All posts tagged allotment

There’s a Hole in my Potato Bed

There’s a hole in my potato bed, dear reader, a hole. On my arrival to the allotment on Sunday morning (yesterday) I found this:

Rabbit hole in the potato bed

Rabbit hole in the potato bed

It wasn’t there Saturday.

Apparently, the rabbit fencing around the allotment site has been found to have a few ‘flaws’ recently. No kidding! I checked inside the hole for signs of life and found nothing, the hole didn’t appear to lead anywhere. I was beginning to wonder if this was the work of a very large rat, until I filled in the hole using the expertly tilled soil in a mound nearby, along with little round poops, courtesy of Peter Rabbit.

I guess a rabbit-proof fence is needed around our plot very soon. Oh the joys of allotmenteering!

13 Comments
by The Garden Smallholder on May 12, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Allotment, Pests & Diseases
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Posted by The Garden Smallholder on May 12, 2013

http://thegardensmallholder.wordpress.com/2013/05/12/theres-a-hole-in-my-potato-bed/

Wordless Wednesday

broad bean plants, broad beans

3 Comments
by The Garden Smallholder on May 8, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Uncategorized
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Posted by The Garden Smallholder on May 8, 2013

http://thegardensmallholder.wordpress.com/2013/05/08/wordless-wednesday-8/

Wordless Wednesday

blackcurrant flowers

3 Comments
by The Garden Smallholder on May 1, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Fruit Garden, Uncategorized
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Posted by The Garden Smallholder on May 1, 2013

http://thegardensmallholder.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/wordless-wednesday-7/

Half-Term Onions

planting onion sets

Yesterday I dragged our half-term-holiday-bored-teenagers to the allotment to help plant onion sets while I got on with some much-needed weeding. I highly doubt the onion rows are straight (they looked a bit dodgy to me), but I’ll settle for wonky rows.

I buy onion sets locally which is very convenient but the varieties available are limited, I’m happy enough with growing Sturon and Red Baron again this year, they always do well for me. Last year I had a go at growing Hercules onion instead of Sturon, some bulbs were a lovely size at harvest time but the rest were pretty average. It’s hard to judge properly because of a poor summer so I’ll give them another go next time they’re available.

Do you have a favourite variety of onion (seed or set)?

13 Comments
by The Garden Smallholder on April 11, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Allotment
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Posted by The Garden Smallholder on April 11, 2013

http://thegardensmallholder.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/half-term-onions/

Sunshine and Planting

planting potatoes

Planting seed potatoes

We planted potatoes at the allotment yesterday, the weather was pleasant all weekend with Sunday being warm enough to leave our coats at home. Yay! Even though I dislike planting potatoes (I find it so dull), it felt good to be doing something other than talking about what we couldn’t get on with and moaning about the weather.

digging

Dig, dig, dig

When we first got our allotment two sections of the plot were incredibly stubborn to dig. Correction, near on impossible. We broke a spade and fork, barely scratching the surface. Eventually we accepted defeat and covered the compacted areas with manure and pretty much ignored it for the rest of that year, using other areas of the plot instead.

digging

Still digging…..

Manure certainly helped to feed and lock moisture into the soil. Last year we tackled the areas again by digging in lots of compost to improve the structure, then we made two large beds and planted potatoes in order to break the soil apart further down. We had a good crop despite a poor summer and the soil improved considerably. Success!

harvesting potatoes

Planting our potatoes yesterday was so much easier than it was last spring (still dull though), making all the effort we put in worthwhile. We’re growing a main crop variety called Sante this year (we usually grow Desiree), so we shall see how it performs and tastes.

11 Comments
by The Garden Smallholder on April 8, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Allotment
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Posted by The Garden Smallholder on April 8, 2013

http://thegardensmallholder.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/sunshine-and-planting/

How to Prune Autumn Fruiting Raspberry Canes

Autumn fruiting raspberries should be cut down to ground level to in February or March to encourage fresh growth

Autumn fruiting raspberries should be cut down to ground level to in February or March to encourage fresh growth

An allotment visit was needed today to cut the autumn fruiting raspberry canes down. Autumn raspberry varieties fruit on the current years growth, cutting all canes down to ground level during February or March helps to direct energy where it’s needed, encouraging fresh new growth (canes) from the base. The new canes will eventually bear fruit in late summer/autumn.

