushes. I have a number of winter tasks to keep me busy, such as some more raised beds and a new path, so there should be something to report on for the next few months. Thoughts also turn to next year and I have a selection of seed catalogues to peruse. After watching a rerun of the Victorian Kitchen Garden recently I'm keen to try some old vegetable varieties and see how I do with them. I'm also going to turn my hand to giant veg and have bought some mammoth onion seed to try. Apparently it should be sown on Boxing Day to maximise the growing season - that definitely beats cold turkey butties and an old Bond film!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness
After a particularly poor summer, it's nice to be treated to a bit of sunshine and warmth like we've had for the past few days. Warm and settled weather is quite common at this time of year but after the endless cloudy, damp days of August an Indian summer seemed an impossibility.
It's a really nice time to be out pottering and harvesting at the allotment, particularly as the mellow sunlight of September is less harsh and bright than that of June or July but possesses enough warmth to make you feel like it's still summer. The dewy mornings, the subtle change in colour of the leaves, and the squirrels busily burying nuts everywhere, are an indication that summer is indeed on the wane, but whilst it stays dry and fine I'll gladly take every opportunity to get down to the plot and make hay whilst the sun shines.
This late spell of warmth has seen the courgettes continue flowering and fruiting and there are still a number of embryo fruits to form and swell if the evenings remain on the warm side. The pumpkins are now more orange than green, the sun helping to ripen and harden their skins for winter storage. The warmth has also helped the sweetcorn to ripen perfectly and we are now enjoying large, well filled cobs as and when we feel like a treat - boiled, smeared with butter and a twist of black pepper they are divine!
In readiness for winter, most of the beetroot has been harvested and will be boiled and pickled as soon as I can find the time, ditto some of the red cabbage that will go perfectly with winter stews. There is also a fine crop of borlotti beans, the speckled red pods dangling from the plants in readiness for picking and creating some hearty, warming soups. We will use most of them fresh from the pod, although some will be dried and stored for use in the coming months.
Last week I put in a few blocks of spring cabbage to plug a few gaps and deposited several long scaffold planks down at the plot in anticipation of some winter graft. I didn't get round to completing every raised bed this year so some free planks will finish the job nicely. They are 4m long and 20cm deep so will create perfect raised beds to be filled with the mushroom compost I'll soon be ordering. There'll be plenty of jobs to keep me occupied over the coming months.
It's a really nice time to be out pottering and harvesting at the allotment, particularly as the mellow sunlight of September is less harsh and bright than that of June or July but possesses enough warmth to make you feel like it's still summer. The dewy mornings, the subtle change in colour of the leaves, and the squirrels busily burying nuts everywhere, are an indication that summer is indeed on the wane, but whilst it stays dry and fine I'll gladly take every opportunity to get down to the plot and make hay whilst the sun shines.
This late spell of warmth has seen the courgettes continue flowering and fruiting and there are still a number of embryo fruits to form and swell if the evenings remain on the warm side. The pumpkins are now more orange than green, the sun helping to ripen and harden their skins for winter storage. The warmth has also helped the sweetcorn to ripen perfectly and we are now enjoying large, well filled cobs as and when we feel like a treat - boiled, smeared with butter and a twist of black pepper they are divine!
In readiness for winter, most of the beetroot has been harvested and will be boiled and pickled as soon as I can find the time, ditto some of the red cabbage that will go perfectly with winter stews. There is also a fine crop of borlotti beans, the speckled red pods dangling from the plants in readiness for picking and creating some hearty, warming soups. We will use most of them fresh from the pod, although some will be dried and stored for use in the coming months.
Last week I put in a few blocks of spring cabbage to plug a few gaps and deposited several long scaffold planks down at the plot in anticipation of some winter graft. I didn't get round to completing every raised bed this year so some free planks will finish the job nicely. They are 4m long and 20cm deep so will create perfect raised beds to be filled with the mushroom compost I'll soon be ordering. There'll be plenty of jobs to keep me occupied over the coming months.
Friday, September 5, 2008
We Are the Champions!!!
I suppose when the weather's as bad as it is at the moment there's not much a gardener can do other than catch up on paperwork, plan forthcoming jobs, start some design work... or just mess around on the internet, watch old programmes of River Cottage, drink tea and post on my blog!
