Filling those gaps

That time has come where it is time to find things to sow which will fill the gaps where things have failed on the allotment. This year I have been a little wiser about my sowing for example not direct - as this only makes a banquet of young leaves for the slugs to eat. I know the seed packets say sow direct but I need to keep a beady eye on them and I am making use of the space in the grow house. So I have a tray of Romaine lettuce which has just germinated. Tonight I've sown pak choi and fennel.

Roll on making those spaces work.

the view from the patch

It has been a very hot and busy day and on my second visit to the patch this is the view that made me feel serene and at one with the patch. That was the original reason for getting the patch to give me a space to relax in and to be productive. I love the stillness and soft light on summers evening at the patch, I could even lose track of time if I was allowed to. I would also love to be floating (champange in hand) in that balloon

I'm still planting things out at the plot, today I put my three 'jack edwards' climbing beans out, only three out of nine seeds germinated. I feel a little sad aout the sucess rate as these are seeds from the seed swap and I might not be able to save seed to swap back. One thing I am proud of are my celariac plants they look so lush and shiny green but it has to be said that they are so so so slow at growing. I hope the slugs don't get them (like last years mini celariac) as I am looking forward to seeing them grow.

One rather stinky job I had to do was to decant my nettle 'tea' brew the bucket it was in was emitting an aroma across several plots distance and the flies were swarming. I poured it into a milk carton and it has a sludgey green colour and is think. It has probably been brewing for a month now so what do you think Mrs Be ok to go?

A photo never lies

Here are the first produce I have taken off the allotment. The aroma is fantastic. However they have been cunningly positioned to hide the slug or perhaps bird bites.


I am a little irritated with the local garden centre at the moment. These strawberries were supposed to be a late variety 'symphony' I picked them specifically to be later. Now we haven't had Wimbledon yet so how can they be a late variety?

The same garden centre when I asked them about the cranberry I bought (yes admittedly an impulse purchase so I should take what I get) told me it was suitable for the local soil, now I have found out it needs ericacous grrrrr. It is not happy so how am I going to help it.

Quiet chugging

I've not really had time to post for the last few weeks and I'm not really sure why, but I suppose, if I look back I've been burning the candle at both ends trying to squeeze things in. Another reason for not posting is probably because a lot of what I have been doing down at the patch has been a long list of chores and therefore a little dull.

I have heard nothing since the day of rectification passed, no letters, no nods or winks from the members of the allotment association who may be in the know. I have no idea if I met the standard and I don't think there is much more I can do. It's funny though when you talk to other plot holders quite a few of them have had letters. Some of the more long toothed plot holders imply that there is little more that will happen as it's just muscle flexing. Well I'm not sure, but I am chugging on as I intended anyway.


I got absolutely soaked on Sunday and had to abandon these dwarf beans 'Empress of Russia' down at the plot in the guttering that I had grown them in. I did manage to get then into the ground yesterday. I'm excited to see what they turn out like.

I got by first delivery of chicken poo this weekend my source is my neighbours over the back, it looks like it will be a regular supply. I have just bunged it in the darlek on the plot and hope that will be OK. I'm not very expert at the composting. Having chickens near by is great. Now if I do get a glut of produce (possibly unlikely) then maybe I can swap for fresh eggs which would be a cool deal.

My seedlings in the grow house are starting to diminish as they get planted out so I made a couple chilli plant purchases at the county show I thought that they would do well in the grow house over the summer. One is a jalapeno and one is a lemon drop I have very little knowledge of the different varieties and ease of growing so we shall see.