Did a bit more weeding (there's always weeding to do!) and mounded up the potatoes, probably for the last time this season.
Weeded the asparagus bed and harvested what was there - couple of meals worth I think.
Picked some rhubarb too,........
Went down today partly because the exceptional, unseasonal, weather that we have been experiencing since lockdown began is due to be replaced in less than forty-eight hours by cold, wet and strong winds. The thermometer down in the seating area was today showing 26*C by 11:00AM; day after tomorrow is between 7*C and 10*C with possible frosts and even a covering of snow!! Did a bit more weeding (there's always weeding to do!) and mounded up the potatoes, probably for the last time this season. Weeded the asparagus bed and harvested what was there - couple of meals worth I think. Picked some rhubarb too,........
0 Comments
Following a week of seasonal weather we went down to do some weeding and general tidying up. It's amazing how many weeds can grow in just a few days, especially the mares-tail. Potatoes were growing in the bed where we planted them last year. Typical, they were growing at least as good as this years even though we'd done our best to get rid of them completely. These are this years potatoes; growing well, toch wood. Asparagus, too,is doing OK. While we were working down there a load of fresh chippings was delivered. They weren't the best quality but we re-did the eating area and round by the compost bin. What with Coronavirus and the exceptional April weather (sunniest and driest April on record) we've been down the allotment probably more than we would normally this time of year. As a result we're pretty much on top of things. However, there's a week of unsettled weather and plenty of rain now forecast so this may be the last vsit for a week or so. Beds are all weeded and topped with compost so the compost bin is now back in use. The potatoes were poking through so covered them wth soil again. Dug up some of the most persistant and larger weeds growing along the edge of the allotment. Planted some peas and watered them in.......... ...............also some beans. The rose cuttings planted a couple of years ago are now almost shrub-like. Well Lockdown is still in place with no real sense of when it might end. Combined with the hot, sunny weather though it's proving a great boon for peoples allotments. Each time we've come down in the last monh the car park has been full by ten-o-clock. The potatoes are showing through already, so we've started mounding them up. As the weaher forecast is sill good we thought we ought to fill the water-butts. Much of the wood supporting the compost bin had rotted so fixed what we could and now the lef-hand side is ready for this years composting materials. The beautiul weather is pushing all the plants well ahead of where they normally are by mid April. The cemetery wall is almost hidden by foliage............... ........and look at the dffrence in the comfrey bed and seating area in just three weeks. Three weeks ago. Now. We also picked our first asparagus of the season. (and some rhubarb; but I forgot to take a photo). We went down to the allotment again this morning for the third time in four days, although we have only been stopping until about a quarter past twelve and going home for lunch. No stopping off at McDonalds on the way home these days under the new world order. Things are looking a bit grim for this to end any time soon, and forecasts for a return to normal vary from six months to eighteen months. Still, the potatoes are popping their shoots up. Finally started weeding the top bed and put netting up alongside the path. We also started weeding the bed. This top bed is by far the worst one to get looking good as not only is it mostly clay but the weeds and mares-tail have got a really good grip. Had a go at fixing the roof/cover in the seating area. Put a piece of trellis up or the clematis and vine to wind round. The clematis is pretty much in full-flower now. We're in the middle of a decent warm dry spell so going down when we can, just for an hour or two, to cut back and weed. Getting there eventually. Dug up some wallflowers for the front bed at home. Even though we hardly came down during the summer we seem to have an endless supply of produce. Well, we're not going to be short of things to do down the allotment over the coming weeks...... ...... and a couple of hours later...... Squirrels have been having a nice time with the sweetcorn. As well as weeding....... and weeding....... we found time to pick some produce. Went down and picked more produce but once again did little else down there. The weather has been extremely erratic this year and some crops have done a lot better than others. The weather has also prevented us doing as much maintenance as we would have liked. Still, we're doing OK on the crops front with decent amounts of most fruit and vegetables.. The sweetcorn especially looks good. We've now dug up about half the potato bed and this has been an exceptionally good year. The variety is Charlotte. Picked another selection and also all the remaining onions. What with Becky moving house, the school holidays, and just things generally , we haven@t done anything significant down the allotment for three weeks. Luckily the weather has been in our favour and even though we have some decent hot weather it's also rained at the appropriate time. Just spent an hour down there today and picked 5lb of potatoes and 8lb of courgettes. The courgettes seem to be all growing at the same time but not getting excessively large. Picked some other produce as well. The combination of hot sunny weather alongside regular rainfall has created an impenetrable jungle between the fruit cage and the compost heap and shed. The weather definitely can't make it's mind up this year.After a couple of days rain ten days ago it hasn't rained since so we went and watered and picked another decent amount of produce.
Potatoes especially are possibly the best we've ever had - they taste delicious. |
Archives
July 2023
Categories
All
|