Clairesallotment's Blog

It’s hard to believe that one week ago was just above zero and there was still snow on the ground, with the weather this weekend it seems a million miles away.

So not wanting to waste this glorious weather I was out in the garden today doing all sorts of bits and pieces.

It was my husband Mark’s birthday today, I’m not going to tell you how old he now is but for the next 4 weeks he’s 2 years older than me. So while he was busy building his LEGO Star Wars ATAT that we all chipped in and got him for his birthday, I was out in the garden having some fun of my own.

Before I started on the beds I opened up the greenhouse doors to let some fresh air in and also check on the plants and seedlings. The greenhouse is only heated by the sun, and even at this time of year can get up to 20 degrees, although on Saturday it got up to 28 degrees, lovely and toasty. I checked all the seedlings to see if anything was happening, the seeds I’d sown a couple of days before I wasn’t expecting them to be up yes, but to my absolute joy the seeds I’d sown on the 31st January have started to show their little faces. The ones that have germinated so far and the Sweet Peas, Dill and Leeks. Hopefully the others in the tray won’t be far off.

Once I’d given the larger plants a little water I then moved outside to start on the beds. The brassica bed was the first area that needed to be sorted. I pulled up any of the spent plants, cleared away any dead leaves, cut off the tops of the Brussels sprouts and gave some to the chickens who were playing in one of the brassica cages on a cleared raised bed. Harvested some sprouts for dinner tomorrow, did a little bit of light weeding, and then staked some of the sprouting broccoli that is falling over a little bit.

To my utter delight I noticed that the sprouting broccoli is coming along very nicely and should be ready once we’ve finished all the Brussels.

Then it was time to sow a few February seeds that need to be sown directly outside. Broad beans “Aquadulce” are the variety I’m growing this year, but there are many other different varieties out there. You can either be started off undercover, I’m not talking about disguising them as other seeds and putting a fake beard on them so they can spy on other seeds. I’m talking about undercover in a greenhouse. When I had my allotment in Surrey I had to start my Broad beans off in the greenhouse because the squirrels on the allotment site would dig up the seeds and run off with them. But since we’ve moved and I’ve had the raised beds in the back garden then I’m able to plant them straight out in the ground.

Although the very first year, our night time visitors used to come and steal them. But now I think I’ve got that under control, fingers crossed it’s not a problem anymore. We don’t tend to get many squirrels here, why not I don’t know. To be honest they prefer the neighbours bird feeders as it’s an easy meal.

I also sowed a couple of rows of Parsnips “Gladiator”. I’ve just harvested the rest of last years ones, so out with the old and in with the new.

A couple of varieties of Radish “Pink Beauty” and “Pearl”, which I’ve scattered in a big butler sink that I have near the greenhouses. I tend to find that radish do better when the temperature is cooler, they don’t like the really hot weather so the beginning and end of the season are usually the best. You can grow them in a straight line if you wish, but as long as the seeds are about half an inch down then however you sow them is fine.

I have lots of bags of garden waste patiently waiting for the collections to start again. They only collect garden waste from March to the middle of December where I live. The reason for this is according to them, no one gardens in January and February? Clearly they don’t know us hardy gardeners and don’t realise that’s the perfect time to have a good tidy up. Still not long to wait. Believe me I get my money out of this service, bin goes out ever fortnight full or not.

Don’t forget my Claire’s Allotment Essentials Book Part 1. If you want easy and straightforward gardening advice this is the book for you.

Time to go in and have a celebratory dinner for Mark’s birthday with a special pudding and a song and a candle. Doesn’t matter how old you are, you still want people to sing to you on your birthday.

If you’re wondering what this pudding is, it’s a mixture of raspberries and blueberries, topped with creme fraiche, then topped it crushed meringues. Then repeat again.

Take care and stay safe and well. Happy Gardening xxxx

Apart from the odd bit of snow about the rest has all gone, and the world is green again! I only worked a morning today, so this afternoon I was able to get out into the greenhouse and sow a load of seeds. The temperature in the greenhouse is about 15 degrees so that’s a good temperature for seeds to germinate. I’ve got a lot to go through, so if you’re ready and sitting comfortably, then I’ll begin.

