Teething trouble

I've decided to put all my growing woes down to it being my first year. I could call it teething trouble at this point. I plan to take time out to think about how to manage year two a little better - I'm thinking of doing a one thing a week to do list, to try and get a great looking plot next year. But the road to hell is heavily paved with my good intentions already. I'm unlikely to stick to it.

Huw was up in the night frequently last night, this is because his top front teeth are making an appearance. I had a choice this morning - either to take advantage of it or to catch up on my sleep. I went to the patch after dropping Owen at football, Huw realised that it might be good to grab a nap at the allotment when I parked up the pushchair.

The first thing I did was put the broccoli plants in sadly in the same spot that I had recently put the sprouts in - only one of those remain. I did know that I was condemning them when I planted them out and the same goes for the broccoli. Well its a poor choice, either to die in a polystyrene plant cell ignored at the house or take your chances against the slugs down at the patch.

I so, so wish that things looked a little better down at the patch especially as this Sunday the allotment association has its open day. Loads of people were sprucing up their plots today at the site. I weeded around my leeks which was hardly a noticeable improvement but some of the plants made a huge sigh of relief as the bindweed strangler was escorted from the leek bed. One of Owen's friends is coming to tea next week so my difficult decision for the weekend is going to be tidy up at home or tidy the patch -nothing is ever straight forward eh.

I left a comment with SWD about weeds, and the fact that when cultivated properly they can make good baby shading and just to give some visual evidence here is a picture of my weed problem today. Oh, and the guys on the railway track in the hi vis gear provided some entertaining evesdropping on their banter I'm not sure if they knew I was there.


We have some fire tongue beans appearing which is exciting so I might get a mini meal from those as there are not many plants thanks to my sluggy friends. I picked a courgette today (there is only one) which was not quite a marrow and it seems to have appeared from nowhere. Now I have to decide what to do with it.



One last thing, is anyone else sick of scraping thunder flies out of their eyes, nostrils and ears? I hate thundery weather.