Grow Your Own Magazine

Harvested the first of the first earlies and a volunteer desiree, some peas, garlic, lettuce, loads of strawberries... Lunch! There are some courgettes nearly ready too.

Removed the old PSB and mystery kale (?) plant (even the chooks wouldn't eat it). Dug over the ground and left the net off to let the birds in - a couple of weeks ago I tried planting out some lettuces in the gaps between the PSB plants but the slugs got the lot.

Weeded - prioritised the job by pulling up anything that looked like it might be thinking of flowering then settled down to the rest of the task.

Planted some small dahlias in gaps in the front garden. It's quite full now.

__________________
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

blog: http://allyheebiejeebie.blogspot.com/ and my (basic!) page: http://www.allythegardener.co.uk/

Harvested the last carrots to go with tonight's dinner, must remember to sow more. Also pulled up one bunch of shallots to go in the dinner, they smell lovely. I am assuming I can chop up a fair bit of the stalk as well as they are not dying back yet. Might pick more pea pods to eat whole as I can't wait for the darned things to fatten up. Seriously wishing I had more stuff planted - need to dig up more of the 'lawn'. Also tried to support the peas and rebuild the bean frame - blooming wind is destroying everything and it looks like autumn! Planted up the dwarf beans into buckets as no ground space for them. Planted out the Waverex peas as they finally got big enough for that. The peas that I sowed below the Alderman (more Alderman) are now 2 inches high and should take over when the now in production plants go over (I hope).

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

Watered the greenhouse - had to keep going down the garden to open the door as the high winds kept blowing it shut! Went to the lottie to check that nothing had blown over. My little half plot is so sunny and sheltered - the wind was whipping the big trees in the churchyard and bringing down leaves but my corner of the site is lovely and quiet. I side-shooted and tied up the tomatoes and watered things. Quite a scarey (but short) walk home - there were lumps of tree down on the footpaths. If this is June I want me money back!

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated October 12th

Watered everything again as had been away for a couple of days & everything was looking parched on my return. Sowed some peas, chard & parsley seeds that arrived last weekend, thinned out my pak choi seedlings, (think the module sown ones are bolting, they have the first signs of little flowers appearing on them) planted some more french beans into the veg beds and moved some more sweetcorn plants outside to harden off, sideshooted my tomatoes. Noticed that there are a few more Strawberries just about ready but resisted them as think they need another day or so AND my Red Robin Tomato plants are showing the first little swellings on tomatoes on them - I'M SO EXCITED!! My first ever tomatoes!! However, to end the day one of our willow trees decided to uproot itself and make a run for next doors garden but didn't quite make it & landed on the hedge between us instead narrowly missing their greenhouse - few! Another clean up job required.

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Newbie,
keen but clueless

I went to the plot on Saturday for an hour and a half. It stopped raining just after I arrived, so I weeded the onion bed and discovered that some F***er had stripped my pea-vines!!!!! When there should have been enough for dinner for me, OH, the toddler and the IL's - grrr!!!!!

Anyway, I then dug a row of new potatoes (short rows), the last of the cabbages as they were being ravaged by the pigeons (6 heads which were about half what they had been), almost the last of the broad beans, 5 onions (ones that were bolting - and also had to take the flower head off a few red ones too), a garlic, the last of the winter lettuce (3 tiny heads), a single peapod (grrr) and the first of the raspberries - enough to let OH have 3/4 while my back was turned, but everyone still got 4 beside a slice of choccie cake for desert so yummyness was shared!!

Yesterday, I had to tie the sunflowers in the back garden to canes in the evening to save them from snapping in the wind. Gathered a box of lettuce and 2 mangetout for my lunch (forgetting I had arranged to go out with work) and 2 carrot thinnings - one of which is a reasonable size that is cookable. Will start using them for cooking this week I think.

