Rhubarb Rhubarb

Popped over today, cleared up a bit of minor wind damage.

Also planted my new gooseberry bushes and rhubarb plants.

Early December

Just general tidying up today, and dug over a bed and covered it with black sheets.

The garlic I planted has started to put shoots up. Not sure if this is too early, or whether I should cover them with fleece.

November

Been a little lax with my posts, so a bit of a catchup.

• Cleared a bed ready for more gooseberry bushes.


• Transplanted strawberry runners to a new bed.


• Cut Down raspberry canes.


• Took down bean supports.


• Dug over two more beds.


• Gave the grass the last cut of the year.


• Planted out the garlic.


• Built a new compost heap with pallets.

Weekend update

I managed to get to the allotment yesterday for around an hour. Just enough time to shake some compost from the heap, and pot out some strawberry runners. I also sowed some rocket and radishes into the old onion bed.

Today I managed a couple of hours, and took my mum for a visit. I dug up around 30lb of potatoes  (didn’t get the chance to weigh them before they were raided for the dinner), around 2lb of raspberries, a few stalks of rhubarb, salad leaves, a small fennel bulb, some runner beans and French beans.

I did a bit of weeding, and cut down some of the old summer raspberry canes.

Update

Didn’t get down at all at the weekend due to horrendous rain. But made it down for the whole of the bank holiday Monday. Collected another couple of pounds of raspberries, some salad leaves, courgettes, dug some potatoes. One of our neighbours also let me have a few apples.

I also weeded, dug over and raked a lot of the now empty beds, and mowed some lawn.

Hoping to get down tomorrow, for an hour in the morning, to pot out the strawberry runners, and sow some more rocket and radishes.

Potatoes

Today I picked 33lb/15kg of potatoes, I reckon that is about just under half, so back tomorrow to get the rest.

It also included this contender for odd veg of the week.

At the weekend I lifted 19lb/9kg of onions (although that is with stalks), a pound or so of raspberries, several very large courgettes, and a few normal sized ones too.

We also picked 7kg/15lb of apples from local trees.

Sitting in the shed

At the allotment, I've picked the onions and some courgettes. Done some weeding. Now hiding in shed from rain, having a cup of tea.

Rain

Rain rain go away.

Despite the weeks and weeks of dry weather leading towards drought, a few days of rain and I've had enough. Hoping for some dry weather so I can get down to the plot.

More berries

Another 1.5lb of raspberries and 2lb of strawberries.
Put a net over another bed, did some weeding and watering.

Berries

Picked 2lb of strawberries & 1.25lb of raspberries yesterday, Hannah immediately claimed the raspberries to make jam.

Today, Iots of weeding. Then I had to fence of the runner beans and climbing beans as something has been eating them.

A good visit

Popped over for a couple of hours this afternoon, and they were very productive.

Cut the grass, trimmed the long grass around the strawberry bed. Filled the water butts. Sowed basil, rocket, cucumbers, lettuce, salad leaf. Dug out more compost. Fed everything with chicken manure. Watered everything, and built nets over the salad bed.

Unfortunately a little late for the cabbages I planted on Sunday, as they've bees stripped. I am hoping they will recover.

All in all pretty pleased with the plot so far.

Forgot to bring tubs for strawberries and raspberries, I will have to pop back later or early tomorrow to pick them.

Sowing & planting

Today I planted: broad beans, climbing beans, runner beans, cabbages and basil. I sowed courgettes, carrots, beetroot, coriander, rocket.

I gave everything a good watering too, despite the threat of rain.

Early June

First time down in a week, due to a visit to Scotland. Everything looking good.

Good crop of strawberries and some early raspberries. Everything planted is still alive, despite the lack of rain.

Update

This week I have finished digging all the beds. Today I weeded the raspberries, and measured up the plot.

I need to update my layout and planting diagram.

May Day

Catching up with the work at the allotment. Only one bed left to dig. Potatoes in. Onions in. Grass cut. Strawberries weeded again.

To do:
Weed raspberries.
Dig last bed.

Beautiful Sunday

After a long visit with the kids on Thursday, where I tried out my new manual lawnmower (good on short grass, horrendous hard work on long grass), I got back down today, for more tidying up. Moved the compost heaps, more mowing.

I need to clear the two top beds which are very weedy, the top one never actually having been dug, and merge them together. This big bed will be where the potatoes go.

I feel that I’m very late with my planting this year, but having a large amount of planting last year killed by frost and wet weather, I’m trying not to get too stressed by it.

Day 3

A short visit today, and interrupted by phone calls. Still, made a start on clearing the third bed.

My plan is to get some planting done in the first two beds this week, whilst clearing the rest of the beds.

Second Visit

The whole family headed down for another visit yesterday. Hannah got on with weeding the strawberries and raspberries whilst I weeded and dug over another bed.

First serious visit of the year

Today was my first serious visit of the year, and I was shocked at the weed covered beds. Though it shouldn't have been as I didn't cover the beds over last winter.

Still an hour's digging has cleared one bed and started another.

I also picked some rhubarb which looks good.

I need to get down with the lawnmower and strimmer and tidy it up a bit.

First Day of Spring?

It was a beautiful day today, and I took the kids down for a look around. It was only my second visit of the year. I was immediately hit with guilt as I looked around and saw everyone else much farther along.

A quick look around the plot shows me that I have to get down and do some digging.

This year I want to move the strawberry beds, plant more rhubarb, and some gooseberry and blackberry bushes. For the rest of the plot, I think onions, garlic, courgettes, beetroot and potatoes. And of course, runner beans. Not planning on growing any greens as I just don’t have the time they require.