Fisrt up, we are now officially the best allotment site in Nottingham, regaining our trophy after last year's disappointment and winning the cup for the third year in four. We won the best site under 8 acres and the best overall site in Nottingham and so eagerly anticipate an invitation to the celebration event usually held at the Council House in September. The site has looked great this year thanks to the hard work and effort of all the plot holders, none more so than Cynthia who undertakes all the management of the site and chivvies us along when it looks like the weeds might be getting the better of us. She also puts up with no small amount of grief from the rest us plot holders and so a large amount of the success can be credited to her and the rest of the management team - well done all!
On the plot front the disappointment of the tomato blight is behind me. Having removed all vestiges of tomato foliage and roots, the soil was in perfect condition after the addition of mushroom compost earlier in the year. A liberal dusting of garden lime and the bed was transformed into my winter brassica patch with early and late purple sprouting broccoli and some brussels sprouts that will hopefuly produce in time for Christmas dinner. Protection from the dreaded pigeons comes in the form of two huge metal crates that held the two tonnes of blue slate walling for a recent landscaping project. So far they are working a treat and the plants are forging ahead with the copious amounts of August and early September rain. I have some spring cabbage and kale for the adjacent bed, which will be limed and planted as before when the weather lets me.
The courgettes have flourished in the wet weather and I picked a crateful of each type yesterday in between the showers. Note to self - I do not need eight courgette plants next year. The Jack O' Lantern pumpkin has four or five decent sized fruits which are just taking on their orange hue, although the single fruit on the 'Mammoth' pumpkin is anything but!
If the sun ever decides to show its face again it will certainly help to ripen the sweetcorn. It is a little later than usual but I anticipate a worthwhile crop in a week or two and there's nothing nicer than freshly picked sweetcorn liberally smeared with butter and with a dusting of cracked black pepper.
One of the most eagerly awaited duets at this time of year is the classic combination of Bramley apple and blackberry, be it as a pie, crumble or simply stewed and served with cream and/ or good vanilla icecream. We've already had several servings to keep on top of the glut and the remaining bramleys are swelling nicely now. Thinning the crop along the way will hopefully mean bigger apples come October, but will also help with the 'what are we going to do with all these apples, sigh?' situation of previous years. Answers on a postcard please to ...
There is not much else in the way of fruit to harvest as the remaining trees and bushes have either done their stuff for the year or are too young to produce. The greengage and Marjorie's Seedling plum have put on good growth so I expect the first fruits to form next year, same goes for the Doyenne du Comice pear. My apricot tree bargain from Aldi has flourished and it will be moved into the greenhouse for the winter once the leaves have fallen to help nurture it through the colder weather and also to protect what is beautiful but frighteningly early blossom. Unfortunately the peach tree bargain never really grew and is no more, but for £3.99 it was worth a try. Maybe I'll buy another next year.
Until the next time, happy gardening and keep the wellies/ waterproofs handy - it looks like we're going to need them!
Fisrt up, we are now officially the best allotment site in Nottingham, regaining our trophy after last year's disappointment and winning the cup for the third year in four. We won the best site under 8 acres and the best overall site in Nottingham and so eagerly anticipate an invitation to the celebration event usually held at the Council House in September. The site has looked great this year thanks to the hard work and effort of all the plot holders, none more so than Cynthia who undertakes all the management of the site and chivvies us along when it looks like the weeds might be getting the better of us. She also puts up with no small amount of grief from the rest us plot holders and so a large amount of the success can be credited to her and the rest of the management team - well done all!
On the plot front the disappointment of the tomato blight is behind me. Having removed all vestiges of tomato foliage and roots, the soil was in perfect condition after the addition of mushroom compost earlier in the year. A liberal dusting of garden lime and the bed was transformed into my winter brassica patch with early and late purple sprouting broccoli and some brussels sprouts that will hopefuly produce in time for Christmas dinner. Protection from the dreaded pigeons comes in the form of two huge metal crates that held the two tonnes of blue slate walling for a recent landscaping project. So far they are working a treat and the plants are forging ahead with the copious amounts of August and early September rain. I have some spring cabbage and kale for the adjacent bed, which will be limed and planted as before when the weather lets me.
The courgettes have flourished in the wet weather and I picked a crateful of each type yesterday in between the showers. Note to self - I do not need eight courgette plants next year. The Jack O' Lantern pumpkin has four or five decent sized fruits which are just taking on their orange hue, although the single fruit on the 'Mammoth' pumpkin is anything but!
