Clairesallotment's Blog

Finally I got the last 7 tomatoes in. Yeah, they’re in!! Picked most of the peas today, ran out of space in the containers, so will have to pick the rest on Wednesday. If your peas have gone too far and are already dried, you can either plant them next year, or keep them as dried peas and use them when “blind baking pastry”. Make sure they are thoroughly dried before you store them. I picked my first cucumber today from the greenhouse. It was so sweet and crispy, another one is ready so I’ll pick that in a couple of days.

Put in more tomatoes today, only have 7 left to plant and then they’re all in. I’ll plant the last 7 tomorrow. Took the mangetout up and planted tomatoes in their place, and also planted some in tyres. Plant 1 per tyre. It’s better to put bush varieties in tyres because they don’t need supporting, as it’s hard to get a stick in far enough to support the plants. Dug up a few more carrots, the purple ones I cooked yesterday for dinner turned the water blue, but were very yummy. I took all the mangetout out as they had finished. If you want to save any seeds for the following year just leave them on the plant until the pods go a light brown colour, then remove and de-pod and dry on kitchen paper on the window sill.

Popped up to the allotment for a couple of hours this morning after bellringing. The kids break up on Wednesday, so I’ll be going down on Sundays during the summer holidays. Planted yet more tomatoes, mainly in tyres that I got on Thursday. I’ve only got about 20 or so to find space for. I’ll get them in some how. I dug up a few more potatoes to have for dinner, plus some gorgeous looking carrots, orange and purple ones. they weren’t straight they all had a kink in them, but they taste better that way. Looking forward to eating them in about 1 hour. Also I took some photos of the plot and Mark has made a little film, it should be up now “part 114”, check it out.

Very windy today, the weather not me. Just incase you were wondering. Went to Kwik Fit for more tyres today and managed to fit 18 in the back of the car. I always speak to the same man there, and he always looks at me as though I’m very odd. I have given him info about the video to watch, whether he has or not I don’t know. Maybe if he did he would understand. Anyway he’s very nice. Did a bit of weeding and checking that everything will be secure for the weekend. I’m going on a school trip tomorrow with my little boy to the Science Museum. He’s very excited that I’m coming. As the kids break up on Wednesday I’ll be popping down on Sundays now, so I’ll see the weekend gardeners.

Dug a few more potatoes today, and in their place I planted the last few cauliflowers. I’ve run out of netting to put over them, so I put fleece which I attached to sticks, this stops the birds getting to them and destroying them. We had some rain last night, but it barely touched the surface. Still have to water throughly. Picked a load of peas today, and will have some for dinner, might pop the carrots that I dug up yesterday. It’s getting to that time when everything on the dinner plate has come from the allotment, that is except for the meat.

Slightly cooler today, but quite muggy. Dug up some more potatoes for dinner. 1 looks like it’s got a head, and the kids called it a snowman potato. Haven’t eaten it yet. Also dug up 2 carrots, just to see how they’re getting on. They smell so fresh when they first come out the soil. They’re growing well, but I’ll leave the rest in the ground until I need them. Also pulled up 2 beetroot, they’re a little bigger than a golf ball. Will pull a few more soon and then boil till soft, skin and then freeze. I think this is better than putting them in vinegar, and much less hassle.

Another hot day 31 today in London they said, I can believe that. The last few days were a little cooler, which was lovely. Weeded and watered just over another quarter of the plot today. Didn’t strim as I had to walk today, can’t really walk through the park and along the main road with a petrol strimmer, looks a bit odd. The Fennel are looking great, the bulbs are swelling nicely. They are such tactile plants, you can’t help running your hand over the tops of them when you go past. Nibbled a few raspberries and tayberries whilst I was there, very sweet and yummy.

Starting to go through each beds 1 at a time, and removing any weeds (however small), water and strim the grass. Managed to get just over a quarter of the entire plot done. Each day I’ll do a quarter and that way I’ll keep on top of any weeds. Then I’ll go on holiday and come back to loads of weeds. Never mind. Giving the plants a thorough water every 4 days is more than enough for them. Some of the carrots are ready to come up, but I’ve still got some in the fridge from the supermarket to use up first.

Dug up my first potatoes today, just enough to have for dinner tonight. When the tops of the potatoes start to go brown/yellow then it’s time to dig them up. Plant something else in their place if you have anything. I put cauliflowers. Boil the spuds with a few sprigs of mint. Hmmm. Finally finished weeding. All I need to do now is start again and go through each bed at a time, but they should be small weeds and easy to remove. It’s like the San Francisco Bridge, get to the end and start at the beginning again.

Picked loads of raspberries today, ate some whilst picking. They just made their way to my mouth and I was eating them before I knew it, honestly! They’re very sweet and yummy. Don’t think I’ll make jam with them, just eat them with some ice cream. If your mangetout go too far, just leave them on the plant and treat as peas. Some of mine have gone that way, they taste great either way.