Yay, I’ve finally done it! Apart from a few Sunflowers, which I’ll put in this week, everything I sowed is finally in the allotment, or in their final place. I never thought I’d actually get there, but I have. Now all that is done, I can concentrate 100% on weeding, watering and harvesting. With all the rain over the past few weeks, the weeds have really taken ahold. So I’m going to put a stop to that as soon as possible. Emily came up to the allotment with me again today. She stayed for a couple of hours before heading back home for lunch. I stayed on for a bit longer. It takes about 10 minutes to walk from home to my allotment, so it’s not far. During the morning Emily suddenly said “Mum what’s that?” I looked up and saw thousands (I’m not kidding) of flying things. I wasn’t sure at first what on earth they were. They were too big for flying ants, and anyway it’s not the right time for them to come out. The flying ants usually happen from the end of July to the end of August, depending on the weather. These were a lot bigger. I suddenly realised that it was a swarm of bees! I shouted “Quick in the greenhouse!” We both dashed inside and closed the door. None had got inside, and most importantly none of us got stung. I think they were Honey Bees. A swarm of bees does look nasty, but they’re unlikely to sting you when they’re in a swarm…apparently! Within a matter of minutes they were gone. Where they came from we don’t know. We could hear someone chainsawing a tree, so maybe they came from there? Where they went? We don’t know that either. But once they’d gone, we came out of the greenhouse and continued with where we’d left off from. I harvested the first of my Garlic and Spring Onions. I then planted out my Leeks (everything is in!), and then I continued with the systematic weeding of each bed. Emily cut some grass and did some weeding and assisted with the planting of the Leeks. It’s very useful to have her around.
Clairesallotment's Blog 
Wow, we’ll done. Both planting up all of your crops and making a rapid escape from the swarm of bees.
The swarm of bees was a little scary.
Claire, I disturbed a stack of wood a few days ago and stirred up a nest of bumble bees. I quickly left the wood pile and sat down at the picnic table near by. The bees buzzed around me for a few minutes and settled down before long. The key around bees is not to get too excited and put off the pheromone smell of fear. When I hit a nest of stinging flying insects, I usually just stand still until they quit checking me out, then walk away. Unless you happen upon a hornet’s nest, then just run because they are just mean and nasty and look for any reason to sting a soft flesh beast or animal.
I would have like to plant a second round of green beans, a few more cucumbers, and a third bed of sweet corn but other things of garden importance were higher priority. There will be enough of every thing planted to supply the need for harvesting.
I have been tempted to touch the electric fence that’s around the sweet corn patch just to see how much of zap the critters get but just didn’t have the nerve to do it. One of the borders of the strawberry patch is about 8 or 10 inches from the fence. While I was weeding the strawberries this morning, I leaned into the fence with a sweaty shirt on while kneeing on the dirt. I can truthfully say that the fence will deter any critter that touches it including me.
Have a great weeding day on the allotment.
Bumble bees will just make their homes in the most awkward places won’t they. I do tell children that bees don’t really want to sting you, so just either walk away calmly or just stand still. But when a swarm comes towards you you just hide in the greenhouse. Be careful around the electric fence even a little shock can be shocking!!