Christmas has happened since I last posted and there was an excellent garden related haul. I got a lean-to green plant house (green house) which I am going to install in the garden so I can get seedlings ready for the allotment. It has been too cold recently to put it up, but as soon as the weather warms up a bit, I will do just that. I also got a pair of long handled edging shears so I can keep the grass path tidy, a new pair of gloves, two netting tunnels and the tame photographer got a very handome pitchfork (shit shoveler!).
We ate our own produce for Christmas lunch - along with the turkey (not ours!) we had brussels sprouts, parsnips and butternut squash - all delicious, needless to say!
We haven't done much gardening in the last couple of weeks - Christmas shopping taking up far too much time and then, of course, the festivities themselves. But we did get down there on the day after Boxing Day. The new pitch fork was christened by moving a couple of loads of manure to our holding heap - and, amazingly enough, it really is better for the activity than an ordinary garden fork. We also baptised our new storm kettle. This is a fabulous device that we got for our birthdays. It involves making a small fire with twigs in a dish at the bottom of the kettle, which then heats up some water. It was fun to do and will be perfect for warm drinks and even soup on cold winter sessions. The great thing is that it only uses tiny twigs and the like, which are easy to collect round and about the site. I also used my new edger to great effect, and wore my gloves.
At the allotment the onions are beginning to grow nicely. They have almost all sprouted and the first broad beans are just beginning to show above the ground. The garlic has just started to grow and the spring onions and spring cabbages look good. We are currently harvesting leeks, parsnips, brussels sprouts, January King cabbages, spinach and the sprouting broccoli is just about to start cropping. It's quite something that we are still eating so much from the plot and I haven't had to start up the organic box delivery since I stopped it last spring. I do have to buy potatoes, carrots and the odd veg here and there, and I have just used the last of the onions.
Last week I put in my order for next year's seeds - it will cost about £30 or so and I have chosen a mixture of veg that did well last year and completely new ones for this year. I am still hoping to get another plot, and I really would like to have more space for all the crops I would like to grow. I still haven't done anything about flowers, but I would like some dahlias, sweet peas and sunflowers.
Showing posts with label Parsnips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Parsnips. Show all posts
Wednesday, 31 December 2008
Sunday, 20 July 2008
Spot the difference
I thought I would post the pictures the tame photographer took yesterday during our flying visit to the allotment as the growth that has happened is spectacular. If you look back at the pics on the previous post you can compare them with the current ones.
You can see the sweetcorn here. Most other allotments are a bit further ahead and have small cobs appearing. There are rumours afloat that the cobs are the favourite food of foxes and that we needs to completely enclose the crop to prevent it. The tame photographer is planning this as I write. I also wonder whether the problem is squirrels, in which case no amount of protection will make any difference. We'll see.
The leeks are grow
ing well:
As are the runner beans
And just behind the beans, if you look carefully you can see the sunflowers which I am growing as part of a trial for Gardeners World. They are called Moulin Rouge and are a dark burgundy colour - quite stunning! They also produce lots of flowers off side shoots which would make them ideal for cutting.
The cabbages are beginning to heart up nicely, the brussels sprouts are looking good, and I'm really pleased with the parsnips - not many meals' worth - but they look very healthy. The french beans are cropping well, and the salad bowl lettuce never seems to stop! The butternut squash is beginning to put on some growth as well.
The cabbage and sprouts look like a lady wearing a veil, but it is only the anti-pigeon control. Everything has to be netted to protect it. The tame photographer is thinking of making the whole plot into a giant fruit cage!
And finally and nice snap of our friendly robin, the wheelbarrow and a flowering artichoke:
And finally, a general view of the site.
You can see the sweetcorn here. Most other allotments are a bit further ahead and have small cobs appearing. There are rumours afloat that the cobs are the favourite food of foxes and that we needs to completely enclose the crop to prevent it. The tame photographer is planning this as I write. I also wonder whether the problem is squirrels, in which case no amount of protection will make any difference. We'll see.
The leeks are grow
ing well:
As are the runner beans
And just behind the beans, if you look carefully you can see the sunflowers which I am growing as part of a trial for Gardeners World. They are called Moulin Rouge and are a dark burgundy colour - quite stunning! They also produce lots of flowers off side shoots which would make them ideal for cutting.
The cabbages are beginning to heart up nicely, the brussels sprouts are looking good, and I'm really pleased with the parsnips - not many meals' worth - but they look very healthy. The french beans are cropping well, and the salad bowl lettuce never seems to stop! The butternut squash is beginning to put on some growth as well.
The cabbage and sprouts look like a lady wearing a veil, but it is only the anti-pigeon control. Everything has to be netted to protect it. The tame photographer is thinking of making the whole plot into a giant fruit cage!
And finally and nice snap of our friendly robin, the wheelbarrow and a flowering artichoke:
And finally, a general view of the site.
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