If the sun ever decides to show its face again it will certainly help to ripen the sweetcorn. It is a little later than usual but I anticipate a worthwhile crop in a week or two and there's nothing nicer than freshly picked sweetcorn liberally smeared with butter and with a dusting of cracked black pepper.
One of the most eagerly awaited duets at this time of year is the classic combination of Bramley apple and blackberry, be it as a pie, crumble or simply stewed and served with cream and/ or good vanilla icecream. We've already had several servings to keep on top of the glut and the remaining bramleys are swelling nicely now. Thinning the crop along the way will hopefully mean bigger apples come October, but will also help with the 'what are we going to do with all these apples, sigh?' situation of previous years. Answers on a postcard please to ...
There is not much else in the way of fruit to harvest as the remaining trees and bushes have either done their stuff for the year or are too young to produce. The greengage and Marjorie's Seedling plum have put on good growth so I expect the first fruits to form next year, same goes for the Doyenne du Comice pear. My apricot tree bargain from Aldi has flourished and it will be moved into the greenhouse for the winter once the leaves have fallen to help nurture it through the colder weather and also to protect what is beautiful but frighteningly early blossom. Unfortunately the peach tree bargain never really grew and is no more, but for £3.99 it was worth a try. Maybe I'll buy another next year.
Until the next time, happy gardening and keep the wellies/ waterproofs handy - it looks like we're going to need them!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Disaster...
Blight 1 - 0 Me
The action I took last weekend was to no avail. A visit to the plot this afternoon revealed the extent to which tomato blight can ruin a crop within a week. I was greeted by withered plants, their stems black and buckling, and a crop of wisened fruits falling from the trusses in their droves. I've salvaged what I could of the decent green tomatoes and will use them to make a batch of courgette and green tomato chutney. However, there will be no fresh tomatoes this year save for the three plants I have growing in the blight-free saftey of my garden. Out of courtesy to my fellow plot holders I have cut down and removed all the plants and the fallen fruits and have binned the lot.
I don't think I've ever been as disappointed as a gardener as today. Having grown the plants from seeds several months ago, I have nurtured them throughout their lives, growing them on in ever larger pots, hardening them off in the garden and protecting them from frosts and chill winds, before planting them out on the plot full of hope and anticipation for a bumper harvest...all for nothing.
With hindsight there were probably too many plants in the bed, which prevented air from circulating amongst them and probably contributing to the speed with which the blight struck. I probably could have been more asiduous with the pinching out, allowing too many of the side shoots to grow and adding to the cramped conditions. I probably should have grown the plants in a bed further away from last year's infected crop. Etc. Etc. Etc.
I will learn from all these things next year. But having to rip out all my plants without even tasting a ripe fruit after all that work and effort is a real blow. It also goes to show how fragile the aim of self-sufficiency can be. 'Growing your own' is enjoying a real boom, with many people turning to the health and taste benefits of growing their own organic vegetables. But in reality it only took a week for one of my main crops for the next few months to be ruined to show that, for all the positives, there can also be some negatives and it isn't always as easy as the experts and the tv programmes make it out to be. Oh well, at least I have my courgettes :-)
The action I took last weekend was to no avail. A visit to the plot this afternoon revealed the extent to which tomato blight can ruin a crop within a week. I was greeted by withered plants, their stems black and buckling, and a crop of wisened fruits falling from the trusses in their droves. I've salvaged what I could of the decent green tomatoes and will use them to make a batch of courgette and green tomato chutney. However, there will be no fresh tomatoes this year save for the three plants I have growing in the blight-free saftey of my garden. Out of courtesy to my fellow plot holders I have cut down and removed all the plants and the fallen fruits and have binned the lot.
I don't think I've ever been as disappointed as a gardener as today. Having grown the plants from seeds several months ago, I have nurtured them throughout their lives, growing them on in ever larger pots, hardening them off in the garden and protecting them from frosts and chill winds, before planting them out on the plot full of hope and anticipation for a bumper harvest...all for nothing.
With hindsight there were probably too many plants in the bed, which prevented air from circulating amongst them and probably contributing to the speed with which the blight struck. I probably could have been more asiduous with the pinching out, allowing too many of the side shoots to grow and adding to the cramped conditions. I probably should have grown the plants in a bed further away from last year's infected crop. Etc. Etc. Etc.
