Is it Friday? Thank goodness for that. I’ve been so busy rushing everywhere this week, next week looks much the same. That’s what you get for being a Mum I guess. I cycled again to the allotment today, I don’t know what’s got into me with all this exercise. Must stop it otherwise I’ll become a fitness freak. I weeded the Rhubarb and Strawberry bed today. I’ve picked loads of Rhubarb and will make some Orange and Rhubarb jam. I did last year and it was really tasty. My strawberries have started to turn, so I tried 1 and oooh it was so sweet. I gave the bed a thorough water and then covered it with leaf mould to keep the moisture in. Only 10 days left until all the tender plants go out. Yay, then the greenhouse will be so bare.
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Clairesallotment's Blog 
I live in California in the U.S. My garden is in my backyard, but the idea of working on an allotment where other folks are around seems like a nice, social idea. I would like to suggest a video or two about the your allotment: the location, the other people there, how far it is from your house, what your shed looks like, let’s see the big picture of allotment life!
It has been very cool here, but it’s warming-up this weekend and I hope to do a lot of planting. I very much enjoy your videos.
Hi Keith,
It’s great on the allotment, all sorts of advise goes flying about. You always have to stop and chat with someone.
Thanks for the suggestions about the videos, I’ll see what I can do, but people are generally nervous about being on film. My shed is very small and very wonky, but we’re having a Summer Social soon, so I’ll take photos and make a film that way.
I hope that everything is growing well for you, have a great season.
Claire
Thank you very much, Claire, for such wonderful videos and for a fantastic blog. It’s really nice to see how much you love to be outdoors and how excited you get about your gardens. It’s not only that I learn so much from your site, but I also get so motivated to do things when I’ve watched your videos. Please keep up the good work, and I’m so looking forward to seeing more youtube videos!
Sincerely,
M. from Northern Germany
Hi Martina,
I’m so glad you find the videos useful. Thank you for your very kind words. I hope that you have a great year this year and that everything grows very well.
All the best,
Claire
Cool. Claire do you force your rhubarb…I think that is what is called? or use straw? So far I havent used anything. The stalks are starting to get more red the longer I have the plants.
No, I don’t “Force” my rhubarb, never have done. If you want to do it, then from the beginning of Winter you should put a solid container over the Rhubarb crown, and metal dust bin is ideal, and then in the Spring check to see if it’s ready, if not wait a little longer. If you Force Rhubarb the stems tend to be a light pink, where as non forced are dark pink to red.
Hello Claire from Bluffton in NE Indiana,
I love your you-tube videos and it’s a joy to watch someone with such passion for the garden. I have a special passion, myself, for berry bushes and have several each of black currants, red currants, white currants, and gooseberries. Very, very easy to propagate and they make GREAT jams and jellies. Have you ever considered a berry patch of this type?
I believe black currants are popular in your country and they are quite hardy.
Bruce Allen
Bluffton, Indiana
Hello Claire from Bluffton in NE Indiana. I love your you-tube videos. I have a special passion for berry bushes, having several each of black currants, red currants, white currants, and gooseberries. Not sure how these would do in England, although I believe the black currants are popular there. Have you ever considered growing these berry bushes? They make GREAT jam and jelly!
Bruce Allen
Bluffton, Indiana
Hi Bruce,
My Mum used to grow Red and Black current bushes. Then she used to make jam with them, unless my Dad got there first to make wine. My Gooseberries are coming along very well this year. I had a great year last year with them and I managed to make jam for the first time They all grow very well in the UK, have you tried Blackberries? I’ve got a thornless one in my garden at home, so it’s not painful to harvest.
All the best,
Claire
Thank you Claire for your info. I think I will keep on doing what I have been doing…leave them alone. I prefer the red stems but love them any which way. It its getting cold and wet here in Tasmania..nothing like you guys have of course. I have celery, onions, garlic, parsley, shallots, radish, broad beans, snow peas and lemons coming along nicely. My little greenhouses are wonderful. Makes me think your big one must be just fantastic.
I think that the Red stems look prettier. The light pink ones look a little pale to me. It was wet and cold here yesterday, and today it’s cloudy and cold. I would like the sun to come back very soon. Sounds like you’ve got loads growing. You can only grow lemons over here if you have a conservatory or heated greenhouse, otherwise we just don’t get the humidity. I need to have a reshuffle of my greenhouse, get bits out and then tidy the rest. The kids have got half term next week, so it’s the perfect time.