I’ll start with the fruits and veggies first, and then move onto a few flowers. I’ve attached some of the sowing videos from before to help you, and I’ll put links to all the seed companies I used.

Tomatoes – Now I did promise myself I wouldn’t grow as many different varieties as I normally do, plus I’m hoping to grow some of the tomatoes out in the raised beds this year (that may change later, but that’s the plan so far). I’ve only got four different varieties this year and a couple are from Spain, so unless you live there, or are able to visit, you may have to choose a slightly different variety. “Minibel Cocoktail” are small cherry tomatoes. You can buy seeds from Johnsons, but this is a compact plant, where as the ones I have, grow very tall. The other Spanish variety I have is “Supermarmande” which you can also buy from Thompson and Morgan, these are beef steak tomatoes. Then some good old reliable “Gardener’s Delight”, and then finally because they seemed so interesting some “Giant Tree Tomatoes“.

Chilli’s, sweet and hot – Again from Spain some “Padron Peppers”, but you can find the seeds at Marshalls if you want to give them a go. Then onto some Sweet Peppers, “California Wonder” and “Rainbow Mixed”. Mine grew brilliantly last year so I’m hoping for some great ones this year as well. Now onto something a little hotter. I’m only growing a couple of varieties of chillies this year, “Razzamatazz” and “Cayenne Red”. I’ve still got lots in the freezer, so don’t need that many this year. Although I’ve most probably sown more than I think.

Next I sowed some Cucumbers, two different varieties, one the seeds are from Spain, and they only grow to about 6 inches long, and you have to peel off the skin because it gets very bitter. In Spain they grow them outside, so the skin has to be fairly tough. I may try growing some outside this year and see how they get on. I might construct some sort of structure for them to climb up, but then again I may forget by then. The other variety are called “Louisa”.

And finally a few more veggies. Celeriac “Prinz”, which I’ve grown before, but not for several year.

Melons “Sugar Baby”.

“Parsley “Italian Giant”. This video shows a variety of herbs that I sowed a couple of years ago, including the parsley. Most herb seeds are sown in exactly the same way though.

And last but by no means least a couple of varieties of Aubergines “Kaberi” and a purple and white striped one from Spain, sorry I don’t know the name, but they look a bit like “Pinstripe” but only bigger.

Now onto the flowers. Flowers are very important to grow with or near your fruits and veggies as they attract the bees and this then helps with pollination. Some of these seeds are annuals, but some are perennials. Some I will grow with the veggies in the raised beds, but others I will be planting in my fairy garden to fill in some little spaces.

Annuals – Marigold “Crackerjack Mixed”, you can always save the seeds for next year if you like. They have lovely large orange heads, don’t grow very tall, so will need to be planted at the front of beds or in a pot. Marigolds are also great at attracting slugs and snails, so if you want to keep your precious veggies safe and don’t mind sacrificing your marigolds then they are a great companion plant.

Cosmos “Candy Stripe” – are another very pretty addition to the garden. They have very delicate flowers that the bees love. they can be sown straight outside in April/May time, but I do worry the germination rate isn’t so good.

Pennyroyal – is a perennial herb, which used to be very common, but faded out of fashion. It has gorgeous lilac coloured flowers which are perfect for a woodland garden or to fill a space in a flower bed.

Agapanthus “White Dwarf” – I just love. They come in all sorts of colours from white, light thorough to dark blue, and light through to dark purple. Many flowers can stand about 3 feet tall on their long thin stems. But there also some dwarf varieties around and these are the ones I’ve planted today. They are wonderful out in flower beds or even in a pot on the patio.

Moraea Huttonii – And finally I didn’t choose these, but they came free so I wasn’t going to complain. They are bright yellow and I’m sure they will look amazing where ever I decide to plant them.

I’ll keep you posted on how everything gets on and don’t forget I have my Claire’s Allotment Essentials Part One book is available HERE.

I will be working on Book Two at the end of this year, but I’ve got a Who done it novel to complete first. I know exciting stuff, well I think it’s exciting anyway.

