Been a while!

I am sorry to anyone who reads my blog for the lack of writing. I have had a busy couple of weekends  meaning my visits to the plot have been quick and just haven't had time to write.


You'll be pleased to know that my First Earlies are coming up and my rhubard is still going mad. I have since planted my broad beans and my carrots at the plot. I was also given some spring cabbage pplants from a fellow allotmenteer last weekend, I planted these under netting in a raised bed and when I went to check on them this weekend, those wretched slugs/snails had already got in, living trails of slime behind them. Who knows what I will do about this, any suggestions welcome. I tried  egg shells and beer traps last year but this didn't work for me. Maybe I can try the shells again  this year as can put them in the outskirts of the bed.


My babies in the greenhouse are doing well and think everything is shooting up now. Celariac, peas, runners, leeks, chillies, toms, dahlias, marigolds and kale all coming up! I ordered some cabbage, cauliflower  and super hot chilli seeds from vegetableseeds.net, as they are very cheap with free delivery and they threw in a couple of extra chilli seed packets which made my day!


My Dad has made the base for my shed so I am hoping this will be up before the summer is over.


My extra exciting news is that we got a puppy on Sunday, he has been helping me in the greenhouse already!


Meet Albie

Update

I haven't updated for a couple of weeks as haven't had much time! Last weekend I did some allotment duties, lots of digging included. I dug a trench out for my asparagus crowns, planted some strawberry runners and planted my onions and red onions (apparently this was too early, but we shall see what happens!).

I have had a check of my seeds in the G-House but don't think the sun has been strong enough for them.
This weekend I have dug over a patch that I weeding it last weekend, so it is a ready patch when needed. It was part of the plot I hadn't touched at all last year so found more of that 'safe' aspestos tiling, glass, rope and plastic bags... the joys. I should piece it altogether and re-make an allotment of the past...

I planted half of my First Early potatoes, hoping there will be no frost. I will plant the rest in a couple of weeks just incase.

I thought I had lots of space but it turns out I am running out already, so I need to re-arrange my plan.

Oh, and my rhubarb is shooting up! Can't wait to make Rhubarb and Custard cake with my own roob. Yum!

Greenhouse and seed planting

Had a very busy weekend, (went to Brighton where I found some bargain potatoes and garlic - 3 for £5! Not the whole purpose of the weekend...) so only had Sunday this week for allotment jobs! On Saturday I had a phonecall to say my greenhouse was ready for collection so that was my first job today. I  decided that I would put it up too as think planting more of my seeds needed to take priority over the digging at the plot.

I was very proud of myself as I put it together without any help as the bf was out and my Dad was at work (It was pretty easy to be honest, but still). So once I had put the frame together my Dad arrived to help with moving it to the right spot and helping put the cover on.

I was then able to plant my chillies, peppers, celeriac and tomatoes (mixed variety). My Mum promised she would go up to the allotment and plant  a couple of fruit bushes she brought for me so that took that guilt away!

I feel like I say this far too often, but next weekend I am free ALL weekend so will definately be dedicating my time to the plot... Come rain or shine!

Yes no rain!

No rain today which meant I could get up the allotment. I had plans in the morning so got up there about 1pm and felt quite focused. Had a check of my rhubarb and this is coming along nicely.

Firstly I planted my gooseberry and blackcurrant bushes that Mum bought from the pound shop (my gifts only ever consist of allotment goods as of May last year). They were already sprouting leaves so should grow well, my others look slightly dead though but may grow?!

Then I dug over my patch for my shallots and planted some of those bulbs. Unfortunately, a few were mouldy so couldn't plant them all. I might have to buy some more as think I only planted about 20 in the end.

The third job was to move some tubing and netting to my vegetable beds ready for when my cabbages and red cabbages go in there, won't be for a while but just preparing and tidying.

I then pulled the last of my cabbages which were destroyed by slugs and caterpillars, but I had left them there to stop weed growth and fill the space - maybe a little bit of laziness too. I then dug over those bits and covered them with some black sheeting.

Next I attacked the weed 'patch' at the bottom of my plot that I have been meaning to do for a long time. They were all dead and easy to pull up just alot of work! Really pleased I have finished that bit though as it has been annoying me for a long time.

Here you can see the epic patch I dug today. Far left my netting with the tubing. This picture makes my plot look a bit of a mess but was pretty happy with it when I left today. So think past the photo!

Pretty successful day for me!

BUG RANT

So the main horrid bugs that annoyed me last year...

