A number of trips over the weekend. It's that time of year again where I'm frantically trying to get the plot planted, weeded and shipshape before we go on holiday. It's only a week but if I don't do it it's a nightmare on our return. I have roped in my parents for watering duty and maybe a bit of weeding too!
The top allotment had the most time spent on it:
The main crop potatoes at the front were showing through so they've been earthed up.
From the back:
I've put the runner beans in:
Next row I've got 2 pumpkins. Left them plenty of space (I hope):
Followed a row of parsnips and some onions:
The next bed is a bit untidy, more weeding required but I've got some butternut squash (Butterbush & Balmoral) and the other 2 pumpkins in here:
Next bed has the courgettes in. There's some space left for some salad/radish etc.:
Getting nearer the front of the plot I spent some time on Sunday digging in the manure and then put 3 rows of leeks in (26 in each row). I used the end of a broom handle to make the holes, popped in the leek. I found that if I held the leek in the hole but up from the bottom, it didn't disappear!:
The final bed before the trees is a work in progress. There are a few parsnips hidden in the weeds but this is the only bed that needs a bit of work on the top allotment:
This could be my first year of pear production. I planted the trees in the spring of 2010 and I've had apples and plums for a couple of years but no sign of pears. Here's hoping!
On the bottom allotment, I've taken the double fleece layer off the 2 beds of potatoes and the first ones I planted have some flowers and look promising for a decent crop:
The second lot I put in are looking great too, just slightly behind the first ones:
I've had to earth up the potatoes at the front of this plot too although these are the slowest:
The carrots are doing ok but the red onions and shallots seem a bit small at the moment. The broad beans haven't produced a thing - strange as my father-in-law has had the same trouble in his garden! The cabbages could be better, I may have to see if another 'menteer has some spares (like last year). I need to sort out the bed for the sweetcorn but that can wait until we get back from holiday. Some of the beans haven't germinated so I've put some more seed in and the peas which were established plants when I put them in are fine, there's hardly anything from the seed I sowed - maybe the slugs or birds got them.
Back at home in the greenhouse, it's a bit emptier now but the tomatoes are coming along great and I put a cucumber plant in (on a mound) that someone kindly gave me. I've moved the peppers from the conservatory in here.
The peas in the raised beds are looking great and the salad is almost ready to pick. The carrots look fine and the second lot of salad has germinated but still waiting on the basil.
I have started another raised bed on the other side of the garden.