Cut each cane a couple of inches above ground level.

Cut each cane a couple of inches above ground level.

This is how your row of autumn fruiting raspberries should look after pruning

This is how your row of autumn fruiting raspberries should look after pruning

It was quite cold in the wind and raining on and off, apart from one other plot holder we were the only ones there.

Here’s a reminder on how and when to prune summer raspberries http://thegardensmallholder.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/tiding-summer-fruiting-raspberry-canes/

9 Comments
by The Garden Smallholder on March 16, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Allotment, Fruit Garden
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Posted by The Garden Smallholder on March 16, 2013

http://thegardensmallholder.wordpress.com/2013/03/16/how-to-prune-autumn-fruiting-raspberry-canes/

Allotment Garlic

planting garlic

I popped to the allotment plot early this morning and was pleased to see the garlic growing well, just one clove failed to sprout which is great considering it was left unchecked until now due to being busy with a house move. Hard frost the year before forced our garlic cloves out of the ground and we had to replant the lot. I was worried the same may happen again and had visions of garlic cloves sitting on top of the soil!

garlic in march

We still have around 30 bulbs left from last summers harvest to munch our way through, they’re hanging in our garden greenhouse on wires. I think a few bulbs will be heading to our neighbour the next time we give him a box of eggs from our hens! Do you have an allotment? If so what are your growing plans this year?

I really want to grow a successful pumpkin at our plot this year!

19 Comments
by The Garden Smallholder on March 7, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Allotment
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Posted by The Garden Smallholder on March 7, 2013

http://thegardensmallholder.wordpress.com/2013/03/07/allotment-garlic/

Update on Our Allotment

I haven’t posted about our allotment for a while, here’s an overdue photo update on how our allotment plot is coming along.

The early days:

allotment

After a lot of hard work:

allotment

allotment

560051_320796724664579_729251831_n

To recap, in April 2011 we (hubby and I) were offered a brand new plot at the village allotments. We spend quality time together at our allotment, working the plot and relaxing afterwards. The vegetable garden at home is very much mine, which is nice but I do enjoy hubby’s company at the allotment, sipping tea and chatting about our achievements so far. It’s been back-breaking at times but we’ve had a lot of laughs too.

 

11 Comments
by The Garden Smallholder on December 27, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Allotment
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Posted by The Garden Smallholder on December 27, 2012

http://thegardensmallholder.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/update-on-our-allotment/

I Have an Allotment Plot

Here she is, all weedy and wonderful. A plot was offered to me at my village allotment on Good Friday, I jumped at the chance - who wouldn’t? What with waiting lists as long as 10 years in some places I feel ever so lucky to have an allotment plot so soon. You might be surprised to learn that my plot was in fact reserved beforehand but never claimed, I’m not complaining I just find it bizarre. I went along to the allotment the following day to choose between two previously reserved plots (yes, somebody else failed to claim a plot) and I’m now the proud slave to Plot 4. 

 

I spent today, my first proper day as a plot holder digging and cursing the ground – it’s rock solid dry and a jungle of weeds. I’m now enjoying a glass of red wine to take the edge off my aches and pains - plot 4 is going to bury me under her by the time the year is through .

I’m loving every painful minute of it.

11 Comments
by The Garden Smallholder on April 24, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Allotment
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Posted by The Garden Smallholder on April 24, 2011

http://thegardensmallholder.wordpress.com/2011/04/24/i-have-an-allotment-plot/

Allotment Plot

 

I applied for a plot at my village allotments yesterday, I’m really excited and nervous for some strange reason! My name has been placed on a very short waiting list so fingers crossed I’m offered a plot soon. The allotments are brand new, everyone in the village had an opportunity to get a plot but I held back not wanting to rush in because I felt guilty for the growing space that I have in my garden, instead I waited until everyone in the village had a chance.

Now that I’m on the waiting list for a plot I don’t feel so greedy and it feels fair to me. I really want to be part of the allotment community, make new friends and learn a thing or two. I’m slightly worried that I might be taking on more than I can handle but nothing ventured nothing gained.

9 Comments
by The Garden Smallholder on March 12, 2011  •  Permalink
Posted in Allotment
Tagged

Posted by The Garden Smallholder on March 12, 2011

http://thegardensmallholder.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/allotment-plot/

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