Gilly's Allotment

[Snadger]

PS Smashing half plot BTW, it seems huge!

[Gillykat]

We tried straightening it up when we first got the plot but it wasn't moving an inch so we decided to just leave it for now. Talking to the guy on the next plot he said it's been up a few years too. Neil has said he wants to dismantle it over winter and build me a straighter & stronger one so the next one will definitely be level Neil is a stickler for things being straight too and he said it DOES bug him the way it leans slightly on one side I've told him I want a proper tunnel next time as this one does still get quite draughty with it having green mesh along the bottom and plastic only along the top. Not sure if that was so the previous guy's leeks would have the ideal growing conditions? It was pretty chilly earlier on but was a lovely 20c when I was there on Tuesday.

We're BOTH really enjoying having our wee plot to work on and have a few ideas/plans for the next year or two so there'll probably be some changes. This year is just going to be a learning curve I think as I get to grips with growing my very first veggies and Neil wants to build his shed at the top. Hopefully we will also be able to 'reclaim' our corner section back too (the one with greenhouse & small tunnels on) as the old guy who has that and a full plot attached behind it is packing in at the end of the year. That corner section used to belong to our plot but our guy gave it to the older chap.

[Gillykat]

WOW!!! Seeing those pics above from just a few months ago makes me realise just HOW much has grown!!!! It's been a bit of a mixed bag this first year but I'm still enjoying myself enormously and already starting to make plans for next year's building work and crops to grow
Mother-in-law passed away in early June (she'd been ill for a while unfortunately) so apart from regular rushed watering in the polytunnel the outdoor crops and beds got a tad neglected for a couple of weeks in mid-June and weeds took hold which took me a good few sessions to get under control....stuff like sow thistle, broad-leaved willowherb and chickweed.
My French beans haven't grown very tall but I've had some produce from them which IS delicious steamed...my peas are doing great...ditto beetroot, potatoes, carrots, Little Gem lettuce, Radishes, Hana cucumbers , Savoy cabbages and Strawberries. A couple of Raspberry canes behind the greenhouse tempted me with ripe fruit about a month ago and I'm a new convert to raspberries! I'd only had supermarket ones in the past and their flavour is nothing compared to the ones on the allotment! Same with shop-bought strawberries and ones from the polytunnel
My tomatoes are growing incredibly well and even though I spaced them out they are STILL like a jungle!!!! Next year I'll put them even further apart haha. That has been my main mistake this first year - planting stuff too close together! Oh, and not sowing seed at regular intervals so I don't run out of stuff (beetroot!)
The most amazing thing however has been hubby Neil - he has become a born-again salad convert!!! From being someone who hated veg and would only eat potatoes and carrots he is now completely addicted to having salad and veg with every meal!!!
My flower beds looked great last month and were a constant hum of bees and other insects but now they're starting to look a touch tired so I need to get more late summer into autumn stuff next year. I think flowers next year will be more around the edges rather than taking up a full bed as I planted this year.

We've got a few things to work on next year (paths and rebuilding the polytunnel mostly!) but have absolutely LOVED our allotment and are both looking forward to a lifetime of enjoyment from it

A few pics: first three from June/July and other two from 23rd August

[Bigmallly]

Fantastic GK...................

[Gillykat]

Sweet Peas and my Atlantic Giant Pumpkin

[Bigmallly]

You're just showing off now.....................

[Gillykat]

It's only looking slightly tidier because I spent two sessions over the weekend pulling up the blasted Sow Thistle It's been such lovely weather (alternating rain and hot sunny days) here in Northumberland that the weeds are growing faster than the plants!!! Neil has told me to relax and not be such a perfectionist.....I'm just paranoid about letting the plot get overgrown as it was in late June/early July (see pic below!!!) and my getting evicted....even though most of the plots around me are either bare or full of poultry and pigeons!

Before & After Pics!

[jenjen23]

Wow what a beautiful plot, totally jealous!

[Gillykat]

Not sure how I lost three hours today but I did! Pottered about on the allotment from about midday until 3.20pm. Main job was to get my 36 plug Wallflowers into pots so ~ any excuse to go shopping in a garden centre ~ I nipped into Homebase and got a bag of compost (didn't have enough on site) and a pack of 48 fibre pots for just �1.99. They have a variety of onion sets for just �1.99 for 30 so I'll be getting some of those next week.

As well as potting up my wallflowers I also sowed 15 Giant Hollyhocks which will hopefully give me LOTS of bee-magnet flowers next summer. The seed packet said July was the latest to sow them so you can plant the seedlings out in their flowering spot in the autumn but Monty Don said it was ok to plant the seeds now (well...he did two weeks ago on GW) so I have. They'll be over-wintering under cover in the polytunnel anyway so will, I am sure, make up for the later sowing...or will do in the spring.

My peas were taken down as they were covered in powdery mildew and as I removed them I cut off the pea pods and still got a pretty good final crop. Definitely going to sow a lot more peas in the spring as they've been one of my successes this year. The sweet peas & cucumber inside the polytunnel were taken down too as they also had mildew. This has left me with three empty sections so I'm going to sow some more winter veggies there on Sunday....Swede, Pak Choi, Swiss Chard etc.

I've pulled up the last of my radish and these will be given to Christine at work who's leaving tomorrow. I've also got some for a customer, Phil, who's always teasing me about my allotment (in a nice way). I'm sure he still thinks allotments are for retired men!

I'm gradually winding down the plot for the winter and emptying beds as I have a few jobs to do as regards moving things about and sorting out paths etc but next year I'll be more organised and have a lot more stuff in the ground over the winter months....I may even grow some sprouts as everything I've thought yucky in the past has turned out to be really tasty when grown on the plot *apart from radishes*

Naked Toms!


Starting to go red though.


Flower bed looking tired now....and not sure what those pink things are because I'll swear I planted zinnias! The bees still raved about them tho'

[Gillykat]

36 Wallflower plugs 'Sugar Rush'


Potted on then stood in a Hattie's old litter tray with water in bottom to soak up and get a good drink.


A few of the spring bulbs I've been buying here and there for the past month or so...just need some Grape Hyacinth and Wood Anemone now as they are two plants I do like to have out early for bees.

[Gillykat]

From These...


Will hopefully grow these!

[Jay22]

Brill Gilly!

[Gillykat]

Postie has just delivered 72 ground cover plug plants That's my day off tomorrow sorted then It's a shame I'm at work this afternoon as it would have been the perfect wet weather job to do in the greenhouse today.