Take care and stay safe and well. Enjoy getting back into your garden now that the weather has warmed up and Spring is nearly with us. There’s lots going on this year, and I’ll keep you posted right here.

Well it’s here!! It rained all night and strong winds as Storm Darcy battered out bedroom windows upstairs. But as we were eating our breakfast the rain began turning to snow. Because the ground was very wet I wasn’t expecting it to settle, but as the morning went on it became heavy snow and very large flakes, so it started to cover the ground. It was sub zero, but apparently felt like -8 with the wind chill. And it felt like that when I went to give the chickens their breakfast this morning.

We stayed in all morning but ventured out after lunch for a little stroll. The snow was settling fast, and we just wanted to get out in it, it’s snow, you have to. Well I say stroll, squelching through a muddy field, and having your face battered by horizontal snow pelting your face was a new experience for us all.

We all wrapped up warm with more layers on that I can imagine, thick coats, scarves, hats, gloves and either walking boots or wellies (Emily, Kai and I opted for wellies). We must have all looked like 5 marshmallow men from Ghostbusters walking along.

We arrived at the cafe by the sea, we only live a couple of miles from the sea anyway, had a hot drink and sheltered round the corner from the biting wind before we had a quick look at the sea (you have to don’t you).

We then headed back home a slightly different, but more picturesque route.

We arrived home all red faced and exhausted, but very happy we ventured out. Clearly only mad people go out in that weather. After a hot drink, dinner went in the oven to cook for about 4 hours (massive gammon joint, yummy), and we then did our own thing. I checked on the chickens and gave them their afternoon corn, they were all snug and happy in their house. I wanted to see what they made of the snow, so picked up Big Bird and popped her down in it. She didn’t move, seemed very confused and looked at me as if to say “What you doing woman? Put me back inside now!” So I did.

I doubt if I’ll be working in mine or any client’s garden’s this week, can’t see it warming up until the weekend. Still I’ve got lots to do in the house, and still have my Sesame Street Lego to build that I got for Christmas.

I spent the morning putting the guttering round the newly covered chicken run, and also fixing some of the guttering at the back of the chicken house.

Putting up guttering is very easy, you just attach the brackets, I tend to put them about 2.5 feet apart from each other but the guttering I’m using is very light. If you’ve got heavier guttering then maybe 2 feet apart for the brackets. I did the front and the back of the run first, then sorted out the end. I needed to put a piece of down pipe in as it goes into the water butt, but that was fairly simple to do. Just click it all together and it’s done. All sorted before lunch so now the chickens are all ready.

They are forecasting snow for the next couple of days, never quite sure if to believe them or not, but just incase they were right in the afternoon I decided to dig up some veggies for us to have with dinner on Sunday.

So a few more parsnips that are getting quite tricky to find as the green tops have nearly dies back so I just have to guess where they are now. I’m still digging up some really good sized ones which is great. A few have canker but not many.

Then onto the carrots. These have done really well this year and I’ve been harvesting them as and when we needed them. Today I harvested the last of them which is quite sad. But I know that in a couple of months I’ll be sowing this years ones and hopefully harvesting the first of them in June/July time. A lovely array of colours and sizes this year, and very few with carrot fly.

And finally another Brussels Sprout stem these have been going great guns. I’ve got about half a dozen stems left, so I’ll harvest those as and when we need them.

We’ll see if the snow does arrive along with Storm Darcy, but it’s due to rain before hand so the ground will be very wet which might mean the snow doesn’t settle. Still we’ll see what happens tomorrow.

It’s still January, but only just and I’ve just sown my January seeds. I’m not late, I’m just in time!

There’s not much to be sown this month, but it’s good to get started. All the seeds are now in the greenhouse, which is unheated with a propagator lid over the top of them, firstly to help keep the heat in, and secondly hopefully stop the mice for nibbling them.

I’m ready for this year, lots to do, and hopefully I can squeeze it all in. So here goes……

I got one of my seed trays, there are five sections per tray and they fit perfectly in the solid trays I have in the greenhouses. I find these work very well, but you can only buy them in bulk, so if you are part of a gardening group it might be worth thinking about.