I will learn from all these things next year. But having to rip out all my plants without even tasting a ripe fruit after all that work and effort is a real blow. It also goes to show how fragile the aim of self-sufficiency can be. 'Growing your own' is enjoying a real boom, with many people turning to the health and taste benefits of growing their own organic vegetables. But in reality it only took a week for one of my main crops for the next few months to be ruined to show that, for all the positives, there can also be some negatives and it isn't always as easy as the experts and the tv programmes make it out to be. Oh well, at least I have my courgettes :-)
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Courgettes anyone..?
It's about a month since my last post, but in reality not that much has been happening down at the plot. At this time of year there is always a bit of a lull, now that the main growth spurt is over, and fortunately the weeds have slowed up enough for me to just about keep on top of them. It's also been a busy few weeks with the business, so time on the plot other than for harvesting has been at a premium. That said, I undertook a two-hour weeding blitz on Sunday 27th July in preparation for the allotment inspection the following week. Our site lost its 'Best in Nottingham' crown last year, after what can only be described as some rather dubious judging on a terribly wet day, having won the title for the previous two years. The pressure was on this year to regain our prize so I couldn't let the side down. I have to admit that the weeding was more cosmetic than thorough but it appeared effective. The judging was apparently very positive so I'll keep you informed of progress when I know the results.
We've had our fair share of sun and rain over the past month and that combination has brought the courgettes on a treat. They really are producing a huge crop now and we currently have a bucketful of each variety (One Ball and Kojak) that were picked last weekend. There were plenty more embryo fruits still forming so I expect another bumper harvest when I visit the plot tomorrow. Courgette soup anyone?
Another star performer is my Jack O'Lantern pumpkin. It has really started to motor in the past month, with its vines and tendrils reaching far and wide across the plot. I am training the vines as best I can to maximise the growing space available and so as not to swamp its (currently) less vigorous companion - the butternut squash. This flush of growth is now carrying a heavy crop of fruit, so I'm hoping for plenty of football-sized pumpkins come the autumn.
One rather worrying sight has been the beginnings of blight on both the potatoes and tomatoes. Last year's monsoon brought about an early and severe attack which decimated the tomatoes in particular, so last week I took some drastic remedial action and removed about 50% of the leaves from the tomato plants. This won't eradicate the blight completely, but I'm hoping it will stave off its worst effects long enough for the majority of fruits to ripen. The first Sungolds were just starting to change colour last week, so it won't be long before we can dispense with the tasteless, watery offerings from the supermarkets and feast on frest, tasty, homegrown tomatoes for the rest of the summer - hopefully...
Potato blight has become an annual problem on our site, so I'm seriously thinking of growing only first and second early potatoes next year to avoid it altogether. That said, I'm partial to my King Edwards so there might always have to be a small space allocated for them, regardless of blight problems. They should be ready to lift in early September and what they lack in quantity of crop they certainly make up for in quality. They are the 'king' of roasting potatoes and for the past few years we've managed to store some of our harvest long enough to have them for Christmas dinner - yum!
We've had our fair share of sun and rain over the past month and that combination has brought the courgettes on a treat. They really are producing a huge crop now and we currently have a bucketful of each variety (One Ball and Kojak) that were picked last weekend. There were plenty more embryo fruits still forming so I expect another bumper harvest when I visit the plot tomorrow. Courgette soup anyone?
Another star performer is my Jack O'Lantern pumpkin. It has really started to motor in the past month, with its vines and tendrils reaching far and wide across the plot. I am training the vines as best I can to maximise the growing space available and so as not to swamp its (currently) less vigorous companion - the butternut squash. This flush of growth is now carrying a heavy crop of fruit, so I'm hoping for plenty of football-sized pumpkins come the autumn.
One rather worrying sight has been the beginnings of blight on both the potatoes and tomatoes. Last year's monsoon brought about an early and severe attack which decimated the tomatoes in particular, so last week I took some drastic remedial action and removed about 50% of the leaves from the tomato plants. This won't eradicate the blight completely, but I'm hoping it will stave off its worst effects long enough for the majority of fruits to ripen. The first Sungolds were just starting to change colour last week, so it won't be long before we can dispense with the tasteless, watery offerings from the supermarkets and feast on frest, tasty, homegrown tomatoes for the rest of the summer - hopefully...
Potato blight has become an annual problem on our site, so I'm seriously thinking of growing only first and second early potatoes next year to avoid it altogether. That said, I'm partial to my King Edwards so there might always have to be a small space allocated for them, regardless of blight problems. They should be ready to lift in early September and what they lack in quantity of crop they certainly make up for in quality. They are the 'king' of roasting potatoes and for the past few years we've managed to store some of our harvest long enough to have them for Christmas dinner - yum!
