It's been strawberries for breafast, lunch and tea for the past month and finally this year's crop is slowing production, with only one punnet picked today - ready for another batch of jam due next week. First batch already made a couple of weeks ago.
Cauliflowers blooming in past two weeks, joining first carrots picked today for tea, along with some broad beans and new potatoes.... and strawberries for dessert!
Cherry tree damaged in winds and squally showers yesterday, so will need to give a tidy trim.
Unable to pick blackcurrants - bound to lose some following this week's torrential downpours that is swelling them to bursting point - as happened last year. Will try and pick next week... and make room in freezer pending jam making.
Showing posts with label Cauliflowers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cauliflowers. Show all posts
Sunday, 18 July 2010
Sunday, 28 March 2010
Spring Clean II
With a taste of winter forecast to return next week, made the effort to get down to allotment and get some preparation done.
Saturday - In addition to some weeding and tidying up, finally got first early potatoes (International Kidney) in the ground - bed E1. Broke the 'no-digging after Xmas' rule to get troughs deep enough. Usually would set them in peat but trying multi-compost/sand mixture this time plus a little hoof and horn - and then well rotted chicken manure over top of soil. Covered up E1 & D1(after a quick rake) with a big tarp to keep warm and give spuds a boost to catch up - should have been in 2 or 3 weeks ago.
Sunday - Another sunny day, with a bit of a cool wind that only briefly dropped. Bought and potted on some red cabbage, swede, cauliflower and khol rabi seedlings - 6 of each (with a couple of small extra's in the cauli's) plus a couple of pots (16) Broad Beans. Placed inside 3 tier polly house, but set up only to two tiers to keep it out of wind a bit more.
Managed to weed and rake all the other main beds, save for F1 which am leaving wild for now and A1 that still has last year's leeks and wind sown salsify. Limed B1/B2 in readiness for brassicas and dug C2 into 4 troughs ready for 2nd early potatoes in a couple of weeks hopefully. Scattered organic manure into troughs and left uncovered to let rain wash into ground.
Saturday - In addition to some weeding and tidying up, finally got first early potatoes (International Kidney) in the ground - bed E1. Broke the 'no-digging after Xmas' rule to get troughs deep enough. Usually would set them in peat but trying multi-compost/sand mixture this time plus a little hoof and horn - and then well rotted chicken manure over top of soil. Covered up E1 & D1(after a quick rake) with a big tarp to keep warm and give spuds a boost to catch up - should have been in 2 or 3 weeks ago.
Sunday - Another sunny day, with a bit of a cool wind that only briefly dropped. Bought and potted on some red cabbage, swede, cauliflower and khol rabi seedlings - 6 of each (with a couple of small extra's in the cauli's) plus a couple of pots (16) Broad Beans. Placed inside 3 tier polly house, but set up only to two tiers to keep it out of wind a bit more.
Managed to weed and rake all the other main beds, save for F1 which am leaving wild for now and A1 that still has last year's leeks and wind sown salsify. Limed B1/B2 in readiness for brassicas and dug C2 into 4 troughs ready for 2nd early potatoes in a couple of weeks hopefully. Scattered organic manure into troughs and left uncovered to let rain wash into ground.
Sunday, 2 August 2009
It can't rain all the time
A day of wildlife...
Cropped about a quarter of the charlotte potatoes, not too much damage but a couple had gone yellow and few more starting, so will have to get rest out soon.
Cropped about a quarter of the charlotte potatoes, not too much damage but a couple had gone yellow and few more starting, so will have to get rest out soon.
Also cabbage, cauliflowers, a couple of huge courgettes, beetroot, peas and broad beans.
Sunday, 26 July 2009
Here comes the rain again
Not much going on with all the wet weather, but Saturday's respite allowed the late redcurrants, gooseberries and the remaining jersey potatoes to be cropped before slugs, wireworms, etc cause too much damage. Couple of the Charlotte's had gone yellow and wilted, but didn't have time to dig up so hopefully nothing that will spread too quick.
Carrots have been decimated - carrot root fly the most likely culprit, as we didn't put nets up around them this year.
Early peas deliciously ready with 2nd batch not far off. Yesterday's haul also included lettuce, cabbage and caulis.
Blueberries just starting to ripen, so will have to get nets over next visit before the birds spot them.
Last week, in between heavy showers, managed to get all the blackcurrants picked, exactly 5 pounds (after a pound or so were bartered away in the pub!) - washed and frozen pending next jam making session.
Speaking of the weather, I was highly sceptical in Spring - (primarily because the general conditions were the same as the previous couple of years suggesting a similar North Atlantic Oscillation situation, but also because of the exceptional sunspot shortage) - when the Met Office predicted a much hotter drier summer this year and sadly it has turned out much worse than last year, and almost as bad as the year before.
Carrots have been decimated - carrot root fly the most likely culprit, as we didn't put nets up around them this year.
Early peas deliciously ready with 2nd batch not far off. Yesterday's haul also included lettuce, cabbage and caulis.
Blueberries just starting to ripen, so will have to get nets over next visit before the birds spot them.
Last week, in between heavy showers, managed to get all the blackcurrants picked, exactly 5 pounds (after a pound or so were bartered away in the pub!) - washed and frozen pending next jam making session.
