More digging, some optimism

The final section is now half dug after three hours of hard work. I took a break to sow a row of Beetroot and Carrot.  Interestingly the bottom row of raspberry canes is definitely behind the main row in green shoot development. Is it colder lower down? Nothing is growing but possibly the first seedlings are germinating.

Yellow onions :   

Carrots :      Long Red Surrey 

Beetroot :    Cylindra

The tap is seriously dripping, we have told the warden. 

At home I have planted a variety of seeds.  Inspired by a neighbour I am attempting to grow cucumbers. Also Calabrese and peas. As well as the usual courgettes, runner beans and two types of squash.

Courgettes :  All Green Bush and  Defender F1

Squash : Butternut and Autumn Crown

Runner Beans :   Kelvedon marvel 

Peas  : Ambassador

Sugar snap peas : Sugar Ann

Cucumber :  Long Green Maraicher

Calabrese :  Waltham

I am planning on sowing seeds for flowers in the back corner of the allotment. Along with some green manure crop, whose name escapes me at the moment.

After another weekend R has finished all of the digging and the old strawberry bed is looking a little clearer. We have started a new compost area. R is impatient to get plants in and the seedlings at home are not growing fast enough for him.  Next weekend hope to get  peas and beans up against frames. Some parsnips may be coming up but the early carrots and beetroot must have died. Transplanted one raspberry cane, I wonder if it will grow from such a small root. The tap is no longer dripping but running! Still little growth from the onions or potatoes, fingers crossed. The weather has been quite mixed but with warmth and rain.

Hubby comes through

We are feeling ahead of the curve, or at least not behind it as is more usual. R has been the driving force and we have now planted two different onion sets, one red one yellow.  There must have been over 150 onions in each bag.  My back is a little on the complaining side. R planted some but I planted most of them. R thinks I plant them too close together but I try to work out a regular number for not too many rows.

As an experiment the two rows of yellow onions at the bottom of the allotment are planted according to each persons technique although I covered both rows. When I cover them it is just a sprinkling to help protect them from the birds.  Not sure it really works but I've never not done it. It's supposed to be sand but I have soil to hand!

Top Row : R slightly pushed in and about 8" apart

Bottom Row : G gently placed and closer maybe 4" apart

Is it Spring?

Finally the weather feels just a pinch warmer. R and I got our red onions in. Six rows in total, I tried to keep them shallow. We knelt on a plank when planting to try and keep the soil loose. Still the golden onions to plant, and finding a space for them as we used more than half that set aside for onions.

Red Onions : Red Baron

Earlier (Saturday) R got his mower out and mowed for the first time this year, also strimmed the edges while I weeded a rather desperate looking strawberry patch. The wet and snowy winter has left the plants almost non-existent in both areas. The original patch needs weeding further. The new patch with plants my mum gave me has lost 50% of the plants as far as I can see.

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Refurbished Shed (no window anymore)

From the shed - R mowing
 
 

2013 - Trying to get motivated

After last year I am finding it hard to be enthusiastic about the allotment. Enter R, who doesn't seem to have taken to heart last year's dismal results but has taken on the challenge of doing better this year. He has been up digging several times on his own when I just felt too tired. Now we have spent Easter weekend repairing the shed, painting it and planting the potatoes. Previously I had sown some parsnips, beetroot and carrots, not sure of varieties.

First Earlies : Pentland Javelin 39 tubers
Maincrop : Isle of Jura 33 tubers
Parsnips : White King 2 mini rows
Radish : Cherry Belle interspersed in parsnips
Beetroot : Boltardy. 1/2 mini row
Carrots : Long Surrey 1/2 mini row

When I take my camera to the allotment I will post pictures, the shed is very bright and cheerful.

I have just looked at someone else's blog with a recipe for Gooseberry tart, it sounded fantastic and I can't wait for my gooseberry bush to produce this year so I can try it. Whoever it was thank you.