Friday 14th June 2013 – Much better day than yesterday.

Posted on June 14, 2013 by clairesallotment

I feel very naked without my fence panel up, but I’ve asked the guys who are going to replace our fence if they are able to do it sooner than we first requested. I’ve not yet heard back from them yet, but I’m sure I will later. Today’s weather is much calmer than yesterdays (it couldn’t really be any worse), still a bit windy, but the sun is now shining so I feel much happier. I spent 4 hours on the allotment today, and got quite a lots done. I’ve finally got all my Candisa F1 Cabbage in, my Cauliflower “All year Round” and Brussels Sprouts “Trafalgar”. I’ve strimmed a load more grass, so it’s looking a little better, and started to turn over another bed. This is hard work as it’s not been dug for a while, but I’ll sort it out. When I’ve had enough digging I pop over to another bed, and have a weed. I can only stay doing one thing for a while, otherwise it gets really boring. I took my lunch up with me again today, and sat on my knee pad, leaned up against my shed and munched away. It was very pleasant. It’s the weekend now, so tomorrow I’ll be in the greenhouse, and on Sunday I’m hoping to go to Gardeners’ World at the NEC. Fingers crossed I’ll be able to get there, not sure if I could miss it.

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Spoke too soon, bugger!!

Posted on June 13, 2013 by clairesallotment

Well I’ve just got in from taking a fence post and panel down. The wind ripped the post that was attached to the brick wall out, and the panel with it. The other post has now been propped up with 3 paving slabs and a wooden bench. I’m hoping that it’ll stay standing. I now have a 6 foot gap in the fence between us and my neighbour, and with strict instructions that neither hers or my kids are to visit the others gardens. As I was cutting down the bushes that had entwined themselves up the fence and through the trellis I noticed a birds nest hiding deep inside with 2 blue with brown spotted eggs. Having had a quick feel of the eggs, (which were stone cold) I phoned the RSPB to find out what to do, and to find out what eggs they may be. Having described them to the lovely man on the phone he said they were most probably from a Dunnock, and it sounded like the nest was an old one from last year. Phew!! Grateful that I’d not disturbed a breeding pair I carefully removed it (it was stuck fast) and took a picture for you to see. I’m not sure what to do with it now, any suggestion? The hole in the fence will have to stay until the men come to do the fence in 3-6months time. So out of a situation that really made me cross I discovered something wonderful. I suppose everything has a silver lining. P1000584

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Thursday 13th June 2013 – Summer are you sure?

Posted on June 13, 2013 by clairesallotment

Well no trip to the allotment today because frankly it’s really crap outside. Grey sky, down pours and winds gusting to 50 miles per hour!! Yes, I’m serious. I know I typed June, but I’m beginning to wonder. Tomorrow is supposed to be much better, so I’ll make up for not visiting today. I’m watching our fencing in anticipation. It’s been up for over 10 years, and is slowly breaking. We’ve replaced the posts more times that I can say, and we’re getting a gardening firm to re do it for us later this year. So we’re hoping it’ll last until them. Only time will tell. I’m sure I’ll get a phone call from my neighbour later on saying the second post has broken. How I’m going to prop that up I don’t know. I’ve got one tied to a metal post on the other neighbour fence, and one propped up with some compost bags…well we’ll see.

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Wednesday 12th June 2013 – I need some new gardening gloves.

Posted on June 12, 2013 by clairesallotment

Yes I know I go through gloves like there’s not tomorrow, but I’ve not yet warn these gloves through, but they really smell!! I think my hands have been sweating so much in them, that they’re now rank, poo! I’ll be popping out this afternoon to our local Sainsbury’s, so as I pass I’ll pop into Homebase to purchase a sweeter smelling pair. I’ll keep the other ones as a standby pair just incase. I had great fun this morning, hard work, but fun. I’ve now finished digging over one of the old strawberry beds, so now I’ll add some manure and then pop in some brassicas (I’ve got some waiting, and yes there are more cabbages). I’ve also started to systematically go through each bed, weeding and then watering. It’s slow progress, but I’ll get there. Oh and I also picked 4 strawberries today. So that’s one each for pudding.

