Sunday 30th July
Having cleared a patch yesterday I wanted to get my leeks planted today. However on the way in I stopped at the blackboard to chalk up a Blight warning, having had to clear some potato haulms yesterday and received a Blightwatch email overnight. Last Sunday I had purchased two bunches of leek plants but in my jet-lagged state I left them in the bag for two days so they had gone a bit yellow. So, to guarantee a crop, I bought another bunch on the way in. It didn't take long to level the soil from digging up potatoes yesterday and I soon had my line stretched out and was pushing my dibber making 6 inch deep holes every 6 inches along it. Last night's rain meant the soil was ideal for making the holes without loose earth falling into the holes and filling them in again. A bunch of plants gave enough for a 12 foot row. I planted the newest plants in the first row then used the older plants. Breaking off to go and have a coffee and cake at the cafe I got the chance to ask Hugh Merrett, our President, if planting the yellowing plants was worthwhile. Having been reassured, I returned and planted a third row using almost all the plants I had bought. Just one hole caused any difficulty but digging down with a trowel revealed a large potato missed in the harvesting! I wonder how many tiny ones have been left behind to sprout again next spring. It is always difficult, nay impossible, to remove every single potato when harvesting however careful you are! A can of water had all the leeks watered into their holes. Buried in the bank of weeds in the asparagus bed is a short row of late cropping leeks (if they have survived) and will make a fourth row! Leaving everything else to my next visit, I went home early to go and enjoy the RNLI Funday on Mudeford Quay. Saturday 29th July
Knowing that the forecast was for rain later on, I still only managed to get down at 11 o'clock having collected a bag of garden waste and an old wheelbarrow from neighbours.. I had only emptied the garden waste onto the compost heap when it began to spit! Dodging the rain drops I cut two yellow courgettes and one green one. In addition there were several small F1 Tiger Stripes marrows that are very suitable as courgettes. As it had stopped raining by then, I then pulled a few carrots and a couple of beetroot. I then started harvesting runner beans. Some were a bit large and mature as it had been nearly a week since my last visit. Part way round it started raining again so I thought I would stop when I had done stripping the beans. However by the time I had finished it had, once again, stopped raining so I began digging out the rest of the row of early Kestrel potatoes. I had to do it to clear the ground for the leeks I bought from the Trading Hut last Sunday. They have survived in a pot with water but don't look very healthy so I shall have to buy at least another bunch to be sure of a crop. However as I was unearthing the potatoes I saw that the King Edwards had been infected by the Blight! Having seen that the back half of the row was well infected I got busy with my knife and cut ll the haulms off and, using a garden refuse bag my neighbour had given me full of compost bin material, stuffed all into that ready to take to the tip. Needless to say it rained again while I was doing it so I went home rather wet! Sunday 23rd July
Having enjoyed a long break visiting family in Milwaukee in the American mid-west, I returned and on Sunday morning went down to the allotments. Bumping into friends and chatting took allot of time but, after sharing coffee and cake at the café, I finally got onto the plot. I started by unloading several bags of garden refuse for the compost heap. Before loading then onto the heap I used my aerating spike, standing on top of the heap boring holes down into the heap to let air in. That done I ventured onto the plot to check what needed doing. I was pleasantly surprised at how much my neighbour had done to keep the plot tidy. Onions and garlic gathered in and taken back home to store; the beans had been harvested and some potatoes lifted. I picked a load of lovely tender beans then checked the squashes and courgettes. I collected several large courgettes, 'courgarrows' I call them, and lifted some second early potatoes, Kestrel. The first earlies had all been lifted and presumably eaten as a reward for looking after things. I hope they tasted good! I then pulled some weeds that threatened to set seed and discovered that the carrots were well developed so pulled a few. Then I entered my brassica tunnel. After pulling up the largest weeds I pulled up several overblown cabbages and one good one, though the outer leaves were a mess. Having cut off all the waste I had one large white cabbage and bits of two more to take home. Happy that there was nothing urgent left to do, I went home to have a restful afternoon to get over my jet-lag. |
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