The first seeds I sowed today were Leeks. The variety I find work well are Musselburgh. They’ve always grown well in the past and I don’t tend to have any issues with them.

Then it was on to the Exhibition Onions. I always used to buy sets, but sometimes they were a bit hit and miss. Since we’ve lived here, I sown them from seed and they tend to do much better. You do have to put a bit more effort into growing them, pricking out, potting on etc, but then you do that with most plants.

Here’s a video from a couple of years ago of me sowing various onions seeds and leek seeds.

I then sowed the first of the herbs, Dill. It’s a hardy annual so should be fine to sow now, if you want to leave it until early spring then do, but apparently it can be grown all year round. The seeds are a couple of years out of date so the germination rate might be a bit low. Still hopefully I’ll get some.

I was very kindly sent some Sweet Pea seeds from Lidcott Barn in Cornwall. So I sowed them as well. Thank you very much for sending them, and I’ll keep you posted on how they get on.

Just before I came in for the day I sowed some mustard and cress on some compost in a little plant saucer. This is now on the window sill in the lounge and will be the first thing that I’ll be harvesting this year. Mustard and Cress can be sown all year round, and is great for kids to grow because they can see it germinating as it is sprinkled on top of the soil and not covered.

Well with all those other things I’ve done today I feel I need to have a beer while I make a curry for dinner.

This is just the beginning of 2021 and I’ve been so busy already. I know the year will only get busier, just wondering how I’ll fit everything in. I’m sure I will, I’m Claire’s Allotment!

Take care and stay safe and well.

Happy gardening!!

It’s been a busy couple of weekends in the garden.

Since the summer I’ve been meaning to sort out various things to do with the chicken run. The nylon netting has been getting more holes in it than a pair of fishnet stockings, and I’ve been patching it up every time I see one. Some are just down to general wear and tear, but others have been made but those naughty little buggers with tails that are still finding their way in my garden. That will be another job and another story for another weekend.

So with the help of the kids (Emily, Kai and George) we firstly put the girlies into one of the brassica cages (these also need the same doing to them, again another time). This wasn’t hard because they love having a scratch around in the soil, throw some mealworms in as well and they’re as happy as anything. I’m talking about the chickens and not the kids. And we then started on their run.

First the tarpaulin came off, although most of that had ripped the netting in the latest bout of strong winds we’d had, and then we proceeded to remove all the netting. While some were doing that, I needed to attached some more batons because the chickens were also getting a new roof and sides to their run to hopefully stop the rain from getting in and causing their run to get incredibly squidgy.

Emily helped me with the sawing and measuring of the wood and we wandering from the front to the back of the house with various pieces and attached them. George enjoyed the drilling and to be honest was actually very good at it. He’s 6 foot 1 and still growing, so having that extra height was very handy. I think it made him feel rather manly.

We stopped for lunch and then carried on after wards.

As the day was getting on, we were rocking. George was using the staple gun to attach the new wire, I’ve got very small holed chicken wire. This is the only thing our little visitors cannot gnaw through, although I think they’ll have a bloody good try. Kai had to go and do some work, but he helped when he could. Mark was very useful as well and kept bringing us drinks which was greatly appreciated.

I still had the chickens new door to sort out, the old one was a little on the flimsy side and I wanted to make some more solid and secure. While George and Emily were happy with the staple gun and the wire, Kai and I went into the garage to make the new door. Kai had a go at sawing, which I think he enjoyed and very soon we had completed the frame.

Emily and George had finished securing the wire, so while I was removing the old door, hinges and putting them in a different place, and various other bits and pieces, George wired the door. It was getting quite late and the light was going. The chicken, knowing it was nearly bedtime were getting quite vocal and restless because they wanted to go back in their house and start to get ready for bed or perch.

We managed to get the new door and new locks on just before the light was nearly gone.

When the new door was completely secured and attached, we opened the brassica cage and the girlies practically ran straight out and into their house, bless them. They had a quick nibble before they hopped up onto their perch and snuggled next to each other and settled down for the night.

