June has started off windy but there's been planting aplenty!

It's been really windy lately and not that warm but managed a few trips to the plot last week

31 May

Popped up to dig up my first crop of first early potatoes for the year. They were delicious!

1 June

Earthed up more of the potatoes. Most of the main crops varieties are showing through now. The onions, shallots and carrots are growing well on the top allotment but the parsnips are a bit hit and miss so I've sowed a few more in the gaps.

On the bottom allotment, some of the aubergines and beans don't look that great but the peas are doing well.

3 June

Dug up some more potatoes, really nice:

I've covered up the strawberries on bottom allotment and most of the ones on the top with wondermesh as some are starting to turn:

4 June

Couldn't help it, dug some more spuds up ready for a BBQ tomorrow. On the bottom allotment I planted a couple of courgettes in the front bed (one is a bit small!), added some more sweetcorn to fill that bed and put some purple sprouts and red cabbage in and wonder-meshed that:

On the top allotment I put a couple of rows of leeks in (Musselburgh):

Usual technique of using the end of a broom handle to make the hole, insert and hold leek, fill hole with water and then leave to settle.

I also planted some butternut squash and a pumpkin:

7 June

Watering trip this morning, found my first 3 ripe strawberries - they've started and they're really tasty, yippee!:

My wife took one of the red onions as we've just about finished all the ones from last year and we put a few sunflowers in too.

I was very surprised to see very small pears, plums and apples forming. Could this be the first year where I get all three to actually crop! I put some sticky band stuff round all three - should have done it earlier but better late than never.

Back at home in the greenhouse, the tomatoes are growing very well, some tomatoes have already formed. The cucumber is beginning to shoot but the aubergines are a bit slow, the plants look healthy enough just not growing that much. I have started to rig up a micro irrigation system to make it easier to water.

I need to pot up the pepper plants, they are a bit behind so will have to see if they actually produce anything!

Middle of May and more planting

May 12 Planted a few aubergines, a cucumber and some African Marigolds in the greenhouse at home. Tomatoes coming along nicely, up to 3 sets now.

May 13 A hour or so in the evening was spent watering and planting some sweetcorn in one of raised beds on bottom allotment but there's more at home to go in at some point. I put some sweet peas in the front bed. I also had to earth up some of the potatoes on the top allotment and weeded the carrots and parsnips.

May 15 Had a great afternoon on the plot. Filled another bed with peas (duly sticked) and dwarf beans (Cobra).

Also put the spare aubergines in another bed - don't know if they'll survive as it's not that warm!

I've taken the double layer of fleece off the rocket potatoes which are flowering well now, looking forward to first crop in early June. In another bed I sowed some Rainbow Chard. I enjoyed this last year!

May 17 Stewed a bit more rhubarb and made a crumble, yummmmm!

May 18 Planted some of the African Marigolds and all of the Cornflowers in the bed in the front garden this evening. The late peppers I put in after the first ones failed are doing ok but a bit small to pot on at the moment.

May 4th - Weed Free Zone!

April 28 Finally got all potatoes in at allotment. Biked up to put last 12 in.

Top plot looking pretty neat now!

May 4 2015 Weed free zone! 4 hour session on the allotment today. Sowed 3 rows of carrots and a row of beetroot on the bottom allotment and demolished the weeds on the top allotment.

The bottom plot still needs a bit of work but it's getting there:

Tomatoes are finally in the greenhouse. Sungold & Golden Sunrise

I've also managed to rig up a shelving system/potting station at the back using the metal frame from an old plastic greenhouse.

April 28th - Catching Up (at the plot, in the greenhouse and the conservatory)

It's been catch up time on the plot this April. As I've been busy over the winter re-designing the garden the plot has been a bit neglected - didn't do much winter digging and as a result it's been a lot harder getting the potatoes in as I've been digging, wedding, breaking up the soil and then planting.

Anyhow, this is what I've been getting up to over the month:

3rd - Made some more leek & potato (with onion) soup for lunch, all from allotment.

Remaining seed potatoes are chitting in the utility room. Planting them in the next few weeks at the allotment.

4th - Been in the greenhouse sowing seeds. Leeks, purple sprouts, more marigolds, rosemary, lettuce & mixed salad.

