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

Annie's Little Plot

Annie's Little Plot

Tuesday 21 August 2012

Post Olympic blues

I'm having withdrawal symptoms! I'm missing the buzz of Team GB. I want to be watching the tense tactics of the cycling, hear the roar in the Olympic stadium, watch the horses dancing, marvel at the gymnastics and see all the Union Jacks waving. I'm afraid I've been engrossed by the Olympics which explains my lack of blogging, instead I've been watching Mo, Usain, Jess, Chris, Victoria, Louis, Beth and many more of our Olympic heroes. I knew that I'd be watching lots but never imagined that it would be the success it has been, not only in sporting terms but in making people smile and talk to each other. 
Huddersfield had one gold medal winner, Ed Clancy the cyclist so we are proud owners of a gold post box!
Disappointingly I didn't get any tickets for any of the events in London but I did go to watch some football at Old Trafford which was fun. I was also down in London for the closing ceremony gig at Hyde Park, New Order, The Specials and Blur's last ever gig (so they say) which was amazing. Back to reality with two very busy weeks at work 
But things are moving on, I can't believe its nearly the end of August. Walking up to the allotment last night I went past a mass of blackberry bushes which are producing ripe berries already.
I spent a lovely evening there, making me realise that I need to make the most of any nice evenings. So how are things going up at t'plot? Well its definitely more positive now, some crops have been disastrous this year, roots have been a no no. Slugs ate all my celeriac, no beetroot germinated, a few radishes have survived. Peas have not been great, broad beans were nibbled to death by birds. Even onions have not been too great, well apart from the autumn planted ones. But some things are thriving, everything is behind but hopefully on their way now. 
Other berries that I'm feasting on at the moment are the alpine strawberries, they form a hedge along my fruit bed and have been flowering and fruiting since April. When I get to my plot I have a session of picking the tiny fruit some which I save for on my breakfast cereal in the morning!

Best picked when they are really dark and fully ripe. Small but intensely sweet.
My sweetcorn is looking great this year, I sowed two batches and one is a bit behind the other and just starting to flower now, the other hopefully are ripening behind the wrapped leaves.
I love sweetcorn so I've got my fingers crossed for sweet and tasty cobs.
My few fennel that survived the slugs are swelling by the day.
My courgettes are fruiting like mad now, I've grown some round yellow ones this year which are perfect.
I've also grown a variety called 'Trombocino' which has very weird shaped pale green fruit which are just starting to develop. Don't say anything rude.....
My broccoli is growing well now and I'm hopeful that I'll get some crop before the end of the summer. Better late than never.
I've not grown runner beans this year but have some dwarf beans that are starting to develop beans now and I'm growing a purple climbing bean called 'Cosse Violette' which is covered in flowers and has tiny beans just starting to develop. Its very pretty with purple tinged leaves and lovely purple flowers.

I've got lots of flowers on my plot this year, fennel is full bloom and the hoverflies love that.
This is the best sunflower which grew out of reach of the slugs.
Finally one flower that I can't imagine slugs ever trying to eat! Amazing flowers of the globe artichoke. Which the bees just spend hours inside.


















The allotment my antidote to post-Olympic blues.....

5 comments:

  1. Mmm I'm having a bit of Olympic withdrawal too. Especially on a Saturday night it was so much better than the normal rubbish, still not long till Strictly!

    Your fennel looks great and bigger than mine ;). What's 'trombocino' Italian for? They do look very amusing.

    The flowers on your artichoke are amazing. I can see why the bees are attracted to them. What variety are your alpine strawberries? Did you grow them from seed?

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  2. Yes Strictly will fill the void perfectly!
    I think Tromboncino means little trumpet but I stand to be corrected. I've seen lots of very amusing pictures of this squash but as my others squash are very far behind this year and not sure whether they will grow quick enough I think I'll be OK with this one.
    The Alpine strawberries are 'Mignonette' from Sarah Ravens seeds. I sowed them last year planted them out middle of last year and got some fruit but they are really thriving this year.

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  3. It has been a difficult year for most things, but courgettes always manage to do well. The ones you're growing look fun, I might try those next year!

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  4. I know exactly what you mean about the Olympics, though I am looking forward to the Paralympics. And then Strictly....

    Your plot seems very productive, I love sweetcorn too, it was one of my favourite things to grow. I really must try alpine strawberries, sprinkling a handful on breakfast in the morning sounds like the perfect start to the day.

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  5. My blues have been more Summertime than Olympic thanks to the mostly indifferent weather and difficult growing conditions.
    As Janet says your plot seems productive so well done. Fingers crossed my sweetcorn is doing well so far as well. Globe artichoke flowers are wonderful. Flighty xx

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