Sunday 28 June 2015

Busy, Busy on the plot with an aerial shot too!

Last weekend of June and we got a lot done too. 

Earthed up the Cara Potatoes again, using the draw hoe again. 

No show yet from the Kerrs Pink I planted only a week ago LoL
This patch with the Cauliflowers, Onions, Parsnips, Broad Beans, Shallots and Runner Beans is looking good, everything is growing fast. 

Except for the winter Onions that we will take up soon, then in the space left I will plant some Musselburgh Leeks.
In last weeks Blog video I tried to show the Gooseberries, but not very well. 
So here is a better shot of just one branch laden with fruit!

The Cox's Orange Pippin apples are still getting bigger, can't believe how many there are on this one tree. Our Cox's apples trees were a free offer from Copella Apple drinks, when the Apples are bigger I will photo again and send them a copy.
So when a space becomes available we fill it: 

Top left: Where the Rocket potatoes were dug up from, we planted 2 Patti Pan Squashes. 

Top right: In the Horse Manure bin, 3 Jack 'O' Lanterns Pumpkins.

Bottom: In the now empty cold frames, 4 Butternut Squashes.


Not a bad harvest too, so far this month we have picked over 12lb (5.5kg) of Strawberries a mix of Honeoye and Alice. 
About 6oz (170g) of Raspberries and a few pounds (1kg) of Rocket spuds too.
Another long awaited job was to edge the early potato bed (on the left) with recycled decking boards. 

And strimming the grass path, so getting ready for our Open Day in 4 weeks. 

I have done a aerial video of our plot too so please click the link below, it wasn't done today, so wont show the latest jobs done. I will do another soon though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZB19mwbI0U 

Thanks for reading/watching/returning. Ian

Sunday 21 June 2015

A video of our plot in June

Today we...... 

Well watch the video and see. 





http://youtu.be/Tjs3QI8wQe4

Thanks for watching. Ian

Sunday 14 June 2015

More planting & a bumper harvest too.

 On this patch, the one where we let the Chickens peck over last week, so we finished clearing the weeds, mostly Poppies but also a few rogue potatoes (see below). 
Then planted, Sweetcorn, dwarf French Beans & Red Kale.

Had to earth up the Cara Potatoes again, as the weather forecast said we might get frost!  
So using my draw hoe as it cuts the weeds and draws up the soil in one easy move.
We are so excited as this is the 1st year we will get a decent crop of Gooseberries, the bush has been in a couple of years, so has taken its time getting established, but its laden with fruit!
A bumper harvest today: 
Lettuce 
Asparagus 
Rhubarb 
Strawberries 
and Potatoes, that were dug up while weeding! 
Was a lovely day got some more soil turned over & weeded, had a bonfire too. 

Love the Flag Iris around the pond, we have blue & yellow varieties, good cover for the frogs too.
Here are those Strawberries before picking, the Honeoye ones, are so sweet we had them after our dinner tonight, just with vanilla Ice Cream.

After fruiting we will cultivate the runners to re stock the tired beds in the fruit cage, to keep our Strawberries going.

Thanks for reading/returning. Ian

Sunday 7 June 2015

A grand day out, for us & our Hens!

Today was a lovely sunny day, so we set out early and got a lot done.

Weeded the Onion bed and around the Broad Beans.

Also:

Planted out Runner Beans that we started in root trainers at home, to climb up the permanent mesh. 
Another very productive raised bed. 
Mainly Garlic but in between the rows we have: 
Lettuce, 
Radish, 
Carrots 
and Rocket.  
Chicken News:
We decided it was time to introduce our Allotment to our Hens, so we put up some temporary netting around this weedy patch and let them loose on it and they loved it. 
We didn't hear a sound from them as they were so busy scratching around, eating weeds and bugs!
Another job done today, 2 cane wigwams, the near one has netting and Peas planted that we started off at home in root trainers. 

The far one has climbing French Beans that only needs twine wrapped around the canes for the beans to curl around.
Crop update: 

Cara Potatoes 53/68 now through. 

I see Peas in a pod. 

More Asparagus.

and 

Our 1st Strawberry.
Wildlife/Bug Hotel update:
Now has 5 levels with 3 completed. 
The basement is a Hedgehog retreat. 
The 1st floor has logs for woodlice and beetles to live in. 
The 2nd floor has Straw for birds to take for nests & also a habitat for insects etc.
Almost time to go home and the Hens have had a lovely time. 

This won't be the only time, we hope to bring them down as often as possible, so they get used to the trip. 
Our Allotment site has an open day at the end of July and our Chickens are very popular with the visitors, so need them to be happy, as open day will be a long day for them.   
So as I said 'A grand day out' and it was, got lots done and glad we brought our Hens too. 

Still a bit to clear and lots of weeds to burn, but come 'open day' it will be tidy & neat LoL.

Thanks for reading/returning. Ian