The Experiment (2)

Further to my previous posting about the over-winter carrots, noticed this morning that the true leaves are now appearing. Had also noticed a couple of days ago, a slug trail in one of the pots. Pleased to report that the precautions taken have resulted in one massive, but very dead slug.

Sunday Dinner

Popped down the plot for some veg for Sunday dinner. Got some purple sprouting broccoli about 3 months early, swede & carrots for a root veg mash and needed a parsnip to go with it.

First one came up - too good for today for 2 people - set aside for Christmas, next one came up, also too large, so I'll give that to the lady who gives me the horse muck, next one up was only slightly smaller, but got to stop digging somewhere.

All lined up for a photo shoot with one of my smelly trainers. Weigh over 8 lbs between them.

Rhubarb, rhubarb, rhubarb......

The rhubarb on Mrs. Digger's plot is early every year. This year is not exception, apart from the fact that it's BLOOMING early. It'll get a bit of a shock come a sharp frost or two.

I've no idea of the variety, it came with the territory, but we're the first ones on our site to have rhubarb crumble each year!

Today's Pickin's

Ventured up to the plot despite today's freezing temps, as we were getting low on the already harvested stuff. As three generations were here for dinner today, I thought I'd better make the effort.

Along with the leeks and carrots, these two beauties jumped into my carrier bags. (Dear Santa, can I have a trug for Christmas?).

More Up To Date

Whilst looking for my pea pictures, I stumbled across a more recent photo of my plot. This was taken this year and is the view from the compost bin end. You can just see the peas in the distance!

PEAS!

What can one say!

I'm a bit of a pea lover as you can see from the photos. I had not intended to put too many of my past photos on here, but to mainly stick with current ones, especially once the new season gets going.

It took a lot of persuading, but one of the other members on www.allotment.org.uk has convinced me to put up some of my pea pictures. The variety are Kelvedon Wonder.

An Experiment

I said that usually there is not much in the green- houses, but this year, inspired by a posting on the forums on www.allotment.org.uk, I'm trying some over winter carrots, "Nantes Furbund".

I have six deep pots and hope to have a tasty early crop, but the proof of the carrot will be in the eating!

This Is Where It All Starts

Our modest rear garden and the two green- houses. The one on the left has a little heating in if needed and is insulated with bubble wrap. Doesn't contain much over winter usually, apart from a few cacti barely clinging to life.

This one is used in spring with a little warmth to raise the seedlings for the allotment, following which they are moved to the unheated greenhouse to begin the process of hardening off.

Once moved out of the warm greenhouse, the tomato plants that have been raised indoors will be moved in. This will be followed later by cucumbers, peppers etc. in the other one, once the allotment plants are outside. This 'conveyer belt' system seems to work reasonably well.

Ah - There It Is!

This is the plot a few months later, including the repair of the rotten shed window.

It was a bit late in the year for planting a lot now, but we managed to stick a few spuds, pumpkins, peas and lettuce in as we went.

A good indicator of the passage of time in the bean fence of a neighbouring plot holder, to the upper left of the picture. Compare this to the 'before' photo'!

Judith is holding the fork to show that it was all her own work.



Not.

There's An Allotment Somewhere

This is Judith's plot, (Mrs. DD). This time I had the foresight to take a photo before starting to tackle it.

You can't see, but the previous tenant's idea of making 'raised beds' was to dig trenches. These had to be filled in as we cleared. I was lucky not to break a leg or three.

From The Archives

This is my plot, taken a couple of years ago, I never thought at the time to take a 'before' photo. The whole plot was covered in nettles, dock leaves and the like to a height of over 1m.

The plot extends as far as the three green compost bins you can just see in the distance.

Welcome

I have decided to join my fellow allotmenteers in creating a blog to follow the year round progress.

Maybe November is not a good place to start, as little is happening, but it will give me chance to get up to speed with the world of blogging.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term "allotment", in the UK, (and some other countries), we are able to rent from the local council, or other oganisations, an area of garden in order to grow our fruit and vegetables.

Between my wife and myself we have two quite large plots and one smaller one, totalling about 800 square metres, plus a small rear garden with two greenhouses, used early in the year as a nursery for my allotment plants & then later for tomatoes, cucumbers etc.

As I update this blog I hope to show you a few past photos as well as current ones.