Two rows of parsnips & carrots put in on top allotment.

Some of the first early potatoes I put in under glass last month were showing through. I earthed up about 10 of them.

Checked out the forced rhubarb - coming along nicely. I accidentally knocked 2 stalks off ;), it's delicious raw.

5th - I'd applied for the free wild flower seed kits from Grow Wild / Kew Gardens on behalf of the allotmentsit I'm on. I sowed a wild flower bed on daughter's bed on bottom allotment this morning and handed out lots of boxes of free seeds to fellow allotmenteers.

Three of raised beds on bottom allotment prepped this morning. Had to do some repairs to the side of one of them that was rotting after 8 years. There's a few more pieces I need to renew.

12th - Took the cover off the forced rhubarb this morning. A lovely crop - crumble here we come!

23 Abbot first early spuds put in bottom allotment this morning. Swiss chard still going from last year!

Whoops, I found a few parsnips I'd missed this evening on the top allotment.

17th - Sowed another tray of leeks as first ones didn't look like anything was happening.

Made my newspaper pots and sowed some peas in them. I've put them all in an old washing up bowl and covered it with bubble wrap.

19th - Potted on the Sungold and Golden Sunrise tomatoes at home.

21st - Most visits now I see this friendly robin. It get's pretty close looking for worms!

Another 20 potatoes in - top allotment this time, variety is Lady Christl.

23rd - Put 20 Sarpo Mira potatoes in next to the Lady Cristl. Coming to the conclusion I may have bought too many spuds, 40 more to go, phew.

I've had to keep lifting the glass on the rocket potatoes I put in last month - they seem to be growing really well - looking forward to digging them up early June!

25th - Daughter's parrot tulips in allotment looking good!

14 Pink Fir Apple & 14 Jazzy potatoes in at the allotment. Biked it up for a 4 hour stint only 12 more potatoes to put in!

At home, I'd like to put the tomatoes in the greenhouse but it's still a bit cold. They are growing well!

Only one of the peppers I sowed has germinated so I've sown some more in the same tray and added a bit more compost. Might be a bit late for them but I'll give it a go.

26th - Sowed some french beans - Cobra, some sweetcorn, butternut squash, courgettes (sunstripe hybrid and a yellow variety) in the greenhouse. There was a frost forecast so I moved them into the heated propogator in the conservatory. Both trays of leeks have now germinated!

27th - Last night I potted on some of the dwarf Aubergines that I'm attempting to grow. They are looking pretty healthy, we'll see if they actually produce any fruit. Maybe I'll have better luck in my new greenhouse!

I feel like I've nearly caught up with where I should be at this point in the growing year. Note to self: Must be more prepared next year!

Jan to March - a bit behind!

I'm a bit behind this year as I've been busy with setting up the new greenhouse and a raised patio area at home but there has been some activity at the plot!

The first early potatoes went in under glass earlier on March 6th

and I pulled up a few leeks which I used in leek & potato soup

Spent some time in the greenhouse this weekend potting on the tomatoes I sowed a few weeks ago (Sungold and Golden Sunrise). I also sowed some more tomatoes (Indigo rose and Tigerella) and some bell peppers, red cabbage, marigolds, cornflowers and sunflowers. These are all in the conservatory at the moment until it warms up a bit. The aubergines I sowed at the same time as the tomatoes have germinated but are still very small.

End of 2014

September to December were a busy time on the plot, harvesting and some planting

Dug up most of the remaining spuds in September:

The courgettes continued in abundance!

Had my best year yet for pumpkins:

and the Rainbow Chard has been a great success. The french beans and raspberries have done really well too:

The sweet peas carried on well in to September

A trip up on Christmas Eve got a nice harvest for Christmas Day:

The roasted parsnip was particularly tasty!

At home the new greenhouse has taken some time as weather (including snow) has hampered my efforts and I needed to repair/repaint the fence and build a new higher base.

It's almost complete now but here's the stage photos:

Original greenhouse in a state of undress!

End of November, hole dug and outer perimiter of base laid.

December 20th, fence repair and repainting completed, 6 inch plinths added and blocks for central path laid.

December 21st, aluminium base fixed into position and some earth moving!

Boxing Day, assembly of main wooden structure commenced.

and then the snow came.....