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!
Sunday 27 February 2011
Sunday 20 February 2011
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.
Pretty successful day for me!
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!
Saturday 19 February 2011
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
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!
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!
Monday 14 February 2011
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.
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.
Monday 7 February 2011
Digging out for the shed
I did want to start sowing some seeds this weekend for my greenhouse. However, thought the wind was ridiculous and the poor seeds would have ended up sprouting up on the next door neighbours lawn or something in a couple of months so dedided to give that a miss. But when going outside to walk to the allotment, my greenhouse (half sized one) had completely collapsed - definitely unmendable! :( So wouldn't have anywhere to put them anyway!
With the waiting for some help putting up my shed, I decided to start digging out a patch ready for the shed at the weekend. This needs to be done because my plot is sloped so need to dig out a flat patch for it. My Mum appeared after about an hour and helped me out, didn't completely finish but got a good block of it done! This was harder work than I thought it would be and am feeling the affects today... I am now determined to read up on how to build a shed and the stuff I need for it for the base etc... I am clueless on this part.
So after a slightly disappointing weekend, I decided to bake some cakes to make me feel happy again. Vanilla Cupcakes with m&m choco crispy topping! Yum! But am dieting so can't eat one, but it makes me happy seeing other people enjoying them!
With the waiting for some help putting up my shed, I decided to start digging out a patch ready for the shed at the weekend. This needs to be done because my plot is sloped so need to dig out a flat patch for it. My Mum appeared after about an hour and helped me out, didn't completely finish but got a good block of it done! This was harder work than I thought it would be and am feeling the affects today... I am now determined to read up on how to build a shed and the stuff I need for it for the base etc... I am clueless on this part.
So after a slightly disappointing weekend, I decided to bake some cakes to make me feel happy again. Vanilla Cupcakes with m&m choco crispy topping! Yum! But am dieting so can't eat one, but it makes me happy seeing other people enjoying them!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)