Allotment catch up

As we’ve been away I’ve fallen behind a bit on my allotment posts. So this is a bit of a round up 🙂 .

Firstly I got hold of some collapsable raised beds from Primrose for the beans. I have hung a climbing net from the scaffold poles left by the previous occupants, so they would have something to climb up. The sweetcorn has also gone in. And some Globe Artichokes. Oh and I’ve put the tagetes in between the beans to ward of black fly.

Mick also gave me some savoy cabbages so I’ve put those in with the other brassicas.

In the garden I’ve been potting on, with quite a bit more to go.

I was feeling very smug.

Mmm – not so smug now! When I next went to put in my replacement raspberry canes (Tulameen), I discovered that all my Butternut squash, and half my pumpkins had been eaten by the slugs 😮 .

I have protected the pumpkins with cloches for now, and got some copper tape to see I can could limit the damage. I also ordered some firmer copper bands which will stand up on their own and are reusable (but much more expensive). Anyway – enough for now, but more soon.

 

 

 

Allotment envy

Here are some gratuitous shots of other people’s allotments. I love the little improvisations and personal touches – how something utilitarian becomes a bit more human in this transitory life.

Blue

Bluebell season – well the end of it – up at Ightham. Photographing bluebells is always frustrating as it’s really hard to capture that blue haze, so I’ve mostly ducked the issue and done close-ups, and some nice pathways….

Squash & Beans

Been planting on my beans, as we’ve had a few cold nights, and the next lot of beds aren’t quite ready. I’ve planted out a few butternut squash, pumpkins & courgettes – only to end up putting fleece over them again (grr). Hope it warms up soon. It’s been warmer in Scotland. Something is wrong!

The White Garden & Other Flowers

A little trip to the Sissinghurst. As I live fairly close it’s possible to just ‘pop in’, and focus on a few sections rather than trying to see everything…

Today’s choices – some from the White Garden, which was looking lovely, but hard to take an effective encompassing shot; the lilacs with their oh-so-intoxicating smell; and the orchard blossom – which was very impressive. In fact it’s been a really good blossom year in general, I guess due to the low rain fall. Unfortunately, it’s been really cold so I’m not sure the pollinators have been out converting all these blooms into fruit. One of the trees was particularly enormous – several times my height.

On the tower, the clematis montana was rambling up the wall, and another massive climber – not sure what it was though – any takers?

More cool seeds

So here are a few more cool seeds – I love their variety of shape and form.

So this is the planting list:

• Craspedia
• Scabious – Ping Pong
• Chrysanthemum – Rainbow Hippy Love Child (got to love that name!)
• Sunflower – Harlequin
• Coleus
• Borage & Chamomile
• Poppy – Venus
• Cornflower – Black
• Nasturtium – Climbing & Black – straight into the garden
• Italian Bugloss
• Some very old herbs (out of date) – thyme (2015) garlic chives (2014) coriander (2015) fennel (2015) so we will see…
• plus Lemon Cucumber

My lavender plugs have also arrived – Hidcote, Munstead & Ellagance Sky so I have planted them on too. Also gratuitous pics of my Malus, which has been flowering it’s heart out, and my favourite tulip…

 

 

Allotment update

Here are the latest pics from the allotment. The frost wasn’t much appreciated by the mange tout – I tried to put fleece over them but they still seem to have been affected. The normal peas are ok. It’s a mystery.

Meanwhile only some of my raspberry canes have come up – the Glen Ample (which admittedly I bought reduced in the garden centre in approx November) have not sprouted at all (grr). I have also lost my Xenia Gooseberry for unknown reasons. But some of the rasps have taken 🙂 and there are still 2 gooseberry bushes, plus the blackcurrant which all seem ok. The Rhubarb is not totally happy either, in spite of all the manure / compost I put in before I planted them. I hope they recover.

I’ve started to put the net onto the fruit cage, but might try to redo it, as I think I might need to split the net at the corners so I can roll it up when it’s not in use (still pondering that one).

As the ground is totally awful I’ve bought another raised bed, which is inexplicably a different size from the others, despite just reordering on Amazon. However, it’s slightly deeper so probably it’s going to be ok. I just need to fill it with the last of the compost mix.