This weekend we then tackled the plastic sheeting to keep them safe and dry. This wasn’t thin plastic sheeting, but polycarbonate plastic sheeting. I ordered it through Screwfix and there were loads of different sizes and depths to choose from. Knowing that it can get quite windy were we are, especially when the wind blows from the north sea, across the field and then straight into our garden I knew I needed something fairly substantial. There were special screws that you had to get as well, which have a protective plastic cover so you won’t break the sheet. I measured all the areas I needed and clearly got it right as I have only small pieces left over.

Even though we were using the drill, then chickens didn’t seem to mind the noise so they stayed in their run this time. We did the sides first and then did the top. It was all going rather smoothly which was a bit of a worry.

George enjoyed screwing in the screws, it’s good to get them into this sort of thing when they’re still living at home. I remember sitting up on the flat roof of the garage once with my dad as he put down tar and felt. He was a builder by trade and built the garage himself. Constructing things has always fascinated me. I’ve made staging for my greenhouse before which lasted about 10 years, the bottoms rotted and I then got the metal ones that I have now. I’m happy to hang wall paper and paint as well. I’m quite a hands on sort of girl.

The final screw went in and it was getting dark. I believe Emily said, “We sure like to cut things fine,” or something like that. There I was up the step ladder drilling in the last few screws and out of the corner of my eye I noticed I was being watched.

“Hello there,” I said.

“Baaaaaa!” came the reply.

How long they’d been watching me for I have no idea. But now the chickens have a new door, new rat proof wire, and hopefully their run won’t get so wet when it rains. All I need to do now is to sort out some guttering (need to get some) and then have it drain into a water butt (I’ve already got this), and then they’re all set. Hopefully I can do that next weekend.

Phew!!

Now most things in the garden I can do on my own, but every now and then I need some help. Today was one of those days.

The day was cold, but sunny, so we all put on lots of layers and out wellies and went to shovel 5 tonnes of soil into the raised beds. It’s been nearly three years since they’ve been up and the soil has settled quite a bit so needs topping up.

Because we’d had lots and lots and lots of rain, as well as some snow since it was all delivered on Thursday, it was all very wet and soggy. This made it all very heavy to shovel out into a wheelbarrow and move. Plus the more we walked on the grass, the muddier it became. I’m not showing you what it looks like as I’m rather embarrassed, but it’ll recover very quickly, grass always does.

We started a little after 10.30am and we all had a job to do. Emily and I started to fill the smaller beds first, while Kai, Mark and George swapped round the raking, and moving soil into the large beds. We all found our jobs and got on with it.

We broke for a drink and a nibble about 11.30am once we’d done a couple of bags, then carried on and finished the other three bags before lunch. Everyone was happy to help, well a bit of exercise never hurt anyone did it. They were all happy to help, although Mark doesn’t look very happy in the photo, but he was, I promise you.

Before lunch we all had showers….not together I might add, that would be really weird. Some of us put our pj’s on, and others some clean clothes. Hey look it’s a Sunday, we weren’t going out anywhere, no one was coming round, and we’d been working very hard all morning.

Some of the family complained of a few aches the following day, but nothing too bad. I think it’s the most strenuous exercise most of them had done for a while. For me, just another day in the garden.

The beds aren’t quite full yet, so I’ll need to order another 5 tonnes in about a months time, (must get it in before the end of the financial year), but hopefully it’ll be drier then and will be much easier to shovel.

Here’s a time lapse for you to watch. KaiPie filmed this, none of us have never walked so fast.

I woke up to an email from D T Brown telling me my seed potatoes had been dispatched. Excellent I though, they’ll hopefully arrive by the end of this week, but most probably by early next week.

This means that the growing season for 2021 can begin. I was very excited and happy…..it’s the little things you know that make my day.

While I was hard at work in a clients garden I got a text message from Mark (hubby) to say that a parcel had arrived for me and it said Live Plants on the outside. No information to say where it had come from or anything. I was wondering if I’d ordered any plants from anywhere else late last year, but I was sure I hadn’t, any way I would have to wait until I got home to find out what was inside. Couldn’t be the potatoes as I’d only had an email that morning.