Saturday, July 5, 2008
This summer's first decent haul
Today is the first time this year we've come back from the allotment weighed down with produce. It was especially pleasing as our friends came along for the walk and fresh air and went home with a bag of new potatoes, raspberries and lettuce for their tea!
Things still appear to be about 2-3 weeks behind where I'd expect them to be but most plants are now strong and healthy and looking like giving a decent crop. I picked the first handful of French beans today and the runners have loads of pretty red flowers for the bees to pollinate. The courgettes are just starting to bear fruit and we shouldn't need to visit the greengrocer for potatoes or onions again for a long time!
Most exciting for me, the first of my Mammoth pumpkins has set fruit. I have a number of different squashes growing but this is the one that I'm focussing my attentions on. It will have little culinary value, save for supplying a few gallons of pumpkin soup over the winter, with the main aim being to grow as big a pumpkin as I can. I will nurture this first fruit, allow a second to form as a back-up, and then pinch out any further female flowers so the plant can focus its efforts on producing me a whopper! It will be fed weekly with seaweed extract and organic tomato food and be ready for picking some time in early October. I'm not setting any real targets for size, other than I want to carry it off the plot with the help of a wheelbarrow!
Tomorrow I'll be back to the plot to start planting some of the winter veggies. It seems bizarre to be thinking of winter already but they need to go in now to have sufficient time to establish. Musselburgh leeks and some of my sprouts will go in where the broad beans have finished and the Purple Spouting Broccoli will take over from the onions and garlic.
Things still appear to be about 2-3 weeks behind where I'd expect them to be but most plants are now strong and healthy and looking like giving a decent crop. I picked the first handful of French beans today and the runners have loads of pretty red flowers for the bees to pollinate. The courgettes are just starting to bear fruit and we shouldn't need to visit the greengrocer for potatoes or onions again for a long time!
Most exciting for me, the first of my Mammoth pumpkins has set fruit. I have a number of different squashes growing but this is the one that I'm focussing my attentions on. It will have little culinary value, save for supplying a few gallons of pumpkin soup over the winter, with the main aim being to grow as big a pumpkin as I can. I will nurture this first fruit, allow a second to form as a back-up, and then pinch out any further female flowers so the plant can focus its efforts on producing me a whopper! It will be fed weekly with seaweed extract and organic tomato food and be ready for picking some time in early October. I'm not setting any real targets for size, other than I want to carry it off the plot with the help of a wheelbarrow!
Tomorrow I'll be back to the plot to start planting some of the winter veggies. It seems bizarre to be thinking of winter already but they need to go in now to have sufficient time to establish. Musselburgh leeks and some of my sprouts will go in where the broad beans have finished and the Purple Spouting Broccoli will take over from the onions and garlic.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Midsummer update - pigeons and gales!
It's been nearly a month since my last post, namely because I've been incredibly busy with the business. The longest day has been and gone and I should now be in full picking mode. I'm probably a fortnight behind where I'd like to be, but still quite a lot has been happening down at the plot, with most beds now full of plants, so here is a quick resume of the last month or so:
All the tomatoes are in and doing well. They are surrounded by French marigolds and the bed is looking quite pretty. The first flower trusses have appeared and I anticipate a good crop given a half-decent summer.
The courgettes and squashes were planted nearly a month ago and most are doing well. They have sulked a little in the cooler, damper weather of late but a few warm sunny days should see them spread their wings. Unfortunately all of my One Ball courgettes were destroyed by the weekend gales, snapped of at the base, so I've had to pop a few more seeds in and anticipate a late crop.
The various climbing beans have started to wind their way up the supports and the first flowers are setting. They seem to be suffering from the wind, which tends to unravel them, so I've been tying them in with soft twine. I hope for a really good crop of French beans, which seem to be a week or two in adavnce of the runners even at this early stage.
The bl00dy pigeons have decimated my red cabbages, pak choi and kohl rabi. The only survivors are the five or so red cabbages under a cage. I hate using netting, mainly because it's ugly and can also cause problems for birds, but I think it is now a necessity on my plot.
The potatoes are looking really healthy with no signs of blight at this early stage. The first earlies should be ready in a fortnight and then it should be regular cropping until late September, when I'll dig up and store the maincrop.
