March 23, 2012
A list of jobs to be done over the next week:
Plant out spuds.
Weed and rearrange our growing strawberry patch.
Looking to the future:
Dig the 3rd and 4th plots according to our new layout plan…. https://cityandthemountains.wordpress.com/2011/11/20/new-plot-layout-season-2/
Clear the place up.
Lay down slug defenses
November 28, 2011
October was a fruitful month. The tomatoes that I picked slightly early in September had ripened at home and we managed to realise the dream of using all our own tomatoes for a few pasta sauces. I also dug up the rest of the potatoes. A decent 27kg of mostly King Edwards. Thanks to a hot week in October we also managed to harvest a few aubergines, which was really satisfying, would have been more so if a slug hadn’t have eaten two of them! Below is the summary:
October:
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Crop |
Weight |
Value |
| potato | 27.6kg | |
| Carrots | 1.25kg | |
| Parsnips | 300g | |
| Tomato | 2.63kg | |
| Courgette/Marrow | 1.25kg | |
| Gherkin | 75g | |
| Onion | 900g | |
| Aubergine | 130g | |
| Raspberries | 60g | |
| Chicory | 400g | |
| Peppers | 575g |
November 20, 2011
Below is a hand drawn scale outline of our new plot plan. In the last week I’ve just paid my second years allotment fees. I can’t believe we’re entering our second year already. On the plot I have started digging the second long bed and planted broadbeans, garlic and onion sets. They have already germinated after a couple of weeks in the ground.
We’ve recently run out of onions and garlic amoungst most other bits. Its really demoralising going to the supermarket again cap-in-hand. I’m going to make sure we have enough of the staples for next year. I’ve planted around 100 broad beans compared to 20 last year, 70 onions and garlic sets compared to 20 odd last year. So far so good.
Allotment plan year 2
October 11, 2011
After almost a year as an allotment owner I feel we’re not quite shooting completely in the dark anymore. With this spirit I took to reading my ‘Concise guide to Self-sufficiency’ by John Seymour, that my wonderful wife bought me for Christmas, for some inspiration.
I’m re-organising the plot this year with 5 sections, 1 for fruit and 4 to be rotated with annual crops. Rather than scribbling some plans on scrap paper like last year I bought some graph paper and a ruler and did some old school planning. I’ll scan the plans and put them up soon.
One of the first jobs arising from the new setup is a proper compost bin. I got very lucky with some great wood today & headed straight down the allotment after work. I only had an hour before it started getting dark, but with the aid of a lantern managed to get the first section in place. It looks pretty straight as well!!
After John Seymour’s info I’m pretty psyched about the compost. I also have grand plans for cold and hot frames.
Have a busy week ahead as its probably the last when there’ll be enough light to go to the allotment after work. Jobs to be finished:
Compost bins made
Tomatoes cleared
Potatoes dug
Carrots dug
New beds outlined and turned over
Broadbeans & onion sets planted
October 1, 2011
September was another good month. Despite really cold windy weather we had a good harvest. The variety was reduced but good quantities of the basics. Peas were finished, pulled them up after turning brown and spotty. Tomatoes came back a bit after cutting most of the foliage back and frequent trips to pick off blighted fruit. Most needed ripening at home, which we did in a cardboard box in the dark.
September:
|
Crop |
Weight |
Value |
| potato | 8.6kg | |
| Carrots | 3.57kg | |
| Tomato | 2.03kg | |
| Courgette | 950g | |
| Beetroot | 225g | |
| Onion | 3.1kg | |
| Spinach | 150g | |
| Raspberries | 90g | |
| Savoy | 450g | |
| Peppers | 75g |
August 27, 2011
A bit out of date but two weeks ago (13/08/11) we had a good harvest of a nice range of veg. Our second potatoes, Kestrel, have done really well. We also had a couple of big courgettes that made a nice Mediterranean roast.
The tomatoes looked pretty good. There were a lot of fruit on the plants, all green but showing lots of potential.
June 18, 2011
Not been down the allotment all week as my attention has been given to sorting our van out for a camping trip next week.
I still have to build some more polyfence and plant out the rest of the 1st and 2nd batch of tomatoes that are bursting out of my little greenhouse. Also have some lettuce to plant out, and need to sow more gherkin, salad and spinach. I also want to sow out a patch of celery under a square clotch to see what happens.
We’ve had plenty of rain, which is great, but the winds have been pretty wild. I’m not sure if I’m going to find all my hard work in pieces once I get up there later.
June 3, 2011
I was pleased to see lots growing when we went to the allotment this evening. We had a couple of jobs to do; put up some supports for our growing collection of peas, put up the other side of the poly-fence and plant some of the first batch of tomatoes. After getting all this done we had a good look around and found our first courgettes and peas to harvest. We also picked some more broad beans, spinach, rocket and a handful of strawberries. This is the first time I’ve ever grown, harvested and eaten any of this stuff, it was really exciting and motivating. Can’t wait to see what the next couple of months bring.
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The Harvest |
Tomatoes on the way to the allotment |
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Tomatoes lined up between polyfences |
Picking Courgette Taxi |
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San Morzano on the way |
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May 30, 2011
The weather lady surprised me today with some promising news for the week ahead. After a good 12+ hrs of rain yesterday afternoon and overnight, the wind has dropped and the outlook is good. As the week goes on the temp should rise to 20 and the wind remain calm.
My 1st batch of tomatoes that I planted end Jan, are earnestly outgrowing their 1ltr pots. I was hoping to get them out to the allotment a couple of weeks ago but the weather has been very stormy. Tonight is forecast to be 4C, so I might wait one more night and plant out tomorrow. The tomatoes have quite a few pale leaves and are generally looking a bit weak. I’m hoping they’re not pot bound. My second batch, sown in March, are looking good now after their early setbacks (https://cityandthemountains.wordpress.com/2011/04/26/tomato-troubles/), and shouldn’t be too far behind the 1st.
Could be an early start tomorrow to get the job done.
May 13, 2011
Before
Following my long list of jobs I ventured down the allotment on Sunday for a proper days work. Spent 8hrs down there and got most of it done. I’ve taken a couple of overview shots to show the fruits of my labour. Doesn’t look that impressive but I did really work hard!!
After - Almost done.
cityandthemountains 