I put some early carrots in last weekend and finished the last raised bed. Yesterday my youngest daughter helped me plant the first 18 early potatoes (Rocket) under glass. This worked really successfully last year so I am going for twice as many this year.
I have cleared quite a few areas ready for planting and the conservatory at home is filling up with seedlings - 3 varieties of tomato, sweet peppers, cayenne peppers, asters, basil, parsley etc. My new (second hand!) greenhouse at home is also filling up, I have one side of the path full of Little Gem Lettuce and my staging has some peas and some sweet peas. Roll on warmer weather though.
Monday, 9 March 2009
Monday, 23 February 2009
Feb 2009 - Half Term
I have almost finished constructing the last of the 2 remaining raised beds that I ran out of time doing last year. That will make 10 in total. I have some onion sets in (weeded them on Saturday when I went up for an hour). I am still picking Rocket and lettuce for salad in my sandwiches. I have some glass over one of the new raised beds warming up the soil ready for my early potatoes to go in, probably next weekend. I also have some garlic, broad beans, purple sprouting broccoli, Brussels sprouts and some spring cabbage. I will be sowing some early carrots soon.
Monday, 24 November 2008
Cold
Went up on Sunday to get some leeks and it was really cold. No-one else there, not surprising really - it was raining.
We had the leeks for tea with some roast potatoes (still got some left) from the allotment along with some meat and peas. It's really rewarding to be able to eat your own produce. I've still got loads of onions left strung up in the shed although a few have started sprouting.
The broad beans I put in a bit back are about 2 to 3 inches high already.
I've dug over one of the potato beds and done a bit of weeding in the last month.
I've still got the sweetcorn/pumpkin bed to dig over.
We had the leeks for tea with some roast potatoes (still got some left) from the allotment along with some meat and peas. It's really rewarding to be able to eat your own produce. I've still got loads of onions left strung up in the shed although a few have started sprouting.
The broad beans I put in a bit back are about 2 to 3 inches high already.
I've dug over one of the potato beds and done a bit of weeding in the last month.
I've still got the sweetcorn/pumpkin bed to dig over.
Monday, 20 October 2008
Slowing down
Went up Sunday morning for 1 1/2 hours. Did a bit of weeding and took off all the remaining Cayenne and Bell peppers before the frost. The Cayenne have been fabulous - prolific and very hot!
I also pulled about 20 radish up, loads more to come and got my usual helping of salad leaves (standard, spicy and rocket) for my sandwiches this week.
Got plenty of raspberries but they look like they are nearing the end so I've frozen some.
The corn salad is looking good and I've put about 80 onion sets in - red and white and a bit of garlic.
The purple sprouting broccoli plants look very healthy, I just haven't had any broccoli - it might come in the spring.
I've got a couple more raised beds to construct over the winter and that will be all 8 done according to my plan.
Popped up later on Sunday with the family and we pulled a few leeks up to have this week - some of them are a good size and smelled wonderful.
I also pulled about 20 radish up, loads more to come and got my usual helping of salad leaves (standard, spicy and rocket) for my sandwiches this week.
Got plenty of raspberries but they look like they are nearing the end so I've frozen some.
The corn salad is looking good and I've put about 80 onion sets in - red and white and a bit of garlic.
The purple sprouting broccoli plants look very healthy, I just haven't had any broccoli - it might come in the spring.
I've got a couple more raised beds to construct over the winter and that will be all 8 done according to my plan.
Popped up later on Sunday with the family and we pulled a few leeks up to have this week - some of them are a good size and smelled wonderful.
Monday, 15 September 2008
Harvest
Dug up all the remaining main crop potatoes on Saturday, cleaned them up and left them for a couple of hours in the sun before storing in hessian sacks. A few had holes. To be expected I suppose but otherwise I am really pleased with the result. I haven't weighed them but I reckon I've got about 15 - 20 kilos - should keep us going for a while!
The sweetcorn are almost all ready and taste delicious.
My bell peppers and gartenpole tomatoes have been brilliant, still loads more to pick.
The cayenne pepper has been really successful, lovely red colour and nice and hot.
The leeks are coming along great and the autumn raspberries are coming thick and fast.
Almost total failure of my cauliflowers, had a couple of heads but most of them bolted or got attacked by caterpillars. My purple sprouting broccoli plants are huge but I can't see any heads. The brussel sprouts seem to have survived the caterpillar invasion. The rocket, spicy salad and radishes have all been superb.
I shall be planting some red and white onion sets soon ready to overwinter in the bed where some of the potatoes where.