Finally, the soft fruit is staring to ripen, with strawberries and raspberries leading the charge. The blackbirds have managed more than me so far with just the odd berry ripening, but soon there'll be more than they can eat and I can take over! Looking forward to plenty of fresh fruits then a batch or two of jam.
I've taken a few pictures of the plot so they'll be uploaded when I get the chance. After the pigeon attack and the midsummer gale, here's hoping for some warm sunny weather and a few night time showers to really get things growing. Happy gardening!
All the tomatoes are in and doing well. They are surrounded by French marigolds and the bed is looking quite pretty. The first flower trusses have appeared and I anticipate a good crop given a half-decent summer.
The courgettes and squashes were planted nearly a month ago and most are doing well. They have sulked a little in the cooler, damper weather of late but a few warm sunny days should see them spread their wings. Unfortunately all of my One Ball courgettes were destroyed by the weekend gales, snapped of at the base, so I've had to pop a few more seeds in and anticipate a late crop.
The various climbing beans have started to wind their way up the supports and the first flowers are setting. They seem to be suffering from the wind, which tends to unravel them, so I've been tying them in with soft twine. I hope for a really good crop of French beans, which seem to be a week or two in adavnce of the runners even at this early stage.
The bl00dy pigeons have decimated my red cabbages, pak choi and kohl rabi. The only survivors are the five or so red cabbages under a cage. I hate using netting, mainly because it's ugly and can also cause problems for birds, but I think it is now a necessity on my plot.
The potatoes are looking really healthy with no signs of blight at this early stage. The first earlies should be ready in a fortnight and then it should be regular cropping until late September, when I'll dig up and store the maincrop.
Finally, the soft fruit is staring to ripen, with strawberries and raspberries leading the charge. The blackbirds have managed more than me so far with just the odd berry ripening, but soon there'll be more than they can eat and I can take over! Looking forward to plenty of fresh fruits then a batch or two of jam.
I've taken a few pictures of the plot so they'll be uploaded when I get the chance. After the pigeon attack and the midsummer gale, here's hoping for some warm sunny weather and a few night time showers to really get things growing. Happy gardening!
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Bank Holiday update - beans a plenty?
Around about the late May bank holiday is usually the earliest I would consider to plant out my tender crops. This year we had typical bank holiday weather - three days of grey, cold, cloudy weather with a strong easterly wind more reminiscent of March than late May. Not the ideal weather to plant out beans, courgettes and pumpkins, which were basking in the relative shelter of my plastic greenhouse, but something had to give. Being incredibly busy with work, my visits to the allotment are currently of the fleeting variety, so when a free hour or so became available yesterday afternoon, I had to make use of the time. It was the beans - Polestar, Borlotti, Cobra & Purple Teepee - which went in, probably much to their annoyance, but they were far too large for the greenhouse anyway and some had started to wrap around each other, as climbing beans without anything to climb up tend to do.
I choose to grow mine up wigwams of 5 canes, basically because it makes best use of the space available and also because, unlike many fellow plot holders, I see no need for a 10m double row of runner beans. 5 plants of each type are more than sufficient for us and a few friends and neighbours - after all, there's only so many runner beans you can eat! Also, as I don't have a permanent, dedicated bean trench, I can move my five canes to a space in any bed to fit around my other crop rotations. It is flexible and works for me.
So in they went, with some chicken manure pellets for company and some soft twine to encourage them to climb the canes in the face of a force 8 gale. They were well watered in, although I needn't have bothered as it has rained here ever since! I'll check on them at the weekend, when if it's mild and benign, I might consider putting in a few tomatoes and courgettes. The cucumbers will have to wait at least another couple of weeks as they still look too fragile.
I choose to grow mine up wigwams of 5 canes, basically because it makes best use of the space available and also because, unlike many fellow plot holders, I see no need for a 10m double row of runner beans. 5 plants of each type are more than sufficient for us and a few friends and neighbours - after all, there's only so many runner beans you can eat! Also, as I don't have a permanent, dedicated bean trench, I can move my five canes to a space in any bed to fit around my other crop rotations. It is flexible and works for me.
So in they went, with some chicken manure pellets for company and some soft twine to encourage them to climb the canes in the face of a force 8 gale. They were well watered in, although I needn't have bothered as it has rained here ever since! I'll check on them at the weekend, when if it's mild and benign, I might consider putting in a few tomatoes and courgettes. The cucumbers will have to wait at least another couple of weeks as they still look too fragile.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
The Darling Buds of May
It's amazing what plenty of rain followed by some warm, sunny weather can do. After a cool early spring, trees, shrubs and hedges are now wearing their bright new green leaves and everywhere is bursting with life.
