Godzilla slugs?

Made it down to the patch today after the recent rains only to find things have grown loads since just Sunday. A lush carpet of green weeds had returned in some of the areas that I had already weeded on Sunday - thats what I call fast.

Brace yourselves but, the few remaining broad beans I had left in situ (as their blackfly was not as bad as the rest) now have big pods. Where did they come from? Can you here me jumping up and down with excitement? Maybe I will be picking them at the weekend at this rate.


Now I don't know much about slugs and all the different types of slugs there may be, but I must have a godzilla slug somewhere on the patch. I might have to have a stake out overnight, with a torch and camera ready to catch it in action. I intend to send evidence to the spring watch team. It must be big, really big, it took out a six inch and fairly strong sunflower seedling. I have visions of a gruesome green slug rearing up, growling loudly and chomping plants while all the rest of the minibeasts and animals on the patch run from its path. Sadly its Owens Sunflower that copped it. So from the intra family sunflower competition mine is the only one standing - not good to celebrate this victory I think and I still need to break the news to Owen.

John did show me a news article about a slug that eats worms that is invading gardens currently.

The celeriac seedlings have been munched a little I have tried another protective ring of slug pellets today to try and save them.

On a positive note its good weather for brassicas my red cabbage are going good guns.

Weeding

I didn't manage to get down to the patch last night and it was my fault as I didn't feel very good. So tonight I made an effort to go between the kids dinner and bedtime. In the almost an hour I had, I did some much needed weeding. I hand weeded round the beetroot, I'm disappointed because there are so few plants that have actually survived. Why is it that the ones which have survived do so in clumps, clumps that will need to be thinned? I will have to check the seed packet and see if there is time to sow some more. I don't have a good record with using fresh beetroot when I buy it. I like the idea of it but not the mess. I would love to eat it grated in salads. My rationale for growing more of it seems to be that I will be more likely to use it when it is me that has put in the effort to grow it.

My young blueberry plants were being strangled by weeds so I have also freed them up a bit and reduced their competition for light etc.

There has been a lot of sudden activity in the back half plot next to us and tonight I met some of my new neighbours, they have had the plot for about a week and are really cracking on and clearing it I fear they may put us to shame quite quickly. I hope I didn't sound too despondent when I talked to them about our plot but the cow parsley, nettle and couch grass jungle makes it look like we let the plot go uncared for. This obviously is not true, it is a patch that is liked (sometimes loved) it just needs a little make over.

Is it cowslip?

Now I don't know about you but my plant identification lacks something - basic knowledge. I've been pulling out these 'carotty' weeds for ages and they are growing like wildfire, some are now about a foot tall. Over the last few days they have begun to flower white (see the photo a bit blurry as it was windy), is it cowslip. If not what is the best way for finding out?

In my last post I said about not seeing next door plot holder but today I met 16B it seems its his daughter in law that has been helping him with the work. In fact what I thought was all his plot is not as he only has a half plot and the other half is probably vacant and getting weedier by the day. He also told me about some of the things that were discussed at the last association meeting it seems that quite a few of the plots will be lost with the planned underpass, its a shame for people at the other end of the site.

It was lovely and satisfying that our neighbour commented how pleased he has been on seeing the progress we are making on our plot. It is funny that he suggested that my husband had made a good go of the digging, I restrained myself from misusing the fork I was holding and bit my tongue to be neighbourly. For it is my work mainly, although John will be more than happy to take the kudos! Still it makes me swell with pride to know that the allotment is looking OK.

Dandelions

I have just discovered a simple way to challenge a five year old on an allotment patch. Ask him to pick as many yellow dandelion heads as he possibly can. What a fantastic job he made of it and at least they won't go on to seed across the patch. Saturday there were only a few dandelion heads but today they seemed to be everywhere its amazing what a couple of warm days after the rainy spell can do to weeds. You should see the troublesome area (round some old tree stumps) is now becoming a mass of nettles and the 'carroty' weeds (whatever they are - see earlier post). We are going to have to come up with a plan for this area soon so any suggestions grateful recieved, I will have to post some pictures for comments in the future.
The baby was less cooperative today as we visited the patch at a different time to usual, so he had his first alfresco meal at the allotments (mmm apple puree). Thankfully we had taken some old plastic patio chairs to the patch these make breastfeeding much more comfortable and luckily none of the old fellas were around to be shocked.
Managed to plant a short double row of broad beans today with my little helper which was great as he really concentrated on what he was doing.
John and I took some time to discuss some changes to how we are going to manage the plot, which includes digging the areas we covered and mulched over winter and then mulching the areas we are trying to dig currently as this would be easier work. Perhaps? More of this to come in later posts.

No wind damage

Went to the allotment yesterday as the weather looked like it was going to be OK and it was. Who knows what the weekend will bring weather wise, so best to get on with it. I was concerned that we might have had some wind related changes to the plot after the last few stormy days but the mulching and ground covering had remained pretty much in place. I just had to hunt the top of our composting bin luckily it had only travelled a short distance.

Digging and weeding was the focus of the day but it is so, so slow going but we are making some progress. I've been digging up some things that look like carrots or parsnips but are exceedingly woody and have shot up over night what are they? See the photo for an example. Will I get rid of them by just digging them out?

On the ground that Owen had so dutifully raked are some strange impressions in the soil. Its a bit of a mystery. Have the rabbits been digging, or the toddler from the next plot wandered over it. Or do badgers have very big boots. I am filled with fear that they are the foot prints of the scary dog that barks at us all the time from the garden that backs onto our patch. If this dog can hop the fence what am I going to do as it is capable of eating both me and the baby. So does anyone have any tips for taming dogs that neighbour their plots? Or will I need to learn how to subdue it with garden implements if it clears the fence when we are there?