All in all, I have been really pleased how my first year went.
The sweetcorn are almost all ready and taste delicious.
My bell peppers and gartenpole tomatoes have been brilliant, still loads more to pick.
The cayenne pepper has been really successful, lovely red colour and nice and hot.
The leeks are coming along great and the autumn raspberries are coming thick and fast.
Almost total failure of my cauliflowers, had a couple of heads but most of them bolted or got attacked by caterpillars. My purple sprouting broccoli plants are huge but I can't see any heads. The brussel sprouts seem to have survived the caterpillar invasion. The rocket, spicy salad and radishes have all been superb.
I shall be planting some red and white onion sets soon ready to overwinter in the bed where some of the potatoes where.
All in all, I have been really pleased how my first year went.
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
August and everything is doing great.
Got back from holiday at the end of July and everything is going great guns!
We've now finished the early potatoes - they were brilliant - very tasty although fairly large by the end. I've put some salad and some radish in where they used to be. I'm not sure what else to plant in there - I will do some more reading, still learning.
The carrots, peas and mange tout have done really well and there's still plenty left.
I am now a convert to green beans - I haven't eaten them for years - somebody at the allotment gave me 8 plants so I stuck them in - had some - very tasty, give me some more.
One of the sunflowers broke while I was on holiday but I had a spare so we still have one for each daughter. My youngest daughter came with me on Saturday and Sunday morning - brill - she loves pulling stuff up - we harvested all the onions and they are now hanging up on string in one of my sheds at home. The garlic has been distributed to friends and family - I did way too much.
I'm really impressed with the pumpkins - some are like footballs - we've got 9 on 2 plants so far.
The sweetcorn have 2 or 3 cobs forming on each plant and the cauliflowers have some nice heads coming.
My purple sprouting broccoli and the brussels plants are growing well but no sign of anything yet.
Finally, the bell and the cayenne peppers are doing great.
We had our Sunday lunch at our table and chairs - it's a great place to be with the family - the dog came too!
We've now finished the early potatoes - they were brilliant - very tasty although fairly large by the end. I've put some salad and some radish in where they used to be. I'm not sure what else to plant in there - I will do some more reading, still learning.
The carrots, peas and mange tout have done really well and there's still plenty left.
I am now a convert to green beans - I haven't eaten them for years - somebody at the allotment gave me 8 plants so I stuck them in - had some - very tasty, give me some more.
One of the sunflowers broke while I was on holiday but I had a spare so we still have one for each daughter. My youngest daughter came with me on Saturday and Sunday morning - brill - she loves pulling stuff up - we harvested all the onions and they are now hanging up on string in one of my sheds at home. The garlic has been distributed to friends and family - I did way too much.
I'm really impressed with the pumpkins - some are like footballs - we've got 9 on 2 plants so far.
The sweetcorn have 2 or 3 cobs forming on each plant and the cauliflowers have some nice heads coming.
My purple sprouting broccoli and the brussels plants are growing well but no sign of anything yet.
Finally, the bell and the cayenne peppers are doing great.
We had our Sunday lunch at our table and chairs - it's a great place to be with the family - the dog came too!
Wednesday, 2 July 2008
Summer?
July is here and the potatoes just keep coming.
Loads of early carrots, some of the yellow onions are ready - delicious.
The red onions are coming on - pulled one up last night.
It's been a fantastic year for strawberries so far - punnet after punnet.
The leeks are doing well and my brassica bed is filling up.
I've put some Cavolfiori green cauli in a seed tray - an experiment.
Had some lovely peas and the mange tout are nearly ready.
The kids beds are taking shape - sweet peas, sunflower, lily, sweet william, lobelia, fruits, etc.
You can't beat this allotment lark - when I started last September, little did we know how expensive food and fuel was going to be so I'm really please I took the plunge and I'm keeping fit as well - I go on my bike 9 times out of 10.
Loads of early carrots, some of the yellow onions are ready - delicious.
The red onions are coming on - pulled one up last night.
It's been a fantastic year for strawberries so far - punnet after punnet.
The leeks are doing well and my brassica bed is filling up.
I've put some Cavolfiori green cauli in a seed tray - an experiment.
Had some lovely peas and the mange tout are nearly ready.
The kids beds are taking shape - sweet peas, sunflower, lily, sweet william, lobelia, fruits, etc.
You can't beat this allotment lark - when I started last September, little did we know how expensive food and fuel was going to be so I'm really please I took the plunge and I'm keeping fit as well - I go on my bike 9 times out of 10.
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