Yesterday I came down to the plot in the afternoon and dodged the rain showers. At one point I spent half an hour listening to the radio in the car while it gently but constantly rained outside. However I did manage to earth up my first early potatoes and then mulch them with grass cuttings, which I am told is good for them.
I also set in place, against the fixed wooden support, the canes for my climbing French Beans which are growing apace in the greenhouse at home. Having kept the canes under cover all winter they look good but, just to be sure, I alternated the newest canes with the older ones. It will be the third year for some of the older canes so they may not take the strain. However it does mean I have enough for the supports for both Runner and climbing French Beans. I still have to tie them in (I use cable ties for convenience though they do cost a bit more) and I still need to put in the cross bracing canes. I also cut back the rest of my Spinach Beet as I need to dig it out to plant my last row of potatoes. I also cut a lovely cauliflower (just a couple left) and pulled some rhubarb. Finally I picked up a couple of tomato plants from the Trading Hut frames, a Sungold and a Black Russian. Tasty! Today, against the forecast, it stopped raining in the afternoon so I nipped down to pick the overblown Purple Sprouting that I forgot yesterday. On the way I popped into Stewarts to buy a packet of parsnip seed. (I will probably now find the seed I ordered over winter.) There is no sign of the old seed I sowed last month so I raked over the row and re-sowed, this time with Radish markers! While sowing I realised that the grass clumps alongside were growing over so I started pulling them up only to realise that the onions next door were even more overgrown. It took me a little while to dig out a mixture of green manure, grass and groundsel and hoe round the onions carefully. While doing this I noticed the cauliflower I thought I could leave a day or so was just about to go overblown with the nice warm weather we have been having - so I picked it. Seeing the size of the weeds in the net tunnel I spent a few minutes hoeing them down - having left them to get far too big! It took a second to cut the only two asparagus spears showing (I hope there are more to come) but an age to pick all the Purple Sprouting, filling my trug completely. The sprouts may not be as compact as usual but they were lovely and tender so I look forward to eating them over the next few days.
Karl
11/5/2016 12:12:47 am
We have also attempted parsnips twice now with no luck. I may replace these with more carrots!
Thanks for the comment, Karl. It is a first for the blog! I hope you find it worthwhile reading my ramblings.
Antony Gabb
28/5/2016 10:27:59 pm
It is some time since I have looked at the allotments website and have enjoyed your comments of the last month. I thought it was me who could not get any results from parsnips for the second year running but have come to the conclusion that it is the seed and not the varied growing conditions over a few months.
Tony
28/5/2016 10:39:19 pm
A tip re Runner Beans which I use at home. 22/11/2018 10:15:17 am
Keep up the good work , I read few posts on this web site and I conceive that your blog is very interesting and has sets of fantastic information. Comments are closed.
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