At the plot, after a frantic few weeks, all the seeds for this year have now been sown, most have germinated, and a hardy few are taking advantage of the current sunny and warm weather.
I have, in no particular order:
Tomatoes - Sungold F1, Gardener's Delight, Golden Sunrise, Alicante.
Chilli - Cayenne Pepper
Cucmbers - Burpless Tasty Green and Crystal Apple.
Courgettes - Kojak F1 and One Ball F1
Squashes and Pumpkins - Cobnut, Mammoth, Gold Nugget, Baby Bear, Jack O' Lantern.
Beans - Cobra, Barlotti 'Lingua di Fuoco', Polestar, Purple Teepee.
The last to emerge will be the Sweetcorn Honey Bantam F1, which currently reside on my window sill in their toilet roll tubes - they only went in last night!
Thanks to a recent decking job I have finished off the last of the raised beds at the allotment. I hope to be down there this weekend to cull the dandelions and get on top of the profusion of weeds before the above plants go in after the late May bank holiday. I plan to take a few pictures and upload them to the blog as I am proud of my efforts this year and there are some lovely sights. 'Best of plot' at the moment must be the fruit trees - the bramley and the morello cherry are full of blossom and the bees are busily working away on the flowers. I anticipate a great crop this year, provided there are no late frosts and I can net the cherries before the blackbird gets them.
We've also picked the first two crops of asparagus - enormous fat spears - and steamed them only an hour or so after picking. They tasted great, but it does make your wee smell funny :-)
Finally, before signing off, a word of warning for anyone who might be tempted to tackle nettles with a strimmer. Make sure your skin is completely covered before trying this. Nettles may sting when you touch them, but boy does it hurt when you are showered with tiny fragments of nettle being blasted by a strimmer. Ouch!
At the plot, after a frantic few weeks, all the seeds for this year have now been sown, most have germinated, and a hardy few are taking advantage of the current sunny and warm weather.
I have, in no particular order:
Tomatoes - Sungold F1, Gardener's Delight, Golden Sunrise, Alicante.
Chilli - Cayenne Pepper
Cucmbers - Burpless Tasty Green and Crystal Apple.
Courgettes - Kojak F1 and One Ball F1
Squashes and Pumpkins - Cobnut, Mammoth, Gold Nugget, Baby Bear, Jack O' Lantern.
Beans - Cobra, Barlotti 'Lingua di Fuoco', Polestar, Purple Teepee.
The last to emerge will be the Sweetcorn Honey Bantam F1, which currently reside on my window sill in their toilet roll tubes - they only went in last night!
Thanks to a recent decking job I have finished off the last of the raised beds at the allotment. I hope to be down there this weekend to cull the dandelions and get on top of the profusion of weeds before the above plants go in after the late May bank holiday. I plan to take a few pictures and upload them to the blog as I am proud of my efforts this year and there are some lovely sights. 'Best of plot' at the moment must be the fruit trees - the bramley and the morello cherry are full of blossom and the bees are busily working away on the flowers. I anticipate a great crop this year, provided there are no late frosts and I can net the cherries before the blackbird gets them.
We've also picked the first two crops of asparagus - enormous fat spears - and steamed them only an hour or so after picking. They tasted great, but it does make your wee smell funny :-)
Finally, before signing off, a word of warning for anyone who might be tempted to tackle nettles with a strimmer. Make sure your skin is completely covered before trying this. Nettles may sting when you touch them, but boy does it hurt when you are showered with tiny fragments of nettle being blasted by a strimmer. Ouch!
Monday, March 24, 2008
A few more seeds planted...
Having already planted a wide variety of hardy vegetables, such as early peas and broad beans, which are now just about sprouting in my cold frame, today it was the turn of some of the more tender summer crops. Many people start their tomatoes and chillis far earlier than late March, but the truth is that I haven't the space to keep them going once they've germinated. Try as I might, I cannot find enough places with enough daylight to prevent early sowings from going long and leggy well before they can be safely relocated to the cold frame or plastic greenhouse.
This time of year is early enough so that the plants do not fruit too late in the season, but late enough to allow me to take advantage of the increasing daylight and (allegedly) improving weather. Things like courgettes, pumpkins and squashes, and my French and runner beans, will wait another month yet. I find no benefit in starting them this early and late April/ early May is ample time to get them growing strongly in the cold frame for planting out after the last frosts (after being caught out a year or so back, this is now the first week in June for me).
