Wednesday 4 June 2014

A Race Against Time

We knew that rain had been forecast for Monday evening. Tea was on the table when Mick came home from work and after we'd eaten, off we dashed to the allotment hoping to get the squash and courgettes planted before it started pouring down. We just made it.


We had a quick look around the plot at other things we'd already planted. The beans have been nibbled but I'm hoping they'll recover, unlike the parsnips which did germinate but have since disappeared. I suppose the slugs have had a tasty meal. I don't know whether it's too late to sow more now, it's quite late.


We'd only just finished planting when the heavens opened. At least we didn't have to water the plants in. There was only one other person on the whole allotment site and he'd packed up and gone just in time, we weren't so lucky.


Our plot is the furthest away from the site gate and I didn't fancy making a dash for it, it was raining so hard so we sheltered a while in the shed. I really don't know how we managed on our last site without the luxury of a shed on the plot.


It soon became clear that the rain just wasn't going to stop so we ended up having to make our way off the site in the pouring rain. I hadn't even taken a coat with me and I was absolutely soaked to the skin by the time I'd made it back to the car. That'll teach me to take a brolly with me.

38 comments:

  1. I've just made a fingers-crossed late parsnip sowing. It's got to be worth a try as we don't want to be without parsnips in the winter.
    Gill

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    1. I think I'll do the same. Even if they're small, they're better than nothing.

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  2. AnonymousJune 04, 2014

    I keep an old brolly in the shed just in case. Mind you when I use it I then have to remember to take it back!
    I've still to sow my runner bean seeds. Flighty xx

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    1. That's a good idea. I shall take one down with me the next time I go and I can leave it there in case we get stranded again. I'm thinking of sowing some more beans to extend the harvest.

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  3. Oh the joys of gardening :)
    I have lost a lot of young plants to slugs this year.
    The weather is still unpredictable, torrential rain today.

    I love squash.......one of my favourties.

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    1. There's lots of slugs around this year, it's all the wet weather we're having. It's raining here again today too. I haven't been too successful with squash previously so I'm hoping for better results this year. I'm growing both summer and winter squash so I hope they do well.

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  4. Yet again this year the beans have been slow to germinate, so I'll be sowing another batch. There's nothing worse than sitting in the car soaking wet. Somehow it seems worse than being out in the rain. I suppose that's when your clothes start to stick.

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    1. My beans have done ok this year so far. I have a few which didn't germinate but I've used old seed so it's only to be expected I suppose. We just sat in the car and laughed, my hair was stuck to my head, my clothes were stuck to my body and I had rain drops trickling down my face.

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  5. I remember planting peas in the pouring rain on my allotment once, I was drenched to the skin and had to drive home absolutely soaking wet! Took the car seat a while to dry out!!

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    1. The things we gardeners put ourselves through. I think I should invest in some waterproofs if this weather continues.

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  6. Its no fun is it, but we reap the rewards when we have very tasty veg and fruit. Like most other a lot of our younger seedlings have been eaten by the dreaded slugs and I have had to attempt browning more seeds. Just hope they grow in time.

    X x

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    1. It's definitely worth all the effort when it comes to harvest time. I'm going to have a go at starting some more parsnips off, it's such a shame they've been eaten as they germinated well.

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  7. It's times like those I'm glad I can't cycle to the lottie (death trap road)

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    1. I'm glad the car was waiting for us, it would have been a very long walk home in the rain.

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  8. You've nothing to lose sowing some more parsnips. We are trying to pre-germinate outs on wet paper towels as we have had a similar problem.

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    1. I'm going to give it a go. I was hoping that they'd grow well this year after seeing what was left behind on the plot when we took it over. They definitely germinated but then disappeared, I'm putting it down to slugs.

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  9. I was wondering how your allotment was coming on so it is nice to see that it is all doing fairly well. Sad about your parsnips, especially as the did germinate as they are so hard to do aren't they. I hope that the courgettes and beans and everything else grow really well. Keep dry! xx

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    1. The parsnips germinated well so it's a shame that the slugs have had them. I shall give them another try, even if they don't grow huge I'll be pleased of something come winter time. We've had nothing but rain since the squash and courgettes were planted out so I'm hoping they're ok.

