Allotment Tales

Tuesday was the day for getting up to scratch in the garden at home and Wednesday this week was the day I decided to get myself down to the allotment and do some work.  I'd not been for over two weeks and there'd been quite a lot of sunshine since, so I was hoping things had come on a bit.

When I got there, here's how it looked.  Still no broad beans, they're a bit behind as I was very late sowing them.  Onions coming along.  Potatoes flowering. Lettuces re-established after transplanting, but not very big yet.  There were a couple that were worth bringing home, as if I leave them they have a tendency to bolt when the weather is hot.

For the first time since I've had this allotment, (6 or 7 years) there was actually still a crop of gooseberries on the bush.  For some reason every year they mysteriously disappear as I'm waiting for them to get bigger. (Birds I think)

This year I decided I wasn't making that mistake again and I have removed them all from the bush, whether they're ripe and ready or not.  They'll still make good jam or jelly, even if they don't ripen up at home. I didn't actually have anything to collect them up in so I had to get creative.  The nearest thing were these plastic gloves that I had in my bag to try to stop my nails getting so dirty when I'm gardening.  I literally took two gloves full home.

The gloves also came in handy for harvesting some rocket.  It was on the verge of flowering so it is very strong tasting, but I'm still going to try to use it up in my salads.  A bit of dressing and it won't taste so bad.

There was quite a bit of rhubarb to harvest.  My first harvest of it this year.  I'm going to look back at Jackie's Rhubarb cake recipe to use some of this up, otherwise no one in the household will eat it but me and there's only so many small crumbles I can stomach.  I also thought of making some rhubarb syrup, which I've seen somewhere.

I did a bit more clearing whilst at the allotment today, mainly because some of the weeds were obscuring the light from my cucumber plants and they needed freeing up so they will grow a bit better.  I was pleased with the progress made, but my arms are nettled and scratched to pieces.

Here's a picture of the area I cleared.  I didn't really take a before shot I'm afraid.  There's still a bit more to do, but it's looking a lot better.

I also thinned out some swedes, turnips and broccoli seedlings before giving all the plants a really good water.  I think everything was desperate for it, as there hasn't been much rain in the last couple of weeks.

I grabbed a handful of mint before leaving, which is now sat in a vase on the windowsill and smells lovely. Another productive afternoon and it was good to finally bring some free food home with me.