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Tuesday 11th June 2013 – Why did I sow soooo many cabbages? And other things.

Posted on June 11, 2013 by clairesallotment

You never know how many seeds are going to germinate, so you always tend to sow more that you need. But when practically all the seed from 1 packet germinate, sometimes you’re at a loss of what to do with them. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, but there are only so many cabbages you will want. In the packet of “Candisa F1” there are 50 apparently, seems like more when you’re trying to find room for them. Anyway, I’m sure I’ll find use for them. Does cabbage freeze? Also I planted out my Fennel “Victoria F1” they seem to be doing really well, and I’ve planted them in the same bed as the Globe Artichokes as there was space, and I thought they’d look good together. Also My “Falstaff” Brussels Sprouts are in. Purple brussels with the Christmas turkey should look fun, and finally my Butternut Squash “Pilgrim” they’ll trail around the sweetcorn, hopefully giving some ground cover. I’ve also started to turn over the old strawberry bed. I’ve made a start, but it’s going to be a bit tricky, as I’d left that area and it’s all over grown, and the soil is very hard. So it’s a case of little and often. Must get it cleared asap as I’ve got more brassica bits to go in that space. I’m a little peeved with my Broad Beans though. I sowed them in March, and not one bugger has germinated. I don’t know why, but I’d sown 4 rows and weeded 2 today and watered thoroughly, but nothing. Couldn’t have been too cold, as you can sow them in November……it’s a mystery.

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Monday 10th June 2013 – Afternoon filled with tomatoes and salad.

Posted on June 11, 2013 by clairesallotment

Once the kids were home from school and I’d sorted them out a snack, (they’re always starving when they come home from school. Emily has to cycle about a mile and a half to school, and George had been to London Zoo for a school trip), I popped in the greenhouse to see what mischief I could get up to. Loads as it happens. I potted on more of my Tomatoes “Moneymaker” and the “Pineapple” ones from Chuck Fenster. Then as we’ve been eating so much of the salad I grew, I decided that as the first batch was growing again, I’d better sow some more, so I finished the packet of “Niche Oriental Mixed” Salad Leaves. By the time I’d finished it was time to start dinner and have a sit down.

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Monday 10th June 2013 – Brassicas here we go!

Posted on June 10, 2013 by clairesallotment

Now it’s time to get all my brassicas in. I’ve got quite a few, so it may take a while. But this morning I got in my Cabbage “Savoy” and “Candisa”, my Kale “Black Tuscany” and my Kohl Rabi “Purple, Green and Giant”. I also harvested some more Radish “Jutrzenka”, they’re really doing the best I’ve ever seem them do, and they taste amazing. As I was having a strim of the grass I noticed that some of my strawberries had started to turn, so I had to try one, and it was very sweet and juicy. There are loads of flowers on them, so hopefully I end up with loads of fruit. I’m running out of last years jam that I made, so I need to make more for this year. So all in all a good morning, now I just need to get the bits in the car that I’ll need for tomorrow.

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Harvesting Oriental stir fry salad – Claire’s Allotment part 213

Posted on June 9, 2013 by clairesallotment
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Planting out chop suey greens – Claire’s Allotment part 212

Posted on June 9, 2013 by clairesallotment
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Sunday 9th June 2013 – An afternoon in the greenhouse.

Posted on June 9, 2013 by clairesallotment

After my lunch time nap (I work very hard, so I need one, plus I’m getting old) I spent most of the afternoon sorting out the greenhouse. All the bits that need to go in the allotment are either on the garden table, or on the patio. That’s my job for this week is to get it all out. In the greenhouse I’ve been potting the tomatoes and cucumbers in their final pots and their final positions. It’s getting quite tricky, as when you move one tray, you can’t find space to put it. I’m sure I’ll sort it out though. The tomatoes are “Money Maker” some from Thompson and Morgan and some from Mr Fothergill’s, and the Cucumbers are “Twenty F1”. It’ll be a busy week again on the allotment getting everything in. As long as I keep organised, and it doesn’t rain I should get it done, finger’s crossed. Now it’s roast duck, boiled minty potatoes and broccoli for dinner…in the words of Mr Twitchen “And what do you do if you don’t like duck?”…….

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