Bank Holiday allotment

For once the bank holiday weather was good up here in the North East. I did mean to spend most of the day there but in the end I only the managed the afternoon and had to be back by 6pm - shame when it is light late into the evening.

I managed to plant out the peas and put a cage over them - well I grandly call it a cage I have a couple of old freezer drawers - the kind that have wide mesh bottoms I put them over the peas and they grow up through the squares - well I know what I mean! When I remember to take my camera I will take photos and post them.

While weeding the area where I have the asparagus I dug up an asparagus plant hiding under some manure. I lost a lot of the asparagus in the first year when my partner weeded the area very thoroughly mmm. Well I did not know when I bought the asparagus how to plant them or anything really I just fancied trying my hand at growing it. So having found out a bit more I realised I should have planted them on ridges. I re-planted the dug up plant (and a second that also got dug up) and this time I made a ridge and I put on some well rotted manure.

The rocket and chard are coming through and the runner beans, broad beans and summer squash are all doing well and growing apace. Thankfully we had had some rain so the outdoor plants did not need to be watered. Because I started so much off in the greenhouse there is a lot to water in there and now a lot to plant out. I like the planting out it is so satisfying to see small but sturdy plants that you have grown from seed out on the plot hopefully growing to full maturity and providing you with yummy tasty dinners!

seedlings emerging

I started sowing late this year, mostly due to a really cold Spring but also because I have a dodgy knee and it has been painful.

However i am determined to keep the allotment going and I am now frantically catching up as i don't know when I will have my operation (knee replacement)

I did manage to get help from my Son and a friend on a few occasions so every-thing got weeded - well that is an on going battle! This last month I have started everything off in the greenhouse and sowed five varieties of tomato, rinner beans, summer and winter squash, pumpkin, cabbage, cauliflower, Kale and lots more. Everything is now emerging it is very exciting when you see the little seedlings start pushing up through the compost.

Outside I now have all the potatoes in and have planted out beans squash and pumkins. It takes a lot of watering but so far have been able to use water from the three water butts i have.

Today it was raining so just went to water the seedlings -quite a lot ready to plant out or to pot on; so fingers crossed I will have a good harvest despite my late start.