I finally arrived home and opened the box in great anticipation…..I held my breath, not because I’d let off a smelly toot toot, but because I was so excited. Getting excited can also make me toot toot as well.

It was my seed potatoes that I’d ordered from D T Brown!! Had they been so excited about coming to my house they’d run all the way from Suffolk to Kent? Or had the email arrived later than it should have done, maybe the email got lost on the way? Whatever the reason I don’t mind, I have my seed potatoes for this year and the growing season for 2021 can now officially begin. This year I’ve only got Sarpo Mira and King Edward, so hopefully they’ll grow well and produce some good size spuds for us, only time will tell.

Now they are chitting on a metal tray on a window sill in the house, and they’ll be quite happy there until I plant them in mid March. I don’t need to do anything to them, I’ll just leave them alone and soon they’ll produce some lovely short stumpy shoots.

The video below shows how I chitted my potatoes a couple of years ago which is why I’m saying February in the video. As soon as your seed potatoes arrive start chitting them, don’t leave them in the box for very long. You can either chit them in the greenhouse as I’m doing here, or you can put them on a sunny window sill in the house.

So off we go again, let’s make 2021 a fantastic growing season. What ever else is happening in the world you can always could on your garden to cheer you up.

Take care and stay safe and well.

Happy gardening!

Claire xxx

After I posted about sorting my seeds, lots of you are wondering what I’ve got in my January box, so here is what I have got planned later this month. The list is in the order I want to sow them in, and I’ve put links to the varieties I have got, just incase you wish to add to your collection of seeds:

Mustard – D T Brown

Cress – Moles Seeds

Dill – Johnsons

Exhibition Onions – D T Brown

Leeks Musselburgh – Moles Seeds

Sweet peas – That were sent to me from someone in Cornwall (Thank you x)

Pea Shoots – D T Brown

Chestnut button Mushroom spawn – Mr Fothergill’s – Sorry but I can’t find a link to these, they don’t seem to do them anymore. I have had the packet for a while, so maybe they won’t work at all. I’ve also searched on all the tabs I have open and nothing. Maybe later on in the year they’ll have something available.

I hope this helps. Never grown pea shoots before so that’s a new one for this year. And the mustard and cress I’ll sow little and often throughout the year.

If you find that any of them are unavailable on the links I have put in, you can most probably find them elsewhere.

Here’s to the start of a wonderful new growing season, let’s hope the weather is just what we need. Hope you have lots of fun.

Happy Gardening!

Claire xx

It’s that time of year when I sit down at my dining room table, spread all the packets of seeds I have out, and go through them all. Organisation is the key for me, life is very busy what with work, looking after the house, the family, and managing to cram all those other things into the weekend. When I go out into the garden for a little bit of me time I want to get as much done in the time I have as possible.

My life is full of writing lists and working my way through them. If I don’t write a list each day then I’ll forget something important and then I’ll get stressed and annoyed with myself. It’s not just big important things on my list, but little things like “Buy more long socks” which is next on my list after doing this.

So there I sat at the dining room table with a cup of tea and a biscuit and a mountain of seeds in front of me. Empty plastic ice cream and margarine tubs in front of me and I was off and ready to go. Some seed packet this year are new, some are a couple of years old, some are a little out of date and others are quite a bit out of date. I know that some seeds have a very short life, but others have quite a long life. I’m not one to throw away seeds just because they’re past their prime, they’ll still germinate, just not as many as previously.

So after about half an hour I was done. They are now in tubs that correspond to the month they need to be sown in and are up on top of one of my many bookcases waiting patiently for me to start sowing. I expect I’ll sow some next weekend and then some more the weekend after, this is all weather dependant of course. If we have 4 feet of snow I’m not trudging down the garden to the greenhouses I’d rather stay warm inside the house.

Now to order some more long socks…..

TTFN and Happy New Year everyone. I hope 2021 brings you joy, happiness and the vaccine (shame I can’t grow that) xxxx