Allotment Tales

Wednesday afternoon and I managed to squeeze in a couple of hours at the allotment.  I'd not been for a couple of weeks and needed desperately to get some plants in, that I've been growing on in pots and that have been cluttering up the back garden. 

I took the car and loaded it up with all the plants.  I then had to walk up to the site which is a short walk through the park, and borrow the wheel barrow to barrow them all up to the plot. 

To make room for the new plants, I had to dig up the onions and some of the potatoes I had growing.  The onions weren't very big, but not to worry, they'll still get eaten.

I dug up about one third of the potato plants.  They produced a cloth bag full of lovely potatoes.  I did manage to fork a few and a few had a bit of slug damage, but mostly they were lovely. There must be about 5 or 6 lbs here, if not more.  They should last us a while and there's still plenty more to harvest.

 

Once I'd dug up the onions and potatoes, I dug over the soil and started to plant out some of the plants I had brought with me.  There was sweetcorn, which was looking a little ropey, but will hopefully recover and establish itself soon.

 

 

In front of the sweetcorn are a few pepper and chilli plants I bought ages ago, but which got mauled by snails in the garden, so they are looking a bit pathetic.  I'm hoping now that I've planted them out they might recover.  We'll see, I might be being a touch optimistic.

I also put some courgette plants in.  At least I think that's what they are.  These are two of them, there's another two slotted into gaps.

Finally, I planted out three cucumber plants (there's only two showing in this picture), in the bed where I took out most of the lettuce. 

 

Unfortunately, due to the hot weather virtually all of the lettuce had started to bolt.  It was a pity, but I harvested it anyway and we will eat what we can.  It can taste a little bitter once it has bolted, so if it does, it may have to be composted.  I harvested another couple of large bowls.  Just as well, as we've nearly finished the last lot I harvested.

 

 

There were a few more spring onions too.

 

I was really happy to see that the climbing/runner beans (not sure which) are now looking a lot better and are actually starting to flower.  I didn't take a photo.  The rhubarb looked healthy too, but I didn't harvest any as I still haven't used the last lot.  Note to self - make some more crumbles this week. 

 

I've been putting more effort into the allotment this year and visiting more regularly.  It is starting to pay off.