The snow won't go so we had to come to the allotment while snow is still on the ground.
Mad or just keen?
Area dug by Linda today - site of new asparagus bed
Friday, 29 March 2013
New Allotment - day 1
Area dug by Linda today - site of new asparagus bed
Sunday, 10 March 2013
March update
The allotment is now looking more or less prepared for Spring planting. The seed potatoes are all sprouting, and 5 of the Charlotte will be planted in our free (courtesy of Gardeners World magazine) potato planter in the greenhouse later this month.
The broad beans in pots in the greenhouse are starting to root now and hopefully we'll see shoots above the compost soon.
Some of the shallots are showing signs of shoots, some of the red onion sets are showing signs of rot! I need to keep an eye on that, though I've held some of the sets back for planting later, in the greenhouse or else directly into the ground.
The chilli seeds are starting to germinate (on the front room window sill!) so maybe we'll have Ring of Fire and Prairie Fire later on in the year - or maybe one of the 2 Italian varieties.
Now is the time to sort out which seeds need sowing in pots or trays for early starts (vegetables and also flowers) and which will follow in April onwards. I'd hate to 'miss the boat' with any - it's a long time until next year!!
The broad beans in pots in the greenhouse are starting to root now and hopefully we'll see shoots above the compost soon.
Some of the shallots are showing signs of shoots, some of the red onion sets are showing signs of rot! I need to keep an eye on that, though I've held some of the sets back for planting later, in the greenhouse or else directly into the ground.
The chilli seeds are starting to germinate (on the front room window sill!) so maybe we'll have Ring of Fire and Prairie Fire later on in the year - or maybe one of the 2 Italian varieties.
Now is the time to sort out which seeds need sowing in pots or trays for early starts (vegetables and also flowers) and which will follow in April onwards. I'd hate to 'miss the boat' with any - it's a long time until next year!!
Thursday, 28 February 2013
Spring just around the corner
As we reach the end of February there are definite signs that Spring is not so far away.
I have visited the allotment three times recently and started clearing up and digging in preparation for the new year.
The asparagus beds just need a layer of composted manure and some growmore and (fingers crossed) we can expect another lovely crop of asparagus in April.
Stuart helped me construct a more solid, and taller, cage to protect certain vulnerable crops. As soon as the soil preparations are completed, we'll get the cage put together - complete with a door that avoids us having to crawl on hands and knees into the cage.
Already sown in the greenhouse are shallots, red and yellow onion sets and 2 varieties of broad beans, so hopefully everything will get off to an early start for planting out later.
Our potatoes are chitting in the conservatory - First and Second Earlies are Nadine, Swift and Arran Pilot (small quantities of each), and for an early main/salad crop equivalent we'll be concentrating on Charlotte. We hope to get early crops of these lovely potatoes and be able to keep plenty for later in the year, and avoid the possible risk of blight later in the Summer.
I have sown Gardeners Delight and Marmande tomato seeds already, as well as 3 types of chilli seeds - the names of which will follow! They were bought from the South Devon Chilli Farm website. It sells a big range of seeds, plants and associated equipment and composts. It's a shame it's so far away as I'd love to visit and see the full range of what goes on there.
I have visited the allotment three times recently and started clearing up and digging in preparation for the new year.
The asparagus beds just need a layer of composted manure and some growmore and (fingers crossed) we can expect another lovely crop of asparagus in April.
Stuart helped me construct a more solid, and taller, cage to protect certain vulnerable crops. As soon as the soil preparations are completed, we'll get the cage put together - complete with a door that avoids us having to crawl on hands and knees into the cage.
Already sown in the greenhouse are shallots, red and yellow onion sets and 2 varieties of broad beans, so hopefully everything will get off to an early start for planting out later.
Our potatoes are chitting in the conservatory - First and Second Earlies are Nadine, Swift and Arran Pilot (small quantities of each), and for an early main/salad crop equivalent we'll be concentrating on Charlotte. We hope to get early crops of these lovely potatoes and be able to keep plenty for later in the year, and avoid the possible risk of blight later in the Summer.
I have sown Gardeners Delight and Marmande tomato seeds already, as well as 3 types of chilli seeds - the names of which will follow! They were bought from the South Devon Chilli Farm website. It sells a big range of seeds, plants and associated equipment and composts. It's a shame it's so far away as I'd love to visit and see the full range of what goes on there.
Friday, 10 August 2012
August update
After a couple of weeks away in France at the end of July, it was good to get back to the allotment. It didn't actually look as overgrown as I'd feared! Up until we left for France the poor weather had continued. It turned the ground into mud when I tried to weed and clear up a bit before we left.
We had enjoyed the First Early Lady Christl before we set off, and expected the Charlotte to be ready on our return. The haulm had died back on all the potatoes in fact, and word was going round about blight being a problem this year. I did all I could to get the Charlotte (both batches) dug up, dried and into storage sacks, and got advice from the Professor that I should cut off and remove the haulm from the Early maincrop Picasso potatoes without delay. Linda had read that the potatoes themselves could then stand a couple of weeks still in the ground but today (after around a week) I dug some up to check what they looked like. They seem a good size, have a white tinged with a little pink in their skins, and look fine apart from a kind of nick in almost every tuber, despite their not having been struck by a spade or anything. Strange! We'll just have to see how they go.
