Grow Your Own Magazine

Only managed two hours at the allotment last week, but visited it twice this week and the extra time pays dividends. Checked the newly planted lavender hedge is ok; I grew the plants from seeds planted Spring 2008.

All of the cleared area is being kept reasonably weed free and this area is now planted up with raspberries, current bushes and strawberrries. An area at the back is for growing comfrey to use as fertiliser and for the compost. One area is planted with a green manure...

thyme

This week I have been mostly clearing weeds and moving raspberry canes, strawberry plants and a redcurrant and blackcurrrant and planting a tree. Maybe not the best month of the year to do this but there is so much to do there that I will have to take the risk.

Finally managed to get the dead branches cut off the plum tree and was grateful for the help with that and also clearing most of the brambles around it.

The area that has been cleared this week will be worked...

thyme

It was cooking that changed me from a flower, trees and shrub growing gardener into someone who wanted to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

When I see the wonderful choice of vegetables and salad crops that are available on market stalls and in greengrocers shops when I visit Italy it makes me want to weep at what we are offered in the supermarket. So I am back to trying to clear more of my plot to grow more veggies next year.

I have written down ideas for new recipes/food...

thyme

Visited the allotment for the first time in over two weeks and thought the growth of weeds may have reclaimed the plot while I was away. Lots of annual weeds had popped up but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to pull out the weeds after the recent wet weather.

Picked some blackberries, plums, runner beans, yellow beans and dug up some potatoes. Found a courgette had grown into a marrow while I was away. The green manure crop that I sowed in July is growing well; I need...

thyme

Maybe it is time to throw in the trowel? I was told today that my 'efforts' at the allotment are like trying to re-invent the wheel; but that the plot next door to mine was in good order and under control. So I guess that is a vote against my attempts and progress to clear and plant up the unruly patch that I took over in February. To me the potatoes, salad and peas that we have been eating for the last month have been worth the time and work I have put in because it has been something I have...

thyme