I bought some Senshyu Onions 2 weeks ago, put them in cells with multi purpose compost and watered well, they have already sprouted, so a good time to plant out. As they were outside all the time they are already hardened off.
I know you like a before & after shot. So this morning I cleared the patch where the Nadine (2nd early) Potatoes were growing, prepared the ground and planted 72 of the Senshyu Onions.
Another job that needed doing was raising the netting over the Brussel Sprouts, all I did was to add a short length of cane to the blue pipe. As you can see the sprouts are forming and I don't want the wildlife to take them, see below!
Harvests this week: A test dig of the Cara (main) Potatoes, Tomatoes, Raspberries, Runner Beans, Kale, Sweet Peas and the last of the Nadine (2nd early) Potatoes.
Yesterday was a bit of a wash out, rain on and off all day, so glad today was dry, still lots to do before winter and crops still producing. The Leeks I put in a few weeks ago have taken well and the Spinach seems to be germinating too.
And now to the crop theft! When I was down on my plot on Thursday, I saw out of the corner of my eye a movement, to my surprise there was a Squirrel that had taken a Sweetcorn Cob and was tucking into it, if you recognise the culprit please don't call CrimeStoppers! Thanks for reading/returning. Ian
Only a short visit to the plot today, but plenty to harvest still. Dug up more Parsnips for Sunday dinner. But still plenty left in the ground, what we need is a good hard frost to sweeten them up, but weather reports for our area say we might experience mild conditions for a few more weeks, even into November!
Its been a good year for fruit, as you can see here lots of Raspberries, we were told to pick from a neighbours plot too as they were away on holiday, they also grow Golden Raspberries odd to look as but lovely taste. There is 4lb here, 3lb already made into Jam, the rest added to Rhubarb for a batch of wine.
Chicken News: Looks like the Light Sussex have started laying, we have had 2 eggs this week, not sure if from the same hen, but will monitor this to see.
As I mentioned the weather has been warmer than we are used to, everything is still growing, weeds too! So still clearing away weeds as fast as I can and drying so can burn on the bonfire. Thanks for reading/returning. Ian
My new toy 'The Allotment Truck' a bargain from Aldi. It will be very useful, first load, a bag of compost (for potting up Strawberry runners). But will be good for transporting home the Potato harvest instead of taking the car.
Anyway back to today, in the patch where I dug up the 'Sante' Potatoes, I have planted 'Musselborough' Leeks, started off in a seed tray. Also Spinach seed sown 'Giant Winter' and 'Emilia F1' both good for late sowing for an early spring harvest.
The Sweetpeas still giving a good handful of blooms and no sign of them stopping yet. Also as the Lavender has finished flowering we cut it back saving the dry heads for fragrant bath salts & lavender pillows.
Another job I have put off until now is this corner, where the Apple Trees are, as their roots spread about 6ft (1.8mtrs) we cant disturb the area around them too much, so I plan to change the route of our path through here. A work in progress, so keep watching.
So as I said super, sunny Sunday and it certainly was, I heard that this fine weather might last until mid October, lets hope so, as crops have been so good this year & I still have 4 rows of Cara Potatoes to dig up, our winter store! Already got our Onions 'Senshyu' & 'Red Winter' and Garlic 'Solent Wight' to get started. Thanks for reading/returning. Ian.
Finally got to harvest the Sweetcorn, sadly some had been eaten by the wildlife, not sure what, a Hare has been spotted on our site! So maybe its the culprit ?
The Runner Bean frame is still producing well, it includes Sweet Peas & Honeysuckle which are lovely, the Echinops on the other side are almost finished but dried they are still very attractive, they attracted lots of Bees too.
Dug up the last of the early 'Winston' some 2nd Early 'Charlotte' Potatoes, also the last of the Sante mains, they weren't as good as past years and oddly some red skinned spuds came up too, odd as I haven't grown red's for at least 2 yrs!
Today's Harvest: Runner & Green Beans Courgette (round) Tomatoes Raspberries Cox's Orange Pippin Apples & (the 2 large ones) Woodbrook Pippin Apples.
The weather is still warm & dry, good excuse for a bonfire as the weeds I pulled up over the week are nicely dry, we cleared a few areas today, so the freshly pulled weeds went on the bonfire too! I have done a video of our new Chickens, now that we have have had them for 3 weeks, sadly one of them (we think she was at least 4yrs old) passed away. Considering battery hens are culled at around 18 months, she has done well. So you will see 9 hens at the start, but only 8 at the end.
Busy time, pulling weeds, it's surprising how quick they take over, especially as the weather has been summer like this week. First I cleared the Potato patches ready for digging them up for storing.
And where do all those weeds go? On the bonfire! I had some that were drying from a week ago, to start the bonfire with, then I could add the fresh 'green' weeds pulled up today & yesterday.
So pleased with our Autumn Raspberries, these are 'Joan J' variety and as you can see they are huge fruits, bigger than my thumb!
Lovely Sunflower, enough said.
Harvests over the last week: In the Trug (far left) we entered this mix of veg in a local 'show your own' show and we came 3rd. I dug up some 'Sante' potatoes also Parsnips, Beans, Kale, Courgette, Tomatoes, Raspberries & Sweet Peas.
So as I said a busy week pulling up weeds, the plots looking neater, but there is still lots to do, but the weather forecast is good for the next few days, so another bonfire is likely.
Chillies growing in the Greenhouse, I think these are Hungarian Hot Wax so quite hot!
The Sweetcorn is doing well, lots of cobs forming, the Beans behind still producing (see below)
The Parsnips we thinned out a while ago are looking good, will be massive by Xmas day :)
And for the first time in ages Brussel Sprouts forming fine, also a good Xmas day veg :) Not had much luck with these in the past, but lime & netting seems to have worked.
Not a bad harvest again: Tomatoes, Beetroot, Courgettes and Raspberries.
The Bean harvest: Green and Purple French beans, Yellow Dwarf beans and Runner Beans too. Thanks for reading/returning. Ian.
P.S We have re-homed 8 more Chickens, 4x Ex Battery (age unsure) and 4x Light Sussex (4 month old). We got them from a local couple who, due to ill health, had to give them up. They have settled in well and I will report on them again soon.
Well we had a lovely holiday in Canada. But back now and still Jet Lagged so only went to the Allotment to harvest and not bad too: Yellow, Green & Purple Beans, Runner Beans, Courgettes, Tomatoes & Raspberries, some Sweet Peas too.
In the Greenhouse at home we have a good crop of Aubergines coming, don't they look good.
The Cabbages have been attacked by slugs, so brought one home for our chicken Matilda, she loves it. We will halve the large round Courgette too for her, she will hollow it out in minutes! Thanks for reading/returning. Ian
Welcome to our Allotment that we've had since 2000. I will be doing a regular blog with pictures to show our progress through the year, plus any new projects. Hope you like it and get some ideas from it too. Ian & Jo
