What I did today - 2015

[kris1960]

I hate missing so much on the grapevine but was unexpectedly back at work on thursday rather than next week! I'm chasing my tail trying to get enough time at the allotment. Organised a delivery of straw and manure for Thursday which I need to use and store, have wsb,red cabbage and psb to plant out when beds are ready, winter crops need to be sown- did some bits this morning but rain has temporarily stopped play.

[Snow]

My maincrop potatoes have succumbed to blight, so I cut all the haulms off and earthed up. I'll dig them out in a couple of weeks, and keep my fingers crossed the potatoes haven't been affected.

Hope they are ok WPG! At least you got all the way to the end of August.

Today I spent ages squashing caterpillars and eggs on my brussel sprouts, which are really lagging behind in terms of growth; really can't afford too many holes being made.

[WPG]

My maincrop potatoes have succumbed to blight, so I cut all the haulms off and earthed up. I'll dig them out in a couple of weeks, and keep my fingers crossed the potatoes haven't been affected.

[Penellype]

I do hate being ruthless. Its been clear for at least a month that the pathetic excuses for melon plants in my growhouse were never going to produce anything even vaguely edible. Today I took the plunge and pulled them out. The main reason for this is that I currently have a beefsteak tomato in there (Belle) which has about 7 decent sized fruit on it. With coldish nights forecast next week I decided it might actually be useful if I could close the growhouse at night, and in order to do this I had to get Belle to lie down along the shelf rods, where the melons were. So bye bye melons and hopefully hello my first ever home grown beefsteak tomato! (Previous attempt was killed by blight just as the first tomato started to ripen, but that was a different variety and outside).

Also harvested a reasonable number of tomatoes of various sorts, more courgettes, lettuce, mizuna and blueberries and a couple of nice perpetual strawberries. Made courgette and tomato soup.

The fleece cover on the gooseberry appears to be keeping the sawflies out as far as I can tell, although admittedly seeing green caterpillars on green leaves through green fleece is probably more than a little difficult!

[Lumpy]

Because of the removal of my growing area and it's relocation to another bit of garden so space can be made for Elsie, Gert and Maud (ex bat hens) I have started organising stuff for winter.

Emptied the pots that were dead because OH left them within range of Archie 'the toxic tiddling labrador'.

Moved the spare tyres into said, now fenced off area ready for toms or dwarf runners (next year), emptied the carrot failures out of their boxes and dumped the compost/soil mix into the brown bin so fresh stuff can be put in ready for the garlic.

[CaroleL]

Yesterday - spent an hour searching for caterpillars on my greenhouse toms. I thought I'd got 'em all but there are more droppings this morning. Looks like another rummage is needed.

[Bigmallly]

I thought before the end of the world arrived due to the big red ball of fire in the sky, I thought I'd better get some spring greens in the Brassicage along with a couple of late Courgettes..................

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Can't resist posting this!

Brought a couple of the "Seed Sown" Onions home! Tiedied em up a tad!



How Good are they!

Did a bit of "Fettling!"



Picked the first bunch of "Celary" Sweet, crunchy and gorgeous with there inner curved vain full of melted cheese n chives!



Oh n noticed an "Abyssinian Glad" in flower!





Ain't they just lovely things!

[kris1960]

Spent a lot of time yesterday trying to find trowell to move more strawberry plants from next years onion bed. Never did find it so cleared beds in front of greenhouse ready to take them. Gave all fruiting things a comfrey feed and picked flowers and veg to take to daughters.Chopped cucumbers and brined ready for pickling.
Forgot to take flowers but had lovely meal there. She had unfortunately mistaken appointment date so arrived home today at lunchtime, made pickles and got to allotment in time to spend rest of the day digging bed,picking and planting chard in the rain.
Will try to work through tomorrow- away at weekend and back at work next week.

[Penellype]

Busy day today. My daily check for pests revealed a new type of sawfly has joined in the feasting on my gooseberry bush. These are much more prolific and hunt in packs, reducing a leaf to lace over night. I decided urgent action was required, so I carefully searched every leaf (its a triple cordon and semi spineless so this wasn't as bad as it sounds) and removed every caterpillar and egg I could find. I then tried to wrap the bush in fleece. If you have ever attempted wielding 3 metres of fleece in a small space on a windy day you will know that this was far from straightforward. The result was something that looked a bit like an Egyptian mummy but was clearly going to fall apart fairly soon.

Cue a trip to the garden centre to find something more suitable. They have fleece jackets which are designed to go over large potted plants, so I got some of those. On my way home I stopped off to get some food from Tescos and passed Costa Coffee, so I decided to see if they had any used coffee grounds. Came out with a huge bag full (free). My car and garage both now smell like a coffee shop .

Put the fleece jacket onto the gooseberry bush, which was reasonably easy. Killed a sawfly that was trying to get in, and pulled the drawstring tight around the stem of the bush. My only reservation is that the fleece is green (its clearly designed as a frost jacket) but it will have to do.

Mowed the lawn as it was dry. Put some of the coffee grains around my newly planted out kohlrabi, to deter slugs (I hope).

Noticed that the first lot of onions that I'd brought inside were about dry, so stripped off the dead leaves and roots. Put them back on the rack to finish drying and brought in a few more. Cut back some nasturtiums that were hiding the path.

Harvested some tomatoes (Balconi red and yellow, which have been very prolific), a large bowlful of blueberries, some lettuce for lunch, 2 courgettes and a large handful of runner beans. I thought I had a courgette problem but the runner beans are worse! Why on earth I thought I needed a couple more plants around the archway I have no idea - they haven't even started producing yet...

I'm going to be having nightmares about courgettes and runner beans soon.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Bramble! I need the space! Have a few overwintering stuff that needs to go in!

[bramble]

Great crop Dino, but the leaves are still very green which makes me think you could have left them in the ground a bit longer.
Not a critisim, just an observation.

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Took the plunge, n lifted the "Seed Sown" onions!



They are "Huge" it being a first time from seed for me this year! I'll defoe do it next!

Was actually inspired to read "Pots" thread on "Growing onions from seed" (I say Pots, but AP was another major contributer)

Hmmm! Do I invest in a proper lighting system n devote my time to onions?

Thinking not! But have seriously thought about it! Hey! I want em for Kitchen use, no more no less!

But great thread to read Guys!

[1Bee]

[yesterday]

Guyed down my metal arch and a tied up some PSB and sunflowers in the face of a sudden warm wind. Mummified my 4yo in his blankie on the comfy chair, put a pillow under his head and a hat on his face and let him nap while I weeded. 'Nap' lasted ten minutes, which is a sitting-still-on-the-plot record for him. For both of us, in fact!

Weeded and harvested.

Rescued a fledgling sparrow from a tub with an inch of water in the bottom. Newly fledged, the little fella couldn't fly up with soaked feathers - I had no idea it might be a hazard and will leave twigs in them in future. He was relatively contented to let me pick him up and find him a sheltered, safe spot in our hedge. Saw him preening and flapping later, so I think he's fine.

[rosiepumpkin]

I painted my shed! My allotment neighbours must think I'm mental. It was ugly and horrible and to be fair they did let a 26 year old girl into their plots so I of course have to make it prettier. Here's a before picture...

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And after!

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Okay honestly on the tin it looked darker and more lavender. I freaked to begin with because it started out as such a bright pink but seems to at least have darkened to purple The little bird house isn't staying there, it'll be going around the back. And I'll be putting up more hanging baskets under the windows (as well as curtains in them!)

That is a wonderful shed. Eventually my shed (currently comandeered by The Man) will be painted and have curtains. I have my swatch of fabric up in the window. A gorgeous foxglove print