Winter Wonderplots?

13 comments

Winter Wonderplots?

A couple of views of Gerry’s plot:

8th December:

Dry Sunflower heads for ‘Bird Bar’!

These were “drying” in the greenhouse but got covered in mould! Due to the extremely wet weather of November & beginning of December.

I put them out on Gerry’s half plot opposite the greenhouse expecting the rain to wash off the mould then after a couple of dry days the birds would eat them. It didn’t rain in a week!!! It’s since rained quite a bit but I haven’t been back since the 11th!

Brussels Sprouts ‘Bosworth F1’

I’ve never grown anything from the Brassica family before this year as neither my wife nor I like any of them!

I had some seeds, from a swap I think, so I sowed them as Gerry & my brother like them & there was a free bed. Although the photo is not very clear, I have them growing under netting over yellow hoops. They haven’t done at all well & I’m very disappointed with them. One plant however escaped the netting & has grow outside all summer & yet it’s the only plant that has produced any decent Sprouts! I noticed that the top of the plant has been practically stripped, whether by birds or caterpillars I don’t know.

Sprouts harvested

Here are the few I managed to harvest, most from the one plant outside the netting. These are for my brother, to thank him for all the help he gave me earlier in the year.

I’m only sorry there aren’t enough for Gerry also. But I know he will understand. Anyway on the plants under the netting there are still some small buttons & he may yet get some!

11th December:

After a hard frost during the night we had freezing fog all day & this was my view of his allotment at 10.30am!

Bed half dug:

In retrospect it was a bit foolish of me to try to dig this bed over with the frosty weather as I’d only managed to get half of it done when I had to give up because my hands were too cold to continue.

Lavenders at the top of Gerry’s plot:

These are plants I grew from seed last year & then put here to make a sort of small hedge. They flowered very well this year & I’m very pleased with them!

My own 1/2 allotment, Plot 12A:

Here’s a view from the bottom of my plot:

I forgot to take one from the top to compliment!

The bed of Leeks & Lentils:

My poor Lettuces & Beetroots!

I had intended to harvest the Lettuces when we got back from the birth of our first Spanish grandchild at the beginning of November but with such a wet month it turned out to be impossible.

The snails had a ‘Fiesta’ with them & they were full of holes & in such a bad condition I left them were they were with the intention of pulling them up & consigning them to the compost bin!

The Verbena bonariensis that I’ve grown for the first time:

They flowered very well but I thought they were an annual plant when I planted them! I’ve since discovered they are perennials! I’ll have to move them come spring.

Leeks: Close up:

These are growing where the runner bean stand is. They grew amongst the runner beans all summer & look none the worse for it!

These were seedlings I grew in the greenhouse & then put here for a “short” time! Trouble is I never got around to moving them from this “temporary” bed!

My Strawberry bed at the top of my plot:

Behind it you can just make out my composting area which is divided into 4 “bins”. My brother made it up for me in March this year.

I also have a few plants at the very bottom of my plot only I didn’t take a picture of them.

Last ‘Allotment’ blog this year

Well this is my last ‘Allotment’ blog for this year. Thank you for bearing with me during the year & for all the comments you have made. I hope next year any blogs I make up on our allotments will be better & a little more ‘entertaining’ than this year’s!

16 Dec, 2012
9 likes

Comments

Steragram

A great set of shots. I think most people had disappointing results with brassicas this year. Between slugs, caterpillars and pigeons, to say nothing of the rain, its hardly surprising. I have one decent purple sprouting broccolli plant and half a dozen Russian kale.

16 Dec, 2012

Nariz

At least you don't get sheep nibbling your sprouts! We've not had a good year with them (don't know whether to blame the sheep entirely or blame the weather as well!) but we've tried some, along with the gift of chestnuts from our neighbour, and they were very tasty. We'v left the rest to - hopefully - grow bigger. We've had frost - but not as long-lasting as yours! Well done on your allotment year! Looking forward to seeing next year on your patch. :o)

17 Dec, 2012

Terratoonie

Always lots of interesting detail in your blogs, Balcony.
And useful photos to illustrate.

17 Dec, 2012

Dianebulley

Pleased to see your mown path. If only all allotment gardeners would take a pride in their path and frontage in this way, the public would have more respect for us.

17 Dec, 2012

Bampy

I look forward to your allotment blogs Balcony ! Always an inspiration.

17 Dec, 2012

Balcony

Thank you all for your comments! :-))

Steragram, not having grown any kind of Brassicas before I wasn't sure what to expect. I did hope however that the plants under the netting would have done better. But the plants are mostly small in spite of being covered since planting out with the netting. The netting must be a metre high at the highest point but the plants are not half that hight.

Nariz, no, there is no possibility of sheep eating any of our produce! Pigeons are probably the worst culprits. Personally I can't stand Sprouts, I only grew them because I had a packet of seeds & I know my brother & Gerry like them. Neither my wife nor I like any greens! (Well my wife does like lettuce but I can only eat it with tomato, (a piece of lettuce & a piece of tomato), if the tomato runs out before I've finished the lettuce, (something that's very rare if I prepare the salad!) then I find it impossible to finish it!)

Glad you still find my blogs of interest, TT! :-))

Diane, the paths aren't exactly "mown" but the council gardeners do cut them with strimmers at least twice or three times a year! It doesn't look too bad now because it was cut for the last time about a month ago! The problem with using strimmers is that it throws all the grass cutting onto our beds - together with all the weed seeds & the grass seedheads! If we get some rain in the week or two after they have done the strimming the beds start to get covered with weed & grass seeds germinating!

Thanks for your vote of confidence, Bampy! :-))

17 Dec, 2012

Driad

Thanks for the "progress report " Balcony .
Boy done good !

17 Dec, 2012

Dianebulley

A push mower £35 from Argos is a good investment.
You can use your own grass cuttings any way you like.
Light enough to take to the field in the car.

18 Dec, 2012

Hywel

You put such effort into your allotment. Your blogs always document your work meticulously. I think you should be proud !
I look forward to reading more about your allotment next year :o)

18 Dec, 2012

Balcony

Thanks, Driad! :-))

Diane I don't have a car so that is out of the question! Thanks all the same for the idea.

Thanks ever so much, Hywel, for such a great vote of confidence! :-))

18 Dec, 2012

Hywel

y w :o)

18 Dec, 2012

Dianebulley

I forgot to mention Brussel Sprouts variety 'Early Half Tall' are ok under the netting.

I enjoy Brassicas under a thick Vegetarian gravy with thinly sliced steamed onions in - home grown of course !