I am currently being out witted by weeds. There invasion is relentless suffocating my late crops of spinach and chard.
I planted a late crop of peas. I selected a variety called blauwschokker which are meant to be tall and highly productive. They have beautiful dark purple pods and brilliant flowers that look good enough to cut and put into a vase.
Looking at them at the at the allotment they are definitely tall, taller than I anticipated. the row looks slumped upon the pea sticks I had prepared for them. They are in bloom and a handful of pods have started to form. I fear though they are just a couple of weeks to late for a harvest. The cold nights predicted for this week will probably put an end to anything bountiful but at least they are currently beautiful.
(PS excuse the picture it is from my mobile phone)
I paid the allotment association fees today. Whilst I was in the hut I asked a question that I had not fully expected to come tipping out of my mouth. How easy is it to down size to a half plot? As I heard the words I was already asking myself - why are you saying this.
Much to my surprise they said it could be done but then spent most of the time talking me out of the idea. These are the guys that watch my efforts at the plot and when they do their inspections, they send me untidy allotment letters. Their tune was so much more supportive than I expected.
I admit as I reflect now writing this post, I did manage to go most of the growing season without a letter. So that is an improvement on last year.
Inevitably that means I have drawn up another to do list and top of that list is to sort out the strawberry runners, I hope to do it in an evening this week ever ambitious me! I hope that means my mojo is back.
I've been spending some time with these two that the weeds have grown at my allotment
Wet warm weather makes things look worse than they really are, green patch has not galloped out of control I have been doing things. So I am not grateful for the letter about the allotment. But I am truly grateful to have had a great summer with these two.
Just before my few days away in Wales, I had tested the ripeness of some green plums. They were not my plums they technically were unowned. They grow on the railway side of the fence which runs parallel to the main path that goes along the edge of my allotment. I felt that I could justify taking them when I returned from my mini break.
This is what greeted me when I went to the patch this week. I wonder if anyone actually had any of the plums. You think I would learn not to anticipate harvesting anything by now with this gardening game.
Some of the garlic that I had put on the drying rack, 'solent wight' has gone to seed.
The seed heads are so beautiful that they warrant a little bit of photographic attention. I think the fact that they have gone to seed means that the garlic will be inedible. Reading around it is not recommended to plant these seeds, just to grow garlic from cloves. I am tempted to experiment. Any thoughts?
My experience of allotment open days has been mixed. I've had the shame of being fenced off with some other plot holders in my first year. To the fun of feeling part of the site and joining the activities last year. This year Owen wanted to enter the best scarecrow competition, the theme was superheros, our attempts were as your can see are very basic. Inevitably a last minute construction. I think he looks like a wrestler. There were only a few other scarecrows but they looked like hot competition, no expense spared on their outfits. I have no idea how the judging went but it was fun to do. I hope for Owens sake we get some feedback as his hope was high.
I bought some plants from the stall and bunged them straight in at the plot: a '9 star perennial', 'cavelo nero' and 'romanesco'
