End of season update

After last week's Indian Summer it is beginning to look like Autumn is not far off now.

Still in the ground are leeks, chard, beetroot, squash and one or two courgettes.  To overwinter I've planted garlic (red onions to follow next week) and some winter lettuce which were grown from seed in trays and hopefully (under plastic hoops and fleece) will survive the winter and thrive in early spring.

Also, I've sown Hungarian Rye Grass as green manure in the remaining parts of the allotment but am hoping to get some horse manure too thanks to our next door neighbour whose sister happens to own a horse! I'll borrow a trailer for the weekend soon and we'll get a couple of loads, one each, or even more if we have the energy.  It'll certainly be worthwhile and all we have to do is choose a weekend when we're both free and when the weather is likely to be fine.

busy bird bath

Finally, some photos of the allotment

I have finally got round to taking a few photos, including a shot of the red currants from 2 bushes in the fruit cage. I couldn't believe the amount to be picked.

The potatoes are starting to be ready for eating, beginning with the First Early Casablanca - first impressions are they are a little low on flavour and difficult to prevent from becoming too soft when boiling. The Charlotte are also close to being ready so I'll dig up some of those tomorrow and compare them.

The garden June 20

Delphiniums at last - 24 years trying... but there didn't seem to be any slugs this year!

This astrantia has really grown since last year - it's a beautiful pink

These chocolate dwarf foxgloves have been 3 years developing and growing from seed. Well worth it!

Stachys and self seeded california poppies

The garden - June 2011

End of May update

After a hot and dry April, May turned out to be increasingly different and definitely cooler and wetter.

It has been a great help for the allotment, both for the already planted crops and the newly sown seeds, so hopefully the final harvests won't be too badly affected by almost a month of drought conditions.

Most recently, the beans have all been planted out (dwarf and climbing varieties), and successional sowings of beetroot, radishes, carrots, chard. I've also sown two double rows of peas in the hope that finally we'll see some success. The pot grown seeds didn't germinate well enough so I bought new season peas and we'll hope for better with those.

The spinach and chard are growing well, the pak choi showing signs of something or other attacking it - probably flea beetle after checking on t'internet. I'll need to try some form of protection, as for the carrots once they germinate.

Quick update on Spring so far

It seems a long while since the last entry and we've had a good 4 weeks of very summer-like weather and virtually no rain until the past two evenings. It was certainly much needed and should give a boost to several things recently planted.

All the potatoes are growing well and hopefully the recent rain will help the tubers develop.

The broad beans seem more or less to have survived the early onslaught from bean weevils so now it's a case of being vigilant about black fly!

All 3 trees continue to thrive. They have been watered very regularly and although the almond tree is still lagging behind the other two a little it looks healthy.

Recent sowings of seed direct into the plot have all germinated, including beetroot, radish, spinach, chard and pak choi. The trick now is to keep up the successional sowings.

I transplanted the brussels sprouts plants into the cage and they will be followed in the next day or two by the spring cabbage plants.

The rhubarb is almost ready to pick, and will be followed in not too long by currants and strawberries. In due course the raspberries will develop - in summer, hopefully for a long season.

I'm hardening off some sweet corn plants which ought to be in the ground soon - fingers crossed we don't suddenly get hard frosts.

Two types of french beans and a runner beans are all growing well in pots and they should soon be sturdy enough to plant out as well.

3 grow bags are already planted up in the greenhouse with Alicante tomatoes and some Gardeners delight will follow soon. Likewise I'll be putting some chili plants into large pots to keep in the greenhouse.

Any spare tomatoes can go into the allotment plot but on past experience they have not been as successful as those grown in the greenhouse.