And this morning, I accepted my seeds delivery so will be hoping to get back to the plot tomorrow or thursday evening to sow some beans and more peas (I have no peas developing at this point - boo hoo!!).

OMG that outrageous! Is your allotment fenced and locked?

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The highest reward for a person's toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it. -John Ruskin

http://wormsflowers.blogspot.com/

That's terrible!!! I don't understand how people can just take like that!

I harvested a good handful of raspberries - into the freezer to keep them as fresh as possible for my fruit meringue tomorrow.

I also put up shading in the greenhouse for the first time ever this year. Not sure if it's going to work, but fingers crossed!!! Did lots of watering, and created a copper barrier for some of my courgettes - something stripped one of my plants, and the others are looking a bit worse for wear!!!

Sprayed the beans again with soapy water, I hate blackfly!!!

Jennifer

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Whilst typing the above reply, I was probably supposed to be doing homework. My excuse: I'm hooked!

at the lottie yesterday we were mostly getting staging built in the greenhouse (well OH was not me i do the planting weeding and picking he does building and carrying) but it works !! picked even more courgettes gave some to lottie neighbour who also had some chard and spinach (we are going on hols on sat he has offered to keep an eye on veg its the least i can do !!) picked myself a massive marrow having it stuffed tomorrow and even more spinach sat and ate 4 raspberries and 2 strawbs each and a couple of pea pods which held the juciest sweetest peas, unfortunately they will probably be at their best while we are away but daughters under strict instructions to pick them and put them in the freezer!! got plenty of pots and grobags planted up in greenhouse and all looking good so far hope they remember to go over regularly and water, some bribery may be in place for the next 2 weeks

Yes the plot is fenced and locked - but I am resigned about it now.

But it did mean a slight change to plans - I will still sow more peas on the plot as I want loads, but I put some seeds into the tub I normally grow peas in at home but was reserving for sunflowers this year. Now that the sunflowers are about 2' tall, I sowed some pea seeds around their bases and will allow them to grow up the sunnies rather than the usual bamboo pyramid (well, tehre's bamboos there as well as sunnies needed some extra support after the wind over the weekend).

I also sowed (into more takeaway coffee cups - but stupidly forgot to put drainage holes in these ones) some mangetout (to replenish the flower bed at home when the current ones are exhausted - currently none ready but a second lot of flowers are opening), and some dwarf french beans for the plot. I'll sow some direct as well over the weekend I hope.

Then i spent an hour tidying the shed (mostly OH's mess actually, but he was giving out about "my" mess the past while) and simultaneously listening to him telling me to "come in and relax" (um, I AM relaxing dear?!).

This morning, I threw my wellies, handfork and harvesting bag into the car and hope to get to the plot for 20 mins at lunchtime to harvest some new potatoes (Sharpe's Express) for dinner. I might even get lucky enough to have a few more raspberries to gather!! Oh and put down slug pellets for my sweetcorn.

Yesterday I spent a long time cutting up 2 foot widths of teram weed suppressant material and laying it followed by wheelbarrowing loads of wood chipping to put on top for my paths! I have a lot of paths as my two allotments are divided up potager style into 4 foot beds and 2 foot paths.
The paths are about 3/4 done now and I am all done for now!

The day before yesterday I pulled up some cabbage plants, dug over a bed and sowed beetroot, soya beans, yin yan beans and brown beans.

Priority next time I am there is to weed the paths and beds on the final quarter, lay teram and progress with the woodchippings.

To be honest I may take the car next time, as to pedal for an hour, work all day and pedal uphill for an hour home is taking it's toll.

Today..........I'm taking the pup to the beach!

__________________
My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

The watering has been almost a daily task - oooh those thirsty toms! And the weeding...

During the week I harvested some Arran Pilot earlies, many strawberries (yum!), some courgettes and lettuce. I'm looking forward to more spuds (might try the Anyas today), more courgettes, more strawbs and some peas & broadies later.
Yesterday I had a day off work so I cut the hedges in the garden and allotment.