Cabbage White Butterfly:
Before I started growing Brassicas (last year) I didn't know anything about a Cabbage White Butterfly, don't be fooled by the word butterfly! They lay these disgusting eggs on your cabbages which will hatch into caterpillars and get right into the centre - another living thing that I used to think was cute - but NO MORE I TELL YOU after they destroyed my cabbages, before I realised I needed to cover them with netting! All a learning curve I kept telling myself. However, they did still get to my Brussel Sprouts through net. Genius these creatures. Hence my previous post how companion planting will help me get through this. Fingers crossed!

Slugs:
I haven't liked slugs in a long time to be honest, probably why I used to eat them as a young child, knowing they would be attacking my vegetables on my allotment in years to come. But now I hate them even more. My problem last year was finding HUGE ones feasting on my young in my greenhouse. I would check on plants coming along nicely ready to plant outside, then go back the following day to a slime covered stump. I tried cups of beer, egg shells and slug pellets around my green house in dishes. This wasn't completely successful. But it did look like I had committed a Snail/Slug massacre in a patch in my garden on some flowers. So this year I will try some Sage as well (as mentioned in prev post) and continue with beer/netting on some and egg shells.

RANT OVER

Companion Planting

After last years Courgette disaster - (round ones from some pumpkin/courgette cross contamination), because I thought they would be ok together, I have been thinking about mixing up some of my veg/herbs/flowers again but actually researching what growing goods are good for each other, aswell as those that don't like each other.

So after some research on various websites, I have decided to companion plant some of my vegetables for the following reasons:


1 - To make my plot prettier and more interesting (lame I know!)
2 - To attract the bugs I WANT on my plants
3 - To deter the bugs I DO NOT want on my plants
4 - To save on space (this is not my reason as I have quite a large plot but is a good one)


So, my plan from information gathered the last couple of days (all yet to be tested!):



I will scatter some flowers (MARIGOLDS, COSMOS, CORNFLOWER,  LIMANTHES,  NASTURTIUMS, BORAGE ) around the plot, as these attract the bees and butterflies  - for pollination and are a nice splash of colour on your plot. They keep away the aphids  - green flies, white flies etc... I think some attract predatory insects like hoverflies that eat the aphids too. But I don't need to know about all of that at the moment!


Plus, you can eat the leaves and flowers on the Nasturtiums and the petals from Marigolds in a salad - I haven't tried this. Apparently the petals can be used to colour rice as well.


Near my TOMATOES: as said above some BORAGE, MINT and BASIL. Mint smells nice and repels Aphids. Borage is said to improve tomato growth and make them taste better so we shall see! Basil said to improve tomato growth and flavour too.  

Near CABBAGES: MINT and THYME (will prob put this in between Toms and Cabs), as it also repels Cabbage White Butterflies/Worms. SAGE aswell as this repels Cabbage Moth and Slugs (ooh I hate them!) and OREGANO, (anything to save my cabbages from a holey mess - I will surround them!) again, deters Cabbage Butterflies.

With BROCCOLI, CAULIS, SPROUTS, KOHL RABI and KALE (all the Brassicas): OREGANO because as said above deters Cabbage Butterflies (hopefully making them extinct by 2012).With CARROTS: SAGE and CHIVES. To help fight off Root Fly and Slugs. I will also sow carrots inbetween my SPRING ONIONS as Carrot Fly do not like onions.

It may seem a bit hectic but will start adapting my plan I think to see what is best next to each other, which will make it seem less confusing I am sure... Might not do it all but looking forward to seeing how it goes!!

I will welcome any suggestions from other allotmenteers too!

Weather!

Sunday was my allotment day - however, it was rainy, windy and cold and I just couldn't face being out in the cold all day when BF was indoors hungover and in the warm and my Dad was in watching The Sopranos, I just couldn't pull myself away from the house.

So to be productive, I decided I would start to chit my early potatoes (which I have been meaning to do for a while!) using two of my seed trays as didn't have any egg boxes available - which I used last year.

I also sowed some of my seeds in my Mum's small greenhouse after the windy accident with my bigger one. Think I will have to invest in another because all my seeds definately won't fit in this one.

So far I have planted some Globe Artichokes, Giant Exhibition Broad Beans, Leeks, Sugar Snap Peas, Pea Douce Provence and Radishes. I need to buy some more seed trays this week and get some more stuff planted! Oh and I bought two bags of Shallot bulbs for £1.49 a bag to plant next weekend! If it is dry... 

So to finish off my day I decided to bake a valentines day inspired cake (just wanted to use my heart shaped tin - I love heart shaped things) and some choc cupcakes to give as a present for someone. I may have some cake as a treat tonight. I can't resist.