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  10. Our parsnips have either germinated very badly or the slugs have had a treat I'm not sure which. Have sown some seeds on damp kitchen paper to see if I can get them to germinate. Might do a blog post if they actually germinate. Wouldn't a few dry days be fantastic.

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    1. A few dry days would be brilliant, I'm fed up of all this rain now. I've germinated parsnips on kitchen paper in the past and haven't had any problems doing it this way at all. The secret is to not let the paper dry out so cover the tray with cling film.

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  11. At least you weren't planting in the rain. Could do with a run if dry days although it saves having to water!

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    1. We just made it in the nick of time. We've still got lots to do on the plot so some fine days would be good, it doesn't look as though we've got any forecast though.

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  12. Glad that you got them in Jo before the heavens opened. My climbing 'Blauhilde' French beans were not nibbled last time I saw them but three of the growing tips had withered away :( My wigwam is now looking a bit sorry for itself so I will have to grow some more.

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    1. I'm growing Purple Cascade French beans as well as others and it looks as though the slugs have left these alone so I wonder if they prefer green beans to purple ones. I think I may sow some more beans yet to stretch out the harvest.

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  13. Your bean is almost similar to mine. The rain is too hard for them. Some of my brassica also dissapear suddenly. Btw, your garden is so lovely. Happy gardening!

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    1. The beans seem to be coping with the rain quite well, it's the pesky slugs which are having a go at my beans. The wet weather brings them out and then they eat whatever they can find.

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  14. I meant to so parsnips this year but I ran out of space. I still have a few things I'd like to squeeze in if I can though. I bet sheltering in the shed in the rain was quite an adventure. A shame you got soaked though! Your allotment site looks lovely, very well tended and nice and flat and open.

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    1. I always try to grow parsnips as Eleanor and I love them so much. We've still got some in the freezer so we're ok for now but I'll be wanting to have some on hand when winter comes around again so I shall try sowing them again. This site is so much nicer than the one I was on before. There were only six plots on my last site so we didn't often see anyone else there when we went down whereas there's always usually someone here. Most of the plots are very well tended and the soil on my plot is much better than the claggy clay I had on my last one so that's good too.

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  15. AnonymousJune 05, 2014

    At least you had the shed for shelter. There's nothing on our site and last week in a torrential downpour I ended up crouched under the black plastic sheeting that was covering my newly started compost heap. I looked like a hobbit!!! How annoying your parsnips have been eaten. I went to the plot today and saw my sugar snap peas which were about 4ft tall had been chewed off at the base and were dying. It's so demoralising. I think I might be able to sow some more. I think it might have been mice so I might need to put down some traps.

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    1. Ha ha, I can just picture you crouched under the sheeting. We didn't have a shed on the old plot but we were able to drive the car right to the end of the plot so we never got caught out. Sorry to hear about your sugar snap peas, it's so annoying when things have grown so well and they're stopped in their tracks.

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  16. We have seen some rain haven't we? Poor you getting soaked, but as you say it's good for the plants. I lost all my parsnips too and the slugs are positively feasting on the courgettes! Your new plot looks great!xxx

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    1. We certainly have seen some rain, though the sun's shining today, hooray. My courgettes have been left alone so far but the slugs have had a good go at my beans, I think I may have to sow some more.

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  17. Gardening in the rain just doesn't crack it does it! I hope to get some of my seedlings in this weekend. Was gonna do it yesterday but it rained all day!

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    1. I'd much rather be gardening in the sunshine. I hope the weather stays fine for you this weekend, it's a nice day here today so I hope it lasts.

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  18. Glad you got the squash and courgettes planted before the deluge of rain. It's such unpredictable weather at the moment. Lovely sunny day today and yet I've heard that we're in for storms at the weekend.

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    1. The weather really is unpredictable at the moment, we've had rain just about all week yet it's sunny today. I daren't look at the weather forecast.

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  19. No wonder the slugs are enjoying this year - we all keep growing more veg for them to eat and the rain helps them move around faster! Every year brings different challenges and no doubt in a couple of months we'll all be wishing for more rain! Definitely try and get a few parsnips in if Eleanor enjoys them, baby veg are a delicacy!

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    1. I'm definitely going to try with the parsnips again, both Eleanor and I love them so I don't mind if they're small, just so long as we've got some. The slugs are driving me mad this year, I don't think I've ever had so much damage.

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