Clairesallotment's Blog

January is the perfect time to start sowing your Leek and Onion seeds. If you wish to get onions sets (small little onions), then do. I usually buy sets, but this year I thought I would try growing them from seed. Only time will tell how I get on.

There are many different varieties to choose from in both, but I’m growing Leeks “Musselburgh”, and Onions “Red Bruswick” and “Shirley’s Giant Exhibition”.

I’ll keep you posted on their progress, and hopefully they’ll grow brilliantly this year.

Don’t forget I have a load of Claire’s Allotment Essential Ebooks available at just 99p each, and I have one on Onions!

I love these little gems. They’re so tasty, and look amazing. They are sometimes known as Brukale, Flower Spouts, or Kalettes and they are a wonderful vegetable to grow. If you’ve not given them a go, please do give them a try. I’ll be sowing more soon, so now you’ve seen them, why not try and grow some yourself. If you don’t want to grow them from seed, then you should be able to find plug plants available online.

The New Year has just started and therefore the new growing season must start as well. It’s wonderful to get out in the garden again, even if it’s just for a short time. I still have various veggies still producing from last season (beetroot, brukale and brussels sprouts), but it’s time to start sowing new bits for this coming year.

There’s not much that needs to be sown in January, but it’s good to get a head start before the mayhem begins. I’m hoping to be more organised this year (famous last words), so we’ll see if I actually manage to stay on target.

This afternoon I sowed my Leeks “Musselburgh”, Onions “Red Brunswick” and “Giant Exhibition”. I don’t usually sow onions from seeds, but usually grow them from sets, so this is a new one on me.

I also sowed some Brussels Sprouts “Braemar” and a some Cauliflower “Orkney”.

They’ll be loads more in the coming weeks and months and I’ll keep you posted on everything I do.

Wishing you all a wonderful growing season this year, and I hope that you have as much fun in your garden/allotment as I’m planning on having. But not too much fun, this is work after all.

Why not try and grow something slightly different and exotic in your garden this year.

A Kiwi is one exotic fruit that we can now grow in the UK.

There are lots of different varieties to choose from, here’s how I’m planting mine and which one I’m growing.

It’s not just hybrid cars now a days, but there are also hybrid plants. Today I’m planting out my Tayberry.

It’s a wonderful fruit, and perfect for making jams, crumbles and pies with, or just eating with a bit of ice cream.

Today I got in my bare rooted raspberries. Bare rooted plants come without any soil, just incase you didn’t know, which I’m sure you do. I have 3 varieties this year and 5 stems of each “Malling Juno”, “Autumn Bliss” and “Tulameen“. They come as a set, or you could choose your own. I got mine from Victoriana Nursery, so whichever ones take your fancy.

They’re very easy to plant, and don’t really take much to look after. Here’s how I planted mine.

My fruit bed is getting full now, and I’ve just planted out my currant bushes. I planted 3 different varieties: Black currant “Ben Lomond”, White Currant “White Pearl”, and Red Currant “Rondom”. There are lots of different varieties to choose from, so it’s just up to you what you prefer.

If you are able to grow just one currant bush I would recommend it as you will be rewarded with loads of little sweet jewels in a couple of years time.

Come and see how I planted mine.

Early on in winter is the best time to plant your blueberries in the garden. They’ll get settled in their new home during the cold weather, and will be all ready to burst into blossom in the Spring. Blueberries need a friend, so make sure you plant at least 2 plants. They don’t have to be the same variety, so choose different ones to get a bit of variation.

Blueberries grow best in large pots as they prefer ericaceous compost. You should be able to find this in any good garden centre.

The varieties of Blueberries I’m growing are Goldtraube, and Blue Crop.

If you want to keep vampires at bay, then why not grow some garlic in your garden. They’re also good for keeping away the carrot fly as well as slugs and snails.

Now is the time to plant you autumn planting garlic. If however you have spring planting do exactly the same way, but plant out in February.

Here’s how I plant mine.

There is still lots to do in the garden in December, January and February. If you have a spare bit of time, it doesn’t matter if its’s just 30 minutes, get out and see what you can do.

This is what I got up to today…..