The courgettes are in full production (yellow, green and Romano - with stripes), as are the runner beans, to be followed closely by the climbing French beans. The broad beans were good but there were not enough of them.
In the netted cage, the purple sprouting broccoli plants and sprouts continue to look OK so we're really hoping to get some crops off them later in the year. Similarly with the leeks, they are looking good and maybe need a feed now and again. The lettuces look and taste fabulous - Rouge Grenobloise, bought in France last holiday - the beetroot are coming on at last, with more to plant today, as is the Chard but it's growing in a part of the allotment which doesn't seem very fertile so I'll get more planted elsewhere. the outdoor cucumbers are way behind those in the greenhouse but hopefully will be productive. The squash plants are much slower to develop than the courgettes but finally seem to be growing and spreading so a crop in September and October seems on the cards.
We had enjoyed the First Early Lady Christl before we set off, and expected the Charlotte to be ready on our return. The haulm had died back on all the potatoes in fact, and word was going round about blight being a problem this year. I did all I could to get the Charlotte (both batches) dug up, dried and into storage sacks, and got advice from the Professor that I should cut off and remove the haulm from the Early maincrop Picasso potatoes without delay. Linda had read that the potatoes themselves could then stand a couple of weeks still in the ground but today (after around a week) I dug some up to check what they looked like. They seem a good size, have a white tinged with a little pink in their skins, and look fine apart from a kind of nick in almost every tuber, despite their not having been struck by a spade or anything. Strange! We'll just have to see how they go.
The courgettes are in full production (yellow, green and Romano - with stripes), as are the runner beans, to be followed closely by the climbing French beans. The broad beans were good but there were not enough of them.
In the netted cage, the purple sprouting broccoli plants and sprouts continue to look OK so we're really hoping to get some crops off them later in the year. Similarly with the leeks, they are looking good and maybe need a feed now and again. The lettuces look and taste fabulous - Rouge Grenobloise, bought in France last holiday - the beetroot are coming on at last, with more to plant today, as is the Chard but it's growing in a part of the allotment which doesn't seem very fertile so I'll get more planted elsewhere. the outdoor cucumbers are way behind those in the greenhouse but hopefully will be productive. The squash plants are much slower to develop than the courgettes but finally seem to be growing and spreading so a crop in September and October seems on the cards.
Wednesday, 23 May 2012
Summer at last?
After what has seemed like a month of wet and cold weather since yesterday it has been lovely. Ive planted dwarf beans and broad bean plants into the allotment. Some courgette plants and lettuce have also taken well so fingers crossed that we dont get any unpleasant shocks now - such as frosts!
Sunday, 13 May 2012
Update on 10th May
After a very wet past week or two today was much brighter and I was able to plant most of the brassica plants - sprouts, broccoli, sprouts.
The asparagus continues to grow quickly and provide us with a weekly meal of around 8 or 9 pieces.
The potatoes are now starting to grow strongly and the First Early - Lady Christl - have a lot of foliage and hopefully a lot of potatoes too!
The asparagus continues to grow quickly and provide us with a weekly meal of around 8 or 9 pieces.
The potatoes are now starting to grow strongly and the First Early - Lady Christl - have a lot of foliage and hopefully a lot of potatoes too!
Sunday, 8 April 2012
Let them eat asparagus!
The Gijnlim asparagus has finally started producing spears that we can actually eat after last year when plenty grew but we were advised against harvesting anything. It's really exciting and we're looking forward to enjoying it over the coming four to six weeks. Our first tasting of 3 spears was great!
After a brief frost scare at the start of the week the weather has turned wetter and milder and finally ensured that the first sowing direct into the allotment have now been properly watered. This includes 3 of the 4 batches of potatoes - only the Picasso remains to be planted - and the mixed white, red and orange onion set pack.
In the greenhouse as of today we now have peas, sunflowers and 2 varieties of chillies (Habanero and Early Jalapeno). I've put the Sutton broad beans outside to harden up and I'll put the other variety out tomorrow prior to taking them up to the allotment.
Pretty much everything is now growing in the greenhouse and I'll keep checking what needs to go in and when as the days and weeks pass.
I need to keep concentration and not 'miss the boat' with anything. A year's wait is TOO long to try something again!
The over-wintered spinach is still very eatable and was an ingredient in tonight's chicken and spinach curry, as was some of last season's garlic which is keeping remarkably well.
After a brief frost scare at the start of the week the weather has turned wetter and milder and finally ensured that the first sowing direct into the allotment have now been properly watered. This includes 3 of the 4 batches of potatoes - only the Picasso remains to be planted - and the mixed white, red and orange onion set pack.
In the greenhouse as of today we now have peas, sunflowers and 2 varieties of chillies (Habanero and Early Jalapeno). I've put the Sutton broad beans outside to harden up and I'll put the other variety out tomorrow prior to taking them up to the allotment.
Pretty much everything is now growing in the greenhouse and I'll keep checking what needs to go in and when as the days and weeks pass.
I need to keep concentration and not 'miss the boat' with anything. A year's wait is TOO long to try something again!
The over-wintered spinach is still very eatable and was an ingredient in tonight's chicken and spinach curry, as was some of last season's garlic which is keeping remarkably well.
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