Speaking of the weather, I was highly sceptical in Spring - (primarily because the general conditions were the same as the previous couple of years suggesting a similar North Atlantic Oscillation situation, but also because of the exceptional sunspot shortage) - when the Met Office predicted a much hotter drier summer this year and sadly it has turned out much worse than last year, and almost as bad as the year before.
Saturday, 11 July 2009
Today, I am mainly eating Red
Quick visit to crop the early and middle redcurrants - with late bush fruits just starting to turn redish now. Net had blown off so birds got a bonus feed and estimate they had at least half from first two bushes.
Also got the first courgette of the year, a handful of strawberries and raspberries and another cauliflower.
One of the sprouts has a lot of grey fluffy bugs and is a bit eaten, doubt it will recover?
Nipped a couple of green catapillars off a cabbage along with a few sporadic eggs, so may have to start checking all brassica leaves again.
Also got the first courgette of the year, a handful of strawberries and raspberries and another cauliflower.
One of the sprouts has a lot of grey fluffy bugs and is a bit eaten, doubt it will recover?
Nipped a couple of green catapillars off a cabbage along with a few sporadic eggs, so may have to start checking all brassica leaves again.
Friday, 10 July 2009
Catching Up
June was a warm month and everything has been growing well so now seems an appropriate time to review where everything is at.
Bed A1 (Alliums)
- 2 salsify (2008) grown on for seed - has beautiful seed heads (hundreds collected already)
- Parsley (2008) also grown on - still edible if a little tougher
- 6 clumps of red spring onions
- Leeks, still very small so it may be baby leeks for Christmas dinner.
Bed A2
- Around 60 Stutgarter white onions
- 2 surviving garlic (2008)
- patch of sunflowers (giant russian)
- side row of Little Gem Lettuce
Bed B1 (Legumes)
- Broad Beans (had first early crop for tea last night)
- patch of sunflowers (giant russian)
- row of leeks (2008) - bit tough to eat but fine for flavouring stocks and hopefully will flower for seed
Bed B2
- Peas
- Dwarf French Beans
- Sweet peas for a splash of late colour and food for bees
Bed C1 (Brassicas)
- Khol Rabi - now swelling fast, still no idea what they taste like or what to do with them! Originally intercropped with oriental mustards for salads but now all eaten.
- Swedes (originally intercropped with radish, now eaten)
- Turnips (originally intercropped with radish, now eaten)
- Summer/Autumn Cabbage (with 1 last spring cabbage remaining)
Bed C2
- Brussel Sprouts (intercropped with summer cabbage)
- Red Cabbage (intercropped as above, and 1 savoy)
- Cauliflowers (eaten half so far, and intercropped with radish)
Bed F1
- radish
- oriental mustards
- little gem lettuce
these will all be eaten over the summer to leave just:
- broccoli
- kale nero
Bed D1 (Roots)
- Carrots
- Beetroot
Bed D2
- Charlotte 2nd early potatoes (first taste laste week!)
Bed E1
- Jersey Royal 1st early (about half plants eaten so far and absolutely delicious)
Sweetcorn (growing strongly, but not quite so good as last year as July has been so much cooler)
- a border of dwarf sunflowers on 3 sides
- side row of Little Gem lettuce (under a cloche to keep tender)
Bed A1 (Alliums)
- 2 salsify (2008) grown on for seed - has beautiful seed heads (hundreds collected already)
- Parsley (2008) also grown on - still edible if a little tougher
- 6 clumps of red spring onions
- Leeks, still very small so it may be baby leeks for Christmas dinner.
Bed A2
- Around 60 Stutgarter white onions
- 2 surviving garlic (2008)
- patch of sunflowers (giant russian)
- side row of Little Gem Lettuce
Bed B1 (Legumes)
- Broad Beans (had first early crop for tea last night)
- patch of sunflowers (giant russian)
- row of leeks (2008) - bit tough to eat but fine for flavouring stocks and hopefully will flower for seed
Bed B2
- Peas
- Dwarf French Beans
- Sweet peas for a splash of late colour and food for bees
Bed C1 (Brassicas)
- Khol Rabi - now swelling fast, still no idea what they taste like or what to do with them! Originally intercropped with oriental mustards for salads but now all eaten.
- Swedes (originally intercropped with radish, now eaten)
- Turnips (originally intercropped with radish, now eaten)
- Summer/Autumn Cabbage (with 1 last spring cabbage remaining)
Bed C2
- Brussel Sprouts (intercropped with summer cabbage)
- Red Cabbage (intercropped as above, and 1 savoy)
- Cauliflowers (eaten half so far, and intercropped with radish)
Bed F1
- radish
- oriental mustards
- little gem lettuce
these will all be eaten over the summer to leave just:
- broccoli
- kale nero
Bed D1 (Roots)
- Carrots
- Beetroot
Bed D2
- Charlotte 2nd early potatoes (first taste laste week!)
Bed E1
- Jersey Royal 1st early (about half plants eaten so far and absolutely delicious)
Bed E2
Sweetcorn (growing strongly, but not quite so good as last year as July has been so much cooler)- a border of dwarf sunflowers on 3 sides
- side row of Little Gem lettuce (under a cloche to keep tender)
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