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

Annie's Little Plot

Annie's Little Plot

Wednesday 5 June 2013

Rushing headlong into summer

Where has this year gone to, I can't believe its the 6th month already, its all been a bit of a blur. We had a stunted spring and this week we seem to have rushed into summer with some glorious sunshine and some welcomed warmth. The late cool spring has had some benefits the blossom has been glorious and the bulbs have flowered for ages, my tulips have been out for nearly a month and are only just going over now. I think that has been because it has been quite constant weather,  and probably when you think about it, quite good growing weather, with some rain, a few dry days but quite a steady temperature. Though we remember the cold dull summer, my feeling is that one of the worst things that happened last year was the abnormally warm and dry March which was followed by some snow and frosts which started plants off into growth too early and then cut them down. The blossom suffered the most, this year though the blossom has been glorious, even on the ornamental trees. I've got two quite old apple trees in my garden and one is pretty scraggly now but even that one has flowered well this year. At my allotment last year I planted a dwarf apple tree 'James Grieve' and it has blossomed well this year so I'm hoping for my first crop later in the summer.

I don't want to say it too loudly as this weather may not last and we may have another cold wet summer but so far things are growing well at the allotment, I'm really pleased. Not sure whether that is due to the better weather or the fact that I've smothered my plot in masses of well-rotted manure this year and my plants are noticeably more healthy looking and seem to be getting growing quicker after planting out.
So here's an update. Most importantly I've now got my bench at the allotment. Though so far its not got much use, the odd breather but as soon as I sit down I notice something else I was going to do and up I get! It does need a sand down and a re-paint. Its my old one from my garden. I've put a couple of hanging baskets either side with some strawberry plants and I hope I'll be nibbling some of them soon.
So from the top of the allotment down, starting with the two long raised beds. In the brassica bed I've planted some Calabrese 'Marathon', Broccoli 'Romanesco' and Cauliflower 'All the year round'. This is my first attempt at growing cauliflower so we'll have to see how it goes.
I acquired some blue piping which is much better in covering the plants with netting to stop the pigeons which are a real problem on this site, but it was just a bit left over from a job at the local cricket club so need to get some more.
My bed dividers, the chives are looking fab and the butterflies are appreciating them.

Further along this bed are the legumes, I sowed some peas direct into the soil and they took so long to come up that I'd also sowed some more in modules which I planted in between the direct sown rows, but then they all came up so I've got 4 rows of peas, strictly probably too close. But so far doing OK.
I've got lots of healthy broad beans, some which I sowed direct and some from modules. The wigwam is for some runner beans, I sowed some direct but only one has come up. I've got some that I've sowed in pots to fill in the gaps. I've also sowed some dwarf french beans which will fill the rest of this bed.
My onion bed has been split this year. In this bed are the over-wintering onion 'Electric Red' which was swelling nicely, some garlic (again some direct and some module-gown) and some Elephant Garlic which is a new one for me. There also some Shallots, 3 different types, 'Golden Gourmet', 'Red Sun' and some long thin shallots called 'Longor'.
My maincrop onions 'Stuttgarter Giant' and 'Karmen' are in a different bed as there are plans to make a sort-of greenhouse in the onion bed this year. 
My real disastrous bed last year was the roots bed, no luck with beetroot, the celeriac was completely eaten by slugs, carrots and parsnips didn't germinate. All-in-all a waste of space. This year its looking better. I did try sowing the beetroot direct but again no germination but the ones sown in modules are now growing well. So pleased about that as I need some for the Allotment Show. I will sow some more soon too.
Not only do I have beetroot growing in this bed but also the celeriac seems to be ok now, I did keep some seedlings back in case the first lot were eaten by slugs but they don't seem too much of a problem so far this year. But also have some Florence Fennel and some spinach in this bed so already more successful than last year.
Potatoes growing well now.
You can tell that its not been too bad for slugs and snails as I've also managed to grow some lettuce at the allotment, I usually leave those for the garden where I can keep a closer eye on it but my plot neighbour had some spare seedlings of an iceberg type lettuce so I've had a go and then I've sown some 'Little Gem' and some speckled Cos lettuce 'Freckles' and planted them too which are just getting going.
Elsewhere on the plot, I've planted some sweetcorn 'Lark' and may put another patch elsewhere and I'm busy hardening off my courgettes, cucumbers and squash ready to plant out which I will do the end of this week.
Fruit-wise I've already mentioned the apple tree, my rhubarb has been wonderful and I've had lots from that, the one in the opposite bed which I planted last year is growing well too and I'm hoping I can also crop from that next year. My gooseberries and redcurrants are covered in fruits so I'm keeping an eye on them. The strawberries are also covered in flowers and my 3 patches have now been mulched with straw.
The alpine strawberries which edge the beds had looked very straggly at the end of the winter but a good haircut and they have come back strong.
At the bottom of the plot which is quite damp and a bit shady I've got a thornless blackberry, 3 raspberry canes and a Tayberry. The raspberries I'm hoping for a crop from in the autumn and the Tayberry which languished a bit last year has grown with vigour this year and may need some taming.
Flowers are coming into bloom too, I've got self-seeded Calendula, Cerinthe, Nigella and Borage all over the plot which will add some colour soon. I've also sown some Calendula seed from Flighty which I've kept separate. I've planted out some sunflowers, another thing that was defeated by the slugs last year, and some Echium and Tithonia. I've a few things still to go in like some Dahlias and Cosmos. I've some lovely Camassias, a pale blue' which are loved by the bees.
I picked my first bouquet of the year the other day, the lovely chive flowers, with pale blue Veronica and some bronze fennel which I topped up with some Erysimum 'Bowles Mauve' from my garden.

