The love of gardening is a seed once sown that never dies. Gertrude Jekyll

Annie's Little Plot

Annie's Little Plot

Wednesday 3 July 2013

Race for the strawberries

Its still light at 10 o'clock I love it, so spending long evenings up at the plot, its fabulous. The allotment glows in the evening light. These photos were taken last week, its a bit grey today but sunshine is planned for the weekend, good timing for my trip to River Cottage.
The allotment is flourishing at the moment, could do with it being a bit warmer at night still and the wind has been a bit annoying but I'm days away to harvesting some of the crops, the over-wintered onions are glistening, spinach is ready, strawberries ripening as we speak as are gooseberries and redcurrants, potatoes are flowering, suggesting that their starchy goodness is ready, broad bean and peapods are swelling and lettuce is hearting up nicely. Its a bit of a race to get the strawberries before the slugs, they seem to have become a bit more active again recently with the damp weather, I've had to lose some but overall I think I'm winning.
I'm growing some purple flowered broad beans this year which have done really well, and produce not only a lovely colourful flower which the bees are loving, but also have a lovely scent which wafts around as I work.
I've also got some things planted for future crops, I've some runner beans 'White Lady', some dwarf french beans, both green and yellow-bean varieties. There is some climbing french beans 'Cosse Violette' which were fabulous last year and I've just planted some Borlotti beans which have a lovely speckled pods and will be great to harvest for their beans which can be eaten fresh or dried for storing and can be used in soups and stews in the winter.
 There are some squashes, a bit of a mixture here, I've planted some 'Blue Hubbard' and 'Crown Prince', which I've had good success with in the past. 'Uchiki Kuri' and 'Patty Pan' the latter of which I'm going to try growing up a wigwam. There is also a pumpkin 'Jack O'Lantern', never grown a pumpkin before. These have taken a bit to get going, another reason why we need some warmth.
Here are my Brussel Sprout 'Titus', I'm determined that I'll have a few more winter crops this year so I've got some sprouts and I'm also soon to plant some red cabbage.
The leeks, another winter staple have now also gone in though admittedly a bit weedy looking at the moment I'm sure they will get going soon.
I've planted a few sunflowers which I've managed to get past the slugs this year and they are growing strongly now.
The Globe artichokes are starting to bud.
New for me this year is the Cucamelon, supposed to give you small sweet fruits. Not sure whether it will cope with being outside but will have to see, its starting to climb.
Anyway hope you are all busy harvesting the first delicious crops and enjoy the sunshine this weekend.

11 comments:

  1. Broad beans always look a bit weedy when first planted - they have lots of growing to do!

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  2. I love this time of year when everything is just reaching maturity, it's a time for the first, first strawberry, first potatoes, first beans etc. Your allotment is looking well tended, mine is a mass of weeds at the moment, it's been neglected lately so I really need to find some time to get down there and get something done.

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  3. It's all looking and sounding really good. Fingers crossed that you continue to keep winning against the slugs.
    It's been the same here with the wind, which I notice as my plot is rather exposed in the middle of the site.
    Thanks, and you too! Flighty xx

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  4. You've been busy. Those broad beans are so pretty aren't they. xx

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  5. Oh how lovely to see so many different crops growing and all looking so healthy too! You will eat like a prince in the coming months.
    My leeks are tiny too, they seem to be hardly growing at all.

    I love those red strawberries peeping through. It's wonderful just being outdoors in the good weather gardening away isn't it....sighs....xxxx

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  6. I love working outside until late, too, and yesterday evening was very warm so that was even better! Everything looks great on your plot and I hope you beat those slugs to the strawberries. I lost every single one of my sunflowers to slugs last year, so I'm hoping that this year most of them will survive and flower.

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  7. Its all looking good. Those broad bean flowers are beautiful. I have just the plain white flowers but the bees sill love them and the beans at the end taste great!!

    As for the pumpkin...in one great mad rush it will grow a foot or two in the blink of an eye!!

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  8. Love your broad bean flowers, beautiful - your plot is looking great

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  9. Very nice photographs of your plot, everything looking great. The extra daylight is certainly a bonus. I'm doing mainly watering on an evening whilst this hot weather is with us, (no rain for ages).

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  10. Your plot looks amazing. Those purple broad beans do smell gorgeous, don't they. I'm loving the long days, late nights and this glorious weather. My Oh had to come and get me from the plot the other at 10pm. I was still watering and picking. Hope you have a great rip to River cottage and can't wait to hear about it.

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