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!!

03 March 2013

Just a quick post today ....

Today i moved all of the onion seedlings into individual cells they have grown quite big!!
It didn't take too long so i decided to sow a few seeds golden acre cabbage, all year round cauliflower and green marble f1 brussels sprouts only a couple of each i'll sow more in a few weeks :)

2nd March 2013

It's finally March!!! seed sowing time :) I have been busy this afternoon in the greenhouse sowing lots of different flower seeds, at the moment i have a pop up greenhouse with 4 tiers and a polythene cover,i heat this with an electric tube heater and keep just a few seedlings in there as i don't want to heat the whole greenhouse with my electric heater day and night,its just not worth it with the few seeds that have germinated.

The only vegetables that i have sown are leeks,celery,celeriac,sweet pepper,chili pepper,tomato,lettuce,onions which have been grown from seed and some broad beans which are getting quite big!!now it's March i can sow lots more :)

Me and my son Callum went to the allotment this morning it was very nice to see the sun shining.
A few months ago i planted some garlic but nothing has happened?? i dug a couple up they have no roots they are just sat there so i will assume nothing will come from them .
I took along some elephant garlic and planted that its much bigger than normal garlic with a milder taste.
We dug up the spring cabbages, purple sprouting broccoli and the last of the leeks and dug it all over now everything is clear and ready for planting.... I think my next job will be sowing some parsnip seeds there.

09 February 2013

I had decided yesterday it was going to be too cold to go down to the allotment today ,however when i looked out this morning and saw the ground wasn't frozen and the sun shining i told my son callum to hurry up and get ready for the allotment.
We were well wrapped up but it didn't seem that cold with the sun warming us up ,it was only when the sun went in that we really felt the chill....

Todays task was to plant some shallots i didn't grow any last year but did the first year i took on the allotment ...i did miss them last year as i like using them in casseroles ..... anyway they are now in the ground :)

I quickly limed the area were my cabbages and cauliflowers are going to be it all helps with clubroot!!

We did manage to hoe around the strawberry plants too my plot looks almost weed free now :) ....not for long though I'm sure!!

Brought home the last 2 parsnips from my plot :( and a leek ....... it was a good morning and nice to see others there too ...can't wait to go down again soon :)

Sunday 27th January 2013 after the bad weather finally able to get on my plot

I was very happy this morning when i looked out to see no more white stuff on the ground :)

I took callum with me to the allotment this afternoon i only planned to pick a cabbage and dig up some parsnips but we ended up doing more!!
I decided to dig up some leeks and the last 2 remaining savoy cabbages this left us with more ground to dig over , it was was good to finally be able to do something to the soil when i did go down just before christmas the ground had been frozen so we couldn't dig where the carrots had been and i was beginning to think it would have been a mad rush to get it done in time, the only bits left now are where the two cages stand

Also dug up some parsnips i think there are about 2 left ,i checked on the purple sprouting broccoli and found it was ready :)  there are lots of side sprouts forming so looks like i'll be getting lots more to pick soon