2013 an ever expanding list of things im growing this year!!

LETTUCE- little gem,   iceberg,   webbs wonderful,  balmoral,  lobjoits (cos)
ONIONS-  bedfordshire champion (from seed) ,  welsh onions (permanent at the allotment) 
 silverskin (for pickling)
LEEKS   autumn giant,  musselburgh
CABBAGE  savoy,  golden acre,  january king,  winter king, april, a red variety i forgot the name
CAULIFLOWER all year round,  amazing,  snowball
CUCUMBER   marketmore
SWEET BELL PEPPER
CELERIAC    giant prague
CHILI PEPPER
TOMATO  red cherry,  gardeners delight,  alicante,  minibel,  marmande
GHERKIN
CELERY
AUBERGINE  moneymaker
MELON  hearts of gold
ALPINE STRAWBERRY   from seed red and white mix
SWEETCORN  britpop
SQUASH   vegetable spaghetti,  winter butternut, courgette,  winter sweet dumpling,
SWEET POTATO  grown from my own slips
SHALLOTS  golden gourmet
HERBS   basil,  sweet basil,  lemon basil,  parsley,  thyme,  chives,  rosemary, 
BROCCOLI  early sprouting purple,  autumn green calabrese,  rudolph
PEAS   hurst greenshaft
RUNNER BEAN  prizewinner stringless
ELEPHANT GARLIC
POTATOES first earlies foremost,   second earlies charlotte,  carlingford,  maris peer
                       maincrop red rooster
BEETROOT  boltardy
BROAD BEANS  bunyards exhibition
CRESS
TURNIPS   purple top milan
SWEDE  invitation
KOHL RABI  superscmelz
CHARD
KALE
SPINACH
SPINACH BEET
SPRING ONION
RADISH

FRUIT BUSHES   redcurrant,  blackcurrant, raspberry, strawberry,  pineberry,  blueberry , cranberry ,  blackberry
a dwarf apple tree and an orange and lemon patio tree

                      

20/04/2013 finally perfect weather

It was perfect weather at the allotment this morning, not too hot or too cold,and no annoying blustery wind!! We arrived around 10 am to find four plot holders already there and so many changes to the plots since since our last visit ....many are now being planted up with various things and structures have appeared ,like runner bean frames.... i did mention to my son as we walked down that i would be putting up my runner bean frame ....its was met by a groan he knows too well it takes me forever ....... not this year though!!

I took down my pineberry plants today they are the white strawberries that are supposed to taste like pineapple .. they have been in the cold frame for two weeks and have grown so much i decided now was the time for them to be planted out

 

 

There is a lady who live across the road from the allotments and she has a small piece of land she grows veg on ,she often yells over the hedge and hands me plants for passing around the allotments last week it was cabbages and cauliflowers which i didn't need so passed them around ,today it was leeks ,beetroot and broad beans i took only a few of each as i have lots growing then passed the rest around there was more than enough!! this also meant lots of chatting which i don't mind everyone is really nice there :)

 

On to the runner bean frame thought id get it done out the way I'm not planning on sowing the beans until next month,but i will be busy with other things.. this year i built it with 5 poles on each side and strengthened it in the middle with another pole ....this year it wont lean or sway badly in the wind ....well that is the plan!! and it will save the other plot holders mocking my construction skills laugh they may haha but it always stays upright!!!

 

 

 



  I should also point out i built it really quickly

 

 

Things have changed alot in the last week finally i have a row of shallots and one of the elephant garlic bulbs has made an appearance

 

 

one row of shallots :)

 

 

one elephant garlic bulb has come through

 

 

peas and broad beans that i planted as plants last week

 

 

this blackcurrant bush seems to have really changed in a week

 

 







 

After around two hours we returned home for lunch and then i spent most of the afternoon sowing more seeds and replanting things

 

today i sowed the squashes........ butternut squash.........winter sweet dumpling squash........vegetable spaghetti squash...and courgette.... busy day but an enjoyable one :)







13 April 2013

Another sunny morning today so off i headed to the allotment i took my 14 year old son with me again ,you wouldn't believe it was so nice as now its raining but as you will see from a couple of pictures i'll post here my soil is so dry it really needs some rain.

I took with me some peas and broad beans that have been hardening off in the cold frame.... after having a chat with another plot holder i got on with putting up some chicken wire to support the peas

 

 

I had sown just the right amount for the row ill have to count them and make a note so i know how many to grow next year

 

 

 



 

Next the broad beans i actually hate them ......but the seeds were free on the front of a magazine i buy so decided to give them a go and pick them when they are small apparently they taste much nicer and sweeter

Still no sign of the shallots sprouting :( or the garlic but having read a few internet forums it seems most that bought wilkos garlic are having the same problem ....oh well there is always next year!!

My son was in charge of cutting back the mint which i grow in black flower buckets as they spread everywhere looks all neat and tidy now :)

ill leave you to look at a picture of my plot as it looked today

02/04/2013..............planting has begun!!

Finally the chilly weather has moved away :) well almost it was around 7C today here in Lincoln and amazingly the sun was shining so i went down to the allotment with my 14 yr old son and actually did some work on the plot ...it's been ages!!!

I took along enough first earlies for 2 rows, my plot is about 15 ft wide so i normally get 13 per row the soil was dry on the top my soil is sandy so a bit of sunshine and it turns dry like sand

they are finally in the ground planted nice and deep and i'm hoping tomorrow to plant some second earlies

Here i am drawing the soil back on top my plot runs from left to right on the picture so behind me isnt my plot :) but you can see how quickly the soil has dried out .....there was a sprinkling of snow first thing this morning!!!

There was another plot holder there today which was nice to see :) i think spring may finally be here!!