Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: beetroot, blueberries, carrot, harvest, parsnips, raspberries, squash, sweetcorn
The trips to the allotment have been a bit sporadic of late. A combination of weekends away and rain in the weekday evenings have conspired against me. I was pleased to see that everything is still flourishing and the beetles are keeping their forays to a minimum.
There isn’t much to do except pull weeds and harvest. This week we have: aubergines, tomatoes, sweetcorn, potatoes, raspberries and blueberries. I’ve also harvested elderberries to try making something called Pontack; a preserve for use with pork and game.
The borlotti beans are persevering despite being in the worst spot in the allotment, too dry and too shaded. The squashes will be ready in about a month. I thought I’d planted butternut but they aren’t the right shape some are beautifully round, getting larger as you watch, the others are flat like flying saucers. The carrots, beetroot and parsnips are a little behind – I’m hoping now for an October harvest. My neighbour has taken pity on my shoddy carrot growing and we left clutching 12 beautiful carrots.
Squashes
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: aubergine, raspberry, squash, sweetcorn, tomato
There was frost on Wednesday morning and two of the tomato plants have been got hard. I’ll leave them in but I’m not sure whether there’s enough undamaged plant left to survive. It’s such a contrast to last year where we’d already been through a heat-wave.
The broad beans are set and developing nicely and I suspect that the first are about 2-3 weeks away from the plate.
I’ve been hit with a vile cold so was taking it easy. Mainly sitting watching the construction of the new raspberry cage from a sun-trap under the cyprus trees.
Heroically I did manage to plant a row of sweetcorn and a row of mixed squash along with the beefsteak tomatoes and some aubergine plants. I now have my fingers crossed that: 1) the raspberry cage isn’t stolen, 2) this cold patch is finally over and spring will return.
Plot 36 