Soooo Busy!!

A propagator sitting on our sideboard should have been the easiest thing in the world to keep an eye on...unfortunately not:

The books warn us that "seedlings quickly get leggy"...we have grown the daddy-long-legs of the lettuce world. Attempts have been made to prick out some of the seedlings that were still standing, but we will just have to wait and see.

Propagating Frankenfoods

We were reminded today of the need to keep a better eye on the allotment. Since pulling up a load of radishes last weekend, those that were left in the ground got a bit carried-away...not exactly the sort of thing you can have as part of a side-salad!

Our latest addition to the good-life will hopefully be easier to keep an eye on:

Filled with more potential lettuces!

A new construction!

Over the last week the beans have gone from strength to strength, and have necessitated the building of a new construction for the allotment.

...and what better way to admire the bean-support-system than in one of our new chairs.

...hats are optional.

Self-Sufficient...almost...

Hours of hard work, hundreds of pounds on tools and a shed, and quite a number of aching muscles; but it has all been worth it.

Not the largest radish in the world,but extremely tasty nonetheless. Another week and the rest should be ready...who wouldn't look forward to a plate of radishes?

The rest of the time was spent transplanting some of the lettuces. There were far too many for an extra row so many seedlings were thrown on the composter. We just have to wait and see whether they will continue to grow after the trauma of moving, or whether we have managed to kill the only healthy looking vegetables on the allotment.

We also identified the first signs of life amongst the beetroot...all vegetables have now been accounted for!!

Having some lunch

As quickly as the worms escaped from the earth-turning fork they were gobbled down by the local blackbird.

The big news of the day was finally spotting the carrots!! But as with the spring onions (which Emma delicately stood on!!!!) they are too small at the moment to be of much of a photo.

The newly camouflaged shed

The weather has finally been dry enough for the shed to be painted; it no longer sticks out like a sore thumb to the local pikeys.


Today has also be bolstered by the spring onions becoming recognisable shoots! ...still too small for a photograph though.

Evil little sods....

The radishes have been subjected to severe punishment:

It's a similar story for the rocket as well.

Both seem to have been attacked by flea beetle, with the radishes being given an extra beating by the slugs!!

These particular crops are not looking as though they have a successful future ahead of them; although there is still time to sow some more this year...maybe with the help of some derris or a horticultural fleece...

Other work today included some more hoeing, digging, and the thinning out of the beans...busy busy busy.

A little bit of thinning

The allotment has continued to grow...even on those days Emma forgets the camera!
The camera has missed a visit from the local fox, and the start of the hoeing, and our first visitor; can life really get more exciting than that??

The plants have continued to come on leaps and bounds (compare to photo on May 12th). The beans can now be seen without a microscope and the radishes have had to be thinned out. There is still no sign of the carrots, spring onions, or beetroot, but I'm sure there is plenty of time yet.

The thinned-out radishes have been thrown onto the composter along with a variety of household bits and pieces...should we really be throwing in half a loaf of bread?

Compost bins and little green shoots

The allotment is coming on in leaps and bounds. The latest additions are three X 300 litre compost bins. Unfortunately they are not the easiest things in the world to carry...especially in the pouring rain!

But on the brightside, after I had carried them all the way there we were greeted by the first signs of life in the vegetable patch. If you look really closely you can just about see the the thin green lines of the radishes, rocket and lettuce.

Pure Craftsmanship!

The fact that the blog entry is being placed a day after the events took place emphasises how long yesterday really was. I had to wait around from 8.30am, and the shed didn't arrive until 1.30pm; needing loads of tools that I didn't have. Nonetheless, 7hrs later, with the borrowing of tools and a little bit of help, the shed can only be described as a work of art!!

It just needs to be painted now so that it doesn't stick out too much and encourage the local kids to vandalise it!

Please Grow...

Within a week we have turned the wasteland into a true vegetable plot. We have spent the day preparing the ground and sowing our first seeds: Dwarf beans; beetroot; radishes; rocket; lettuces; carrots; and spring onions.
If nothing grows it won't be for the want of trying.


We also cleared a space for our new shed...THE SHED ARRIVES IN TWO DAYS!!!

4 X 4

We have managed to convert a small section from lumpy grass mounds into a lumpy section of mud, ready to be dug over again and then raked. Despite the large number of weeds still floating around on top of the mud we have great hopes of it all being sorted out by the rake!

Although it took 7.5 hrs of back-breaking work, we were accompanied by a robin that spent half its time getting in the way as it searched for food.

We've got an allotment!!

Today we selected our new allotment, plot 13. To say it was overgrown would be an understatement; this particular plot has not been in use since the 1970's. Since before Emma was born!

This was not the only plot available. We were initially offered a half plot that had already been weeded and dug over....but what's the fun of that?

David