Wednesday 21 May 2014

A Bit Of A Risk

I got some things planted out at the allotment last Friday. Actually, I was taking a bit of a risk as I wondered if the nights would still be too cold for them, but I'm glad I got them out of the greenhouse when I did otherwise they may have suffered the same fate as my tomatoes which I wrote about in my last post.

My beans were growing very well so I didn't want to keep them in their pots much longer.


I've got four wigwams so far, just one of runner beans - St. George and three of French beans - Blue Lake, Cobra and a purple variety, Purple Cascade.


I sowed the beans in a different way this year taking Monty Don's advice when I saw him sow his on Gardener's World. I sowed three beans to each pot and then when they were ready to be planted out, the whole pot, minus the plant pot, was placed at the bottom of a cane. Some of the seeds I sowed were from old packs so a few didn't germinate, but most did.


I also planted out a courgette - Parthenon, a summer patty pan type squash - Custard White and a winter squash - Autumn Crown. I've got more of these waiting in the wings but I wanted to test the water, weather wise, first.


The first batch of potatoes I planted out at the allotment was on the 14th of April, and more have been planted at various dates since. There's just one more row of Pink Fir Apple to go in now, a little late but they should be ok. The earlier plantings are growing well but I forgot to take a photo of them so you'll just have to take my word for it. Of course, I've still got plenty of potatoes potted up in containers too, it shouldn't be long until the first lot are ready to be eaten.

It looks like the strawberry plants I inherited are going to give me a good crop, there's plenty of flowers on the plants and I shall have to think about netting them soon to prevent the birds from taking the harvest. The patch needs a bit of a weed around the plants, a job for next time.


There's going to be a good gooseberry harvest too.


This blackbird sat and watched me disturb the earth where I did my planting before swooping down to pinch a worm just as soon as I moved away. It carried the worm in its beak for ages whilst it hopped around the plot, presumably while it looked for more. I expect it's got babies to be fed somewhere.


Right next to my plot is a huge hawthorn tree. It looks fabulous at the moment as it's covered with a profusion of flowers.


We were working on the plot until the sun started to set, it was so peaceful listening to the birdsong while we were busy. Evening is definitely my favourite time to visit the allotment.


We had a chat with an allotment neighbour and then we had a wander around looking at the other plots before heading home. Such a lovely evening.

32 comments:

  1. Is there anything more satisfying or rewarding....what a lovely day.
    The company of birds is an added bonus......and I agree our native Hawthorn is a joy when in bloom.

    Tku for sharing your crops with us, it is looking good :)

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    1. There was a robin at our last allotment site which would keep us company whilst we were digging. There's a couple of partridges which keep wandering around our new plot, I don't know where they've come from.

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  2. Your beans look so flourish, mine... so poor. We have to much rain this week, it should be less rain. Some seedling were broken, the young stems were not strong enough.
    The gooseberry look so yummy!

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    1. What a shame about your seedlings, the rain must be very heavy to break the stems. I've never grown gooseberries before so I'm looking forward to harvest time.

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  3. I always sow my beans in pots these days. It allows me to make an earlier start. All of my seedlings are outside now, including chillis and tomatoes, so I hope we have seen the last of the cold nights. I would like to grow Squashes, but I have never had much luck with the ones I have tried. I think my plot is too shaded for their liking - also too small.

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    1. I've always sown my beans in pots before too, but this is the first year that I'm sowing three to a pot, I usually just have one plant growing up each cane so it will be interesting to see how they work this year having three climbing up. I've heard of people growing squash in their compost bin, they're hungry feeders so they enjoy it. That could be an option for you as a plant won't take up any space there.

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  4. Ohhh touch wood your plants will be fine, mine have been quite happy outside. Your strawberries are looking great!

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    1. The plants have done ok so far, I just hope the nights don't get cold again, though we're at the back end of May now so I'm hoping they do ok. I'm pleased with my strawberries, I didn't know if they'd produce a worthwhile crop as I don't know how old the plants are, but they're looking good.

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  5. AnonymousMay 21, 2014

    It's all looking, and sounding, good. I'll be sowing my beans soon.
    I wish that my hawthorn blossomed like that. I'm the opposite in that I like to go plotting in the morning, and rarely visit the site after lunch. Flighty xx

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    1. I'd like to get some dwarf beans in the ground, but they'll be sown direct. The hawthorn is a beauty, it looks fantastic at the moment. I love to be at the plot when the day is winding down, it's so relaxing and calming, though it's another good atmosphere in the morning when there's more people about and there's lots of good conversation.

