Progress!...What progress?

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Its been about three weeks since I did my last blog showing progress on the allotments, and to be quite honest, I see very little progress!

To me it is; annum horriblis!

Things are just not growing like they have done in previous years.

Perhaps it is a case of; I don’t see it moving, because I see it most days, whereas you lot might see a bit of a difference.

OK I will walk you around the plot in more or less the same sequence as previous visits starting by ;

Looking down plot 1

The first thing we come to is my peas, they have not grown at all since I put them in over a month ago, and if anything, they have got smaller where the birds have got at them.

This is the third year on the bounce my early peas have gone for a burton so I won’t be growing them again.

Strangely enough if I sow them in July I get a brilliant crop so thats my plan for the future.

These are my broad and french beans and these have not moved much either, since I planted them out on the 24th May.

My maincrop and 2nd early potatoes seem to be Ok since planting them out on the 2nd May.

• A view up plot 1 from the bottom corner of the allotment.*

The next two pictures are taken from the bottom of the central footpath with plot 1 to the right and plot 2 to the left!
Plot 1

Plot 2

This is plot two from the bottom corner of my allotments.

I planted these late cabbage and savoys earlier this week to see me through the winter months.

The Celery is coming on nicely will have to change the blanching tubes soon as the plants have outgrown the current ones!

The Swedes at the front are progressing slowly, but I don’t mind that because I don’t want them to mature too early!

The Shallot experiment doesn’t seem to be working yet i.e. they haven’t split!

The maincrop Onions planted out out in two lots about a month apart seem to be liking the conditions!

Glad something is!

These are my leeks which I planted out a couple of days ago!

This is the result of ‘slug damage’ in my Chrysant bed :o((

The other Chrysants seem to have survived their onslaught.

This is a view down the plots from the top of the allotments.

My somewhat battered and bruised Pumpkins and Courgettes.

They will soon pick up if we get a bit of sunshine, but thats me….the eternal optimist!

The Gladies are starting to come through a bit sporadically but I don’t mind that as this means they won’t all flower at once and I will get a longer flowering period.

These are my early potatoes which in most years I am eating in early July, looks like it might be the end of July this year :o((

The Japanese onions, I might lift these by the end of the month as I don’t think they are going to develop much more!

These are my Calabrese and Caulis! These are doing reasonably well considering the growing conditions, but like my early potatoes….I will have a bit of a wait before I see them on my dinner plate :o((

The garlic now that looks promising looking at the stems, might leave these till the middle of July before lifting them!

Brussels sprouts are steady away, not overly concerned about these so long as they are ready for my Christmas dinner!

If you look close the beetroot has just germinated, can’t see the Parsnips which were sown along side them yet!

The Sweetcorn; now these do need a bit of heat but there are no signs of that yet.

Noticed that at this height, the rabbits have managed to nibble the tops off of a few, the only cure is a bit of heat so that the tips get out of reach of the rabbits.

Normally these two gooseberry bushes produce loads of fruit but this year all they have produced is loads of new growth.

Its the same with my Blackcurrants…an abundance of top growth :o((

These are two new plants I planted out earlier this year they are a red gooseberry and a couple of Loganberry plants.

I didn’t expect any fruit from this year but they look as if they are coming along nicely for next year!

The raspberry canes are a bit thin on the ground but there seems to be a fair amount of fruit on the ones that have survived!

The Strawberry bed;

Usually I am picking these the week before Wimbledon but not this year I would have thought!

Wasn’t sure if I would be getting any Apples this year as it was so cold when the trees were in bloom and I hadn’t seen many pollinators (bees) about.

But these look promising!

Sweet Peppers could be better considering the time of year, but even in the greenhouse the low light levels has still slowed them down.

My solitary melon!! Not expecting any fruit from this, I would have expected it to be at least 3 or4 feet tall by now!

A view up the inside of my big greenhouse;

A carrot bed;

My Chilli peppers;

A few Tomato plants going steady away;

The Aubergine bed, have had to belt these with slug pellets …slugs just love them……so do I given a chance ;o))

Another carrot bed;

Tomatoes being grow by the ring culture method.

Looking at the quality of the plants I don’t think the compost is doing them any favours.

Perhaps when I start the feeding regime they will pick up!

The stuff in the tunnel is doing reasonably well but again a bit more light than we have had would have helped!

These are three types of lettuce which I will be eating soon, but the Cobra french beans have a bit of climbing to do yet before I get anything fom these!

Six Gardener’s Delight tomato plants.

Various Cucumber varieties;

That is a Cape Gooseberry in the bucket!

Like the Sweet peppers in my other greenhouse these have also lacked a bit of light!

Looks like I am in for a bonus here!

These are some garlic that have grown from reject cloves I dumped into the compost heap last year!

This is where we dump our excess plants for fellow plot holders to help themselves to, all that is asked that the drop a few bob into the honesty box for the privelage.

To date we have collected around twelve pounds this year.

Thought I would take a walk uto the wild garden we have built.

It was started two years ago this month and it is becoming quite established now;

This is where we wil hold our ‘open day’ get together on te 30th of June weather permitting!

We will erect a gazebo and stick a few chairs around, and have a few beers or Peter’s Punch and a snack made by the ladies on the plot, and just generally have a bit of a chat and put the world and our allotments to right.

Approaching the wild garden

A closer look

A closer look

The “Premier” bug hotel!

The pond;

A few of the trees and shrubs;

A close up of a red Hawthorne tree;

Another general view;

• 15 Jun, 2012
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