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How's the allotment going?
Very well indeed at the moment. The strawberries that we planted last year seem to be establishing well. The broad beans are coming up well - we've lost a few to mice (they dig a small hole, cut through the stalk and eat the bean - the hole is pretty distinctive). We'll try my mother-in-law's tip when we plant replacements - put a holly leaf in the hole next to the bean.
The shallots are sprouting, the onion sets are all in place (we'll have to keep an eye on them as they can get knocked out of position until they develop roots to hold them down).
The raspberries are making good growth - I've spotted the early signs of iron deficiency in one row and have added some iron sulphate to correct that (we're totally organic, apart from being willing to spray bindweed - you simply cannot dig out all the root - and adding iron sulphate to raspberries).
The rhubarb has survived major reworking of the bed around it (removing old raspberry suckers) and is looking promising.
The perpetual spinich is STILL producing growth - it was there when we took over the plot and we've been eating it ever since - I'm giving it regular mulches to encourage it.
Potatoes are in. I'll look forward to watching them come up. We could use more space, but we'll be using the entire plot and squeezing stuff into every corner as it is.
Sweetcorn and french beans are in our mini plant house on the patio at home and several are emerging in their pots. They'll be planted out when they're a bit bigger.
The blackcurrant bushes made good growth last year and should bear a crop this year. The redcurrants were only planted in the late Autumn and the aim is for them to make good basic growth this year and form a bush.
We've reduced the area of Jerusalem artichokes. They cropped much better than expected and we're still eating them.
So much more to come. I'm really looking forward to it all. Carrots and beetroot and salads.
We're still eating the last of the leeks and purple sprouting brocolli. PSB tastes MUCH better when it's really fresh. Eat within a few hours of picking if you are able. I think it will be sprouting for a couple of weeks yet if our luck holds. PSB does not get club root. This is a big plus when your soil has club root and most of your brasscias (cabbages, swedes and the like) failed to thrive as a result.
We're rotating crops, so we may try a few brassicas in a different place, but we won't be able to use last year's patch again as club root remains in the soil for a decade or more.
The shallots are sprouting, the onion sets are all in place (we'll have to keep an eye on them as they can get knocked out of position until they develop roots to hold them down).
The raspberries are making good growth - I've spotted the early signs of iron deficiency in one row and have added some iron sulphate to correct that (we're totally organic, apart from being willing to spray bindweed - you simply cannot dig out all the root - and adding iron sulphate to raspberries).
The rhubarb has survived major reworking of the bed around it (removing old raspberry suckers) and is looking promising.
The perpetual spinich is STILL producing growth - it was there when we took over the plot and we've been eating it ever since - I'm giving it regular mulches to encourage it.
Potatoes are in. I'll look forward to watching them come up. We could use more space, but we'll be using the entire plot and squeezing stuff into every corner as it is.
Sweetcorn and french beans are in our mini plant house on the patio at home and several are emerging in their pots. They'll be planted out when they're a bit bigger.
The blackcurrant bushes made good growth last year and should bear a crop this year. The redcurrants were only planted in the late Autumn and the aim is for them to make good basic growth this year and form a bush.
We've reduced the area of Jerusalem artichokes. They cropped much better than expected and we're still eating them.
So much more to come. I'm really looking forward to it all. Carrots and beetroot and salads.
We're still eating the last of the leeks and purple sprouting brocolli. PSB tastes MUCH better when it's really fresh. Eat within a few hours of picking if you are able. I think it will be sprouting for a couple of weeks yet if our luck holds. PSB does not get club root. This is a big plus when your soil has club root and most of your brasscias (cabbages, swedes and the like) failed to thrive as a result.
We're rotating crops, so we may try a few brassicas in a different place, but we won't be able to use last year's patch again as club root remains in the soil for a decade or more.