__________________
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

blog: http://allyheebiejeebie.blogspot.com/ and my (basic!) page: http://www.allythegardener.co.uk/

Yesterday I just about completed all the hand weeding which filled my centre compost bin to overflowing! The hen run still has loads of weeds in it but when I eventually get my hens they will put paid to those!
Weeding is a bit like painting the Forth bridge.........you get to one end of the plot when it's time to start at the beginning again!

Dug over one raised bed which used to be the area of an old greenhouse. This is the area for my spring cabbage as its shaded by a large tree which loses it's leaves in winter so should be alright, shade wise, for winter veg!

Watered all three greenhouses. This is becoming a daily task now so I may topdress the toms etc with some well rotted horse muck to encourage a bit of stem rooting, retain moisture and basically give a weak liquid feed whenever I water plants.
Using stinky comfrey tea now with each watering ....a cup full to each watering can of water which I'm taking from the 1000 Litre container.

PS Forgot to mention I harvested 4 sweetheart cabbages, 2 of which I swapped for a vegetable gardening book (long story!), one for home use and one for my daughter! Took a half a dozen Jap onions for home use as well.

__________________
My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

Today I weeded the veg patch and put in some more carrot seeds.

I harvested more raspberries, for my freezer, to keep them fresh for my raspberry meringue on tuesday. I also did a lot of pottering around the greenhouse when I should have been at my 'plot' planting leeks and winter squash. I am a bad girl. But pottering is so much fun!

I also cut off a cucumber plant in one of my hanging baskets, it was dying. Dunno why though!

I attacked my chives, they were outgrowing even the mint!!!!!

Certainly a first! I also collected seeds from chive flowers - want to see if I can actually grow something from them. I probably won't as I've probably done something wrong, but there's no harm in trying!!

Jennifer

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Whilst typing the above reply, I was probably supposed to be doing homework. My excuse: I'm hooked!

Did some "work" gardening then cut the hedges in my front garden... but the poor hedgetrimmer caught fire so I had to stop. At least it gave up the ghost after I had almost finished! Noticed that one of the leylandii at the front appears to be dying - if it doesn't recover then I'll rip the lot out and plant a nice interesting mixed hedge instead. I suspect my neighbour would offer to help

Went round to the lottie and dug up 2 anya spud plants.
Chose a couple of petunias to fill gaps in my front garden.
Watered pots & baskets.

Today I will mostly be pottering.

__________________
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
Max Ehrmann, Desiderata

blog: http://allyheebiejeebie.blogspot.com/ and my (basic!) page: http://www.allythegardener.co.uk/

Today I loaded up my trusty Landrover pickup with well rotted grass cuttings( about a tonne i think as the landie was riding a bit low!)
Transported to the allotment and unloaded with wheelbarrow.

As if i hadn't done enough wheelbarrowing I decided to progress with loading and transporting chippings for my paths from a communal heap about 100metres away. I cut up the last of my teram into 2 foot wide strips and managed to get about 15 metres done before I ran out of steam and teram.

Anyway, with it starting to rain, I watered all my indoor plants with water from a water butt and comfey tea, tipped out some Baron De Fontenay tatties from a tub and skidaddled home for MY tea.

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

finally finished digging over 3 more beds and planted red cabbage to join the sprouts that should have been planted last month...erk! Im a bit behind *blushes*
The watering is never ending at the moment an as soon as i turn my back then that is another tomato or courgette sulking for water.

Planted my leeks into their new homes in the kitchen garden today. They were nearly pencil thickness so the end of my hoe doubled up as a dibber and now they are set into holes about 7 inches deep as that were the length of the sticker on my hoe handle.

Next year i will invest in a dibber as i have blisters now.