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  6. Like you I have been debating when to plant outside I usually do it too early or when it is warm and the it turns cold again! I am waiting longer this year to see if it makes a difference! I hope your seedlings survive :)

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    1. They had a few days of nice weather after they'd been planted out but it's turned rainy now so I hope they haven't been bashed about too much. It's a bit of a guessing game as to when it's the best time for planting out.

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  7. So much hard work but it is really paying off for you. Everything looks so healthy. I will be planting out at the weekend, weather permitting. I have noticed that sometimes the hawthorn smells beautiful and at other times horrible, strange xxxx

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    1. Fingers crossed for a good weekend, I've got more things I want to get out, including those last potatoes. I shall have to take more notice of the hawthorn scent when I'm next there, though I don't really want to smell it if it's horrible.

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  8. We have a hawthorn tree by our plot greenhouse that we have watched grow from a seedling planted by a bird. It's lovely at the moment.

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    1. They're beautiful trees at this time of year when they're covered in blossom.

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  9. I planted my runners today as the weather felt 'right'. I plant the seeds straight into the ground - some were bought this year and the rest were saved from last year. The small courgette plants were planted out too. Our bought in compost was rubbish this year and our tomato plants are not growing so we've had to buy in plants.
    Love from Mum
    xx

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    1. I think the soil's warmed up enough now for seeds to be planted direct, I'm sure your runners will germinate in no time with the sunshine mixed with rain that we're getting at the moment. There's many people who are complaining about the compost they've bought this year, it seems to be a big problem.

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  10. I was just thinking that I haven't been down to the allotment in the evening yet this year. You're right, it's a lovely time to visit. I've planted lots out already as well - it all got too much for pots. Still quite a bit to squeeze in though, I'm not sure where!

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    1. We visit the plot on an evening more than any other time, probably because I'm usually busy with other things during the day. My greenhouse still seems busy even though lots of things have been planted out, though it won't be long before I'm needing it for the tomatoes so everything will get turfed out then.

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  11. My beans have been outside by day but inside at night Jo. Hoping to get them in the ground in the next few days. It does indeed look like a good year for goosegogs and strawberries :)

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    1. I hardened my beans off before planting them out so they were definitely ready for it. They're doing ok so far, and they'll have had a good soaking from the rain today. It's a relief to see so many flowers on the strawberry plants, I didn't fancy a year without any.

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  12. Your new plot looks good Jo. I took the same risk. It went down to 4 deg C last night, but everything seems OK.

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    1. I'm really pleased with the new plot, it's shaping up well. The beans have been checked on and they look to be doing well, I think we just have to bite the bullet sometimes and hope for the best.

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  13. AnonymousMay 22, 2014

    It looks that you are going to have a nice crop of strawberries if all these flowers turn into fruits:) my plants got attacked by green aphids and they are not looking very happy now-I am still hoping for few nice strawberries:)

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    1. Such a shame about your strawberries, we're always at the mercy of pests. I do hope you manage to get some fruit though, I always look forward to the strawberry harvest.

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  14. Your plot looks great Jo, I hope that everything does really well and that the warmer weather has stood all your plants in good stead. xx

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    1. The plants are looking good so far. We've had torrential rain this morning so I hope it hasn't battered them too much, I won't have to do any watering today.

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  15. AnonymousMay 24, 2014

    Your plots doing well Jo, no beans out for me yet, hopefully this weekend when it stops raining!

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    1. It's raining here again today and it's forecast all weekend so I don't think I'll be getting much done. I'm glad I got the beans out when I did now.

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  16. Now that does sound perfect. What more could a girl want?
    Your plants are coming along great, I'm so impressed with the gooseberries! That blackbird had me smiling, what a lovely pic!xxx

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    1. My last plot was on a very small site, there were only six plots in total, so company was a bit thin on the ground. It's lovely to have some neighbours to have a chat to on our new site. I'm looking forward to the gooseberries being ready, though the bush may not want me to pick them, it's rather thorny to say the least. I was watching the blackbird for ages, such an inquisitive little thing. He was waiting for us to dig his tea up.

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