Today I sowed Gardener's Delight, Sungold, Alicante and Golden Sunrise tomatoes, Cayenne Pepper chillis, sweet peppers, and the Cape Gooseberries (Physalis edulus). I expect the first to germinate within about 7-10 days, so by my next post I should have something to report...I'm already getting impatient!
This time of year is early enough so that the plants do not fruit too late in the season, but late enough to allow me to take advantage of the increasing daylight and (allegedly) improving weather. Things like courgettes, pumpkins and squashes, and my French and runner beans, will wait another month yet. I find no benefit in starting them this early and late April/ early May is ample time to get them growing strongly in the cold frame for planting out after the last frosts (after being caught out a year or so back, this is now the first week in June for me).
Today I sowed Gardener's Delight, Sungold, Alicante and Golden Sunrise tomatoes, Cayenne Pepper chillis, sweet peppers, and the Cape Gooseberries (Physalis edulus). I expect the first to germinate within about 7-10 days, so by my next post I should have something to report...I'm already getting impatient!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The Sap is Rising...
It's been a long time since my one and only post last year, but that's not to say that the allotment has received no attention at all over the winter period. This is intended as a brief update, but hopefully there will be more regular contributions to follow, including some pictures of my handywork over the past few months. The days are getting longer, the buds are fattening, and after sowing a whole host of seeds this past weekend, I'm full of optimism for a good growing season ahead. The sap is rising...now roll on summer!!!
Produce:
We're still harvesting leeks (Musselburgh) and parsnips, but it's fair to say there will be a 'hungry gap' this year between the last of the winter veg and the first of the new season's produce. That's mainly because all the brassicas were nibbled to oblivion by a plague of woodpigeons, after the foxes managed to destroy the protective netting!
The Plot:
The main work on the plot has involved creating more permanent raised beds from leftover deck boards, creating a new path using recycled paving slabs, and building a permanent asparagus bed with some ropetop edging salavaged from a landscaping job. I also built a new compost bin from some old pallets and deck boards.
New Arrivals:
I have now added a further gooseberry bush (Invicta), a blackcurrant (Ben Lomond), and two new fruit trees that I bought recently from Aldi for £3.99 each - a peach and an apricot. They currently reside in 70 litre planting bags I recycled from a tree planting job over the winter, with a view to getting a good root system developed before they either a) go in the ground, or b) become permanent container specimens.
New for this year:
I bought my seed potatoes from the Nottingham Organic Society Potato Day and they are chitting nicely in the attic. Varieties include Lady Christl, Charlotte, King Edward and Cara. The seeds arrived from Dobies just before Christmas, and new varieties to try this year include Physalis edulus (Cape Gooseberries), Kohl Rabi and Pak Choi. I have seeds growing on window sills everywhere and the plastic greenhouse out back is full to bursting with small pots of compost. I'll give more details on this year's crops in a future post.
Produce:
We're still harvesting leeks (Musselburgh) and parsnips, but it's fair to say there will be a 'hungry gap' this year between the last of the winter veg and the first of the new season's produce. That's mainly because all the brassicas were nibbled to oblivion by a plague of woodpigeons, after the foxes managed to destroy the protective netting!
The Plot:
The main work on the plot has involved creating more permanent raised beds from leftover deck boards, creating a new path using recycled paving slabs, and building a permanent asparagus bed with some ropetop edging salavaged from a landscaping job. I also built a new compost bin from some old pallets and deck boards.
New Arrivals:
I have now added a further gooseberry bush (Invicta), a blackcurrant (Ben Lomond), and two new fruit trees that I bought recently from Aldi for £3.99 each - a peach and an apricot. They currently reside in 70 litre planting bags I recycled from a tree planting job over the winter, with a view to getting a good root system developed before they either a) go in the ground, or b) become permanent container specimens.
New for this year:
I bought my seed potatoes from the Nottingham Organic Society Potato Day and they are chitting nicely in the attic. Varieties include Lady Christl, Charlotte, King Edward and Cara. The seeds arrived from Dobies just before Christmas, and new varieties to try this year include Physalis edulus (Cape Gooseberries), Kohl Rabi and Pak Choi. I have seeds growing on window sills everywhere and the plastic greenhouse out back is full to bursting with small pots of compost. I'll give more details on this year's crops in a future post.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)