Wren

Went to plot yesterday for 2 hours and got loads done. Pulled up the old cauli plants - as no curds are gonna form on them at this stage - they're in a heap to move to the communal composting ditch on next visit as they are quite woody. I pulled up one clump of garlics, where we had mised a bulb last summer when harvesting and I got 5 bulbs growing amongst my peas this year. (The intention was to dig this and plant some broad beans - but the weather later intevened).

Also pulled up all the onions which had flopped and laid them out on the sheet of corrugated tin to dry while I did my other jobs. Dug over their patch and started planting out lettuces (cos mixed) from modules raised at home - when it started raining. I managed to get the lettuces and beetroots in, and the first of a small pot of perpetual spinach before the clouds burst. Hid behind compost bin with its lid over my head. As it looked like this was down for the day after about 20 mins, I ventured out and pulled 2 plants of spuds and stuffed those into a plastic bag, with the onions in another.

Drowned rat-like, I was putting away all my tools back into the barrow when the sun came out again (very fast changes yesterday). So I finished doing the other 5 pots of spinach, planted out the last pumpkin and 1 butternut squash (brought the other 4 squashes and a pot of leeks back home for another day). The sweetcorn were looking a bit ravaged by pigeons, so I covered them with a net (very roughly) for a couple of weeks to let them get growing well.

As the ground was now too wet to dig (to plant leeks or to sow peas and broad beans and turnips), I took a wander up the back to check on progress before going home. Tomatoes need a very very good weed this week (rape is covering most toms- although I can see marigold flowers there!!). But I also realised that my calabrese is growing - so much so that I got 2 lovely heads for use this week and will have plenty more in the next few weeks. Gathered the raspberries that were ripe (oh - about 8!) and headed home. Stopped for a chat with neighbour on plot next but one over.

At home, I also did a clear out of some pots etc. We had folded up the minigreenhuse on Sat for putting in the shed in the hopes of getting some use from it next spring (lots of duct tape will be required!). And gave the shed a proper clear out after my start at tidying during the week.

I harvested (with the toddler's help) the baby turnips from the first mixed salad leaves pot and put the roots and compost into the compost bin (more roots than compost!). We pulled a couple of carrots from their pot, and I tidied up the rest of the pots area.

Jobs for this week are:
Plot - weed tomatoes, dig first peas bed, sow broad beans, peas and turnips.
garden - pot on peppers, plant out mange tout seedlings, sow more salad leaves in pots and maybe another pot of carrots.

I spent about eight hours at the lottie over the weekend (bliss!) and really kept on top of everything.

Cleared an area in the top corner as we're seriously out of space and planted a small salad selection - short rows of radish (two varieties), lettuce, spring onion and then some spinach. I transplanted 8 brocolli plats that my father gave me and planted a full row of rainbow chard, plus a row of beetroot and a row of carrots.

Looking round the plot, the peas, mangetout and sugersnaps are all really in flower and are starting to get fruit on them, the potatoes are going well now despite a late start. In general everything is looking good, especially the onions which are swelling so that I think we'll have some beauties.

I stood back last night and took in the view, after taking on the plot from new in May 2006 its now looking like a 'real' allotment, row upon row of vegetables growing neatly, no really noticeable infestation of weeds and loads of wildlife going about their business. It was a great feeling.

Picked some first early spuds (maris bard), broad beans, a red onion and some lettuce leaf for dinner.

Does life get better than this?

Well apart from the bit when I got home and had to apply aftersun to my bald head!! (wear hats at all times!!!!)

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'People don't learn and grow from doing everything right the first time... we only grow by making mistakes and learning from them. It's those who don't acknowledge their mistakes who are bound to repeat them and do no learn and grow. None of us are done making mistakes or overflowing with righteous wisdom. Humility is the key.'
- Thomas Howard

We made our wheelbarrow but had no spanner so it wobbles but was good enough to move a pile of well dried out weedy turf from the middle of our allotment. Planted victorian climbing pea seedlings, twenty cabbages, savoy and red, 8 brussels and 20 sprouting broccoli seedlings. watered.