With http://www.butterwickwells.co.uk/ taking up most of our waking hours, time spent at the allotment has been considerably less this May than the last couple of years.
A couple of ok days of weather over the bank holiday allowed a bit of catching up and an audit of where we were at. Cropped a load of rhubarb stalks, much of it exchanged for a couple of pints at the pub. There is something deeply satisfying about moneyless trade, especially when both sides win. We got two pints for something that would have gone to waste - they got over £15 (at overpriced supermarket rate) of rhubarb for a quarter of the price.
Did a bit of late sowing at home on 30th: tomatoes(v.v. late), coriander, butternut squash(v late), french beans, more peas, sunflowers, marigolds.
On 31st did another half tray each of little gem lettuce and radish at alottment to keep succession going.
More to follow...
Tuesday, 1 June 2010
Saturday, 8 May 2010
May
Brassicas and Beans coming along nicely and should be ready to go in ground shortly.
Thurs 6...
Belated bought some sweetcorn and planted today (in attic) along with a few pots of basil.
Weds 6...
Cropped forced rhubarb today and left uncovered now. Broke off developing flower heads that were just starting in all 3 patches.
.
Thurs 6...
Belated bought some sweetcorn and planted today (in attic) along with a few pots of basil.
Weds 6...
Cropped forced rhubarb today and left uncovered now. Broke off developing flower heads that were just starting in all 3 patches.
.
Saturday, 24 April 2010
Here come the slugs again
Daffodils and Tulips going strong...
After nearly a hot sunny day today (actually a hazy day with an cool east wind nothing like what the met office predicted again) , the forecast for what it's worth is for showers and warm nights so expecting a slug population explosion.
Saturday
Sown peas and carrots in pots outdoors, plus full trays of cabbage(hispi) and kale (nero di toscana) and half trays of parsnip (white gem), leek (carantan), celeriac (monarch) and some aubretia. Scattered a few old watercress seeds into ponds.
Saturday
Sown peas and carrots in pots outdoors, plus full trays of cabbage(hispi) and kale (nero di toscana) and half trays of parsnip (white gem), leek (carantan), celeriac (monarch) and some aubretia. Scattered a few old watercress seeds into ponds.
Friday
Sowed packet (100+) of peas in attic.
Sowed packet (100+) of peas in attic.
Sunday, 18 April 2010
Eyjafjallajoekull
Sunday 18th
The forced rhubarb has been growing at a rate that makes Usain Bolt look a little casual and the first of this year’s perfect pink crop was picked today. Likely to give it another couple of weeks, before cropping again for freezing... pending the arrival of blackcurrants in summer to turn into jam. Much less slug activity than last year, perhaps as a consequence of a longer colder winter? or maybe just the current dry spell combined with cool nights is keeping them quiet for now, plenty lurking about.
More seeds sown... half trays of beetroot(x2), unnamed free co-op salad leaves (look like mustards) and Gardeners World red lettuce (from last year’s free seeds). One beetroot tray into mini pollyhouse, rest of seedlings into plastic box.
Spinach from two weeks ago still not up, but rest of seed trays taken out of plastic box and put under open sided glass.
Plenty of naturally occuring radish from last year's seeds - so sliced a couple of spadefuls into a tray. Rest of bed roughly hoed to kill off a few weeds.
Installed new raised bed donated from next door and filled with compost from last year’s piles.
Saturday 17th
A nice long day in the sun – hottest day of year - with more weeding and tidying, found another small newt hiding under water butt when moving it, so was relocated to ponds area.
Sawed a bit of prolific Iris tuber off to give a bit more space in main pond and re-planted them in ground. Plenty of frogs and newts enjoying the weather once debris settled.
Friday 16th
Flying visit to water seedlings on a warm day, before work. After a sunny dry week all seeds showing except spinach.
Saturday 10th/ Sunday 11th
Long dry~ish spell allowed a few trenches to be dug (yes, I know!) and manured on Saturday before planting main crop of Cara potatoes on Sunday.
Only 1 radish from last week’s sowing showing on Saturday but few lettuce popped out by Sunday.
Brassicas potted on to bigger pots after a good week's growth.
The forced rhubarb has been growing at a rate that makes Usain Bolt look a little casual and the first of this year’s perfect pink crop was picked today. Likely to give it another couple of weeks, before cropping again for freezing... pending the arrival of blackcurrants in summer to turn into jam. Much less slug activity than last year, perhaps as a consequence of a longer colder winter? or maybe just the current dry spell combined with cool nights is keeping them quiet for now, plenty lurking about.
More seeds sown... half trays of beetroot(x2), unnamed free co-op salad leaves (look like mustards) and Gardeners World red lettuce (from last year’s free seeds). One beetroot tray into mini pollyhouse, rest of seedlings into plastic box.
Spinach from two weeks ago still not up, but rest of seed trays taken out of plastic box and put under open sided glass.
Plenty of naturally occuring radish from last year's seeds - so sliced a couple of spadefuls into a tray. Rest of bed roughly hoed to kill off a few weeds.
Installed new raised bed donated from next door and filled with compost from last year’s piles.
Saturday 17th
A nice long day in the sun – hottest day of year - with more weeding and tidying, found another small newt hiding under water butt when moving it, so was relocated to ponds area.
Sawed a bit of prolific Iris tuber off to give a bit more space in main pond and re-planted them in ground. Plenty of frogs and newts enjoying the weather once debris settled.
Friday 16th
Flying visit to water seedlings on a warm day, before work. After a sunny dry week all seeds showing except spinach.
Saturday 10th/ Sunday 11th
Long dry~ish spell allowed a few trenches to be dug (yes, I know!) and manured on Saturday before planting main crop of Cara potatoes on Sunday.
Only 1 radish from last week’s sowing showing on Saturday but few lettuce popped out by Sunday.
Brassicas potted on to bigger pots after a good week's growth.
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