I'm loving the Veronica, I've got a patch at the allotment but I've also got a whole row in my garden at home its so easy to propagate and its spread from a small patch which I got from my mums garden and it has lovely delicate flowers which bloom from the bottom upwards so flower for quite a long while and then the rosettes of the leaves are nice and largely evergreen. I think thats going to spread round my front garden next.
Apologies for the long post but I've had a lot to catch up on.

17 comments:

  1. We just need warmer night time temperatures to as fluctuations don't suit plants. Let's hope things are on the up!

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    1. Yes your are right Sue, could do with it a bit warmer at nights, especially when we get really hot days like today.

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  2. It sure is a busy time of year for plants and us. It sounds, and looks, like everything is doing well. I'm a touch envious of that bench as I make do with a log!
    Thanks for the mention. My pot marigolds are growing all over the plot and I've been weeding round them this week.
    A most enjoyable post. Have a good weekend. Flighty xx

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    1. I just need to make use of the bench now.
      Looks like we are having another good weekend!

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  3. Wow - you have been busy - your allotment looks fab-u-lous. It's going to be a good year for you - I can feel it in my bones.

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    1. Thanks Elaine, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it keeps up like this. Things seem to be growing well so far.

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  4. Oh my!!! Everything looks wonderful and so organized....puts me to shame! You really look like you're heading for a bumper crop. Fingers crossed for more glorious weather, it's delightful here too.xxxx

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    1. It has been glorious and it has brought everything on, I just hope we don't go back to real cold again now, but I'm optimistic.

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  5. Everything looks as though it's really coming along well. We have blue piping over our beds too, so that looked very familiar! I love the bouquet - and the bench in the sun.

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    1. Its my first year with the blue piping but everyone seems to be using it on my site this year.

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  6. What magnificent veggies you have, they really are coming on so well. You are far more organised than I am. Your blue piping reminds me that we have some in the garage, it's about time it was put to good use!

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    1. Am pleased with it all this year, its kept me busy which has been good.

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  7. That quite apost. Looking at your bench and it is exactly the same as mine at the allotment and situated in exactly the smae location too. Mine was also the old bench from home!

    Everything is looking so healthy. The blue piping is a godsend, especially with a good quality net. Our allotment shop sells it cut to the lengths you want so we always have it to hand. I will hopefully be getting my brassicas in this weekend and will therefore be digging my piping out the shed!!

    Everything is looking wonderful and it's so nice to have some warmth and sun back into the country. It's amazing how the tone of everyone's posts are changing with the improvement of the weather. Fingers crossed it stays with us.

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    1. I'll have to suggest our allotment shop gets some in too, that would be handy. Yes I know what you mean about peoples post being happier with the sunshine!

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  8. Wow, everything is looking very productive - and tidy! Our little vegetable beds at the end of our garden are a bit over-run with borage and chickweed in places at the minute. Must get back on top of it! I did spend a couple of hours out there last night, prising weeds out from around the fledgling carrot and parsnip seedlings, tonight is sadly rather wetter!

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    1. Yes some rain here tonight but thing other areas have had more than us, just a couple of showers here. I've got a good crop of borage on my allotment too so some selective weeding is needed.

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  9. What a fab tour! I love it! Everything looks so neat!! I had a bad year for beetroot, parsnips and carrots too, plus pumpkin squash & Courgette failed too. This year everything is doing so much better. Great to have a snoop round your plot and I love your vase of flowers :)

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