Disney Fever

Who said I only ever grow Mickey Mouse potatoes!

I told you I couldn't wait! My son and I munched our way through this beauty today. Straight from the plant, warmed by the sun. Beautiful!

Showing off

I just couldn't resist posting a picture or two of my sweetcorn. It looks wonderful.....
The top picture shows clearly that the later sowing on the left is in flower, whereas the earlier sowing on the right is nearly ready. The lower picture is just one of the cobs waiting to be unwrapped. OOOhhh it's just like Christmas.... I cant wait!!!

The highs and the lows

I am getting over my tooth abcess with the help of my dentist and five days worth of antibiotics, so am feeling back to my old self again. God help my family! Went down to plot 44 to have a quick look around and pick some more blueberries. I pulled some carrots, some of which are useable, and noticed that the ants have taken residence in the tub. Should I take action or just leave them alone? I'm not sure. Any ideas?

As I am sat here writing my blog there is an amazing aroma coming in from the kitchen of blueberry muffins. I found the recipe in my farmers market cookbook, and they are really easy to make, no creaming of butter and sugar etc, you just chuck all the dry ingredients into one bowl, all the wet ingredients into another, stir, then mix them both together with a metal spoon, and into the oven. Lovely.

Twenty minutes later.....yum yum.....

When I was on the plot earlier, I was thrilled to see that my goji berry bushes were starting to flower! I only put them in this year, they were about 10 - 12 inches high, they are now about 6 foot high!!! In one season! Incredible.

Meanwhile in the greenhouse the tomatoes are coming on in leaps and bounds.....

Or not as the case maybe.............!

Here's the culprit....
AAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!

Carrots and bites

I've been feeling a bit under the weather lately, so I haven't been down to the allotment quite as much as I would like to, also as the summer holidays are here, I wont be able to spend as much of my free time there as I would like, as my son doesn't share the same enthusiasm as myself for all things growing. Anyway,got down there last night,with hubby and son, I had to pick hubby up from the pub, and while he was in a "happy" mood, a little sneaky detour on the way home, and lo and behold, we found ourselves at the allotments! Well while we're here it wouldn't hurt to do a bit of watering, I suggested!
I woke up fairly early this morning, the sun was shining and not a cloud in the sky! Right I said to a sleeping Hubby, "I'm off down the allotment for an hour," 2 hours later I returned. Always lots to do, everything is growing much too quickly. I've picked, french beans, runner beans, florence fennel, sugar snap peas, potatoes carrots, and a cabbage. The dreaded carrot fly has managed to get at the carrots again despite our attempt at growing them in a tub, raised off the ground. I can only think that as our allotment is on a slope, and I am at the bottom, this means the carrot fly still manages to get in! I could put a fine mesh cloche over the tub I suppose. Maybe thats something I could try next year. Anyway I decided to grow some at home. I have got some potato tubs left over from last year,

So I filled them almost to the top with sharp sand,

Added a few inches of compost and of course carrot seeds, I used Autumn King

And there you go! I will keep you posted.

My lovely Apple tree. I am not sure which variety this is, but it is a lovely tangy sweet apple, and is loaded this year. Some very large flowers and my first very little Butternut Squash.


The biting season has begun, let battle commence!!!

onions, onions everywhere!

Here are some of my onions drying out on Hubbys boat trailer, I knew I would find a use for it! Here are some more of my onions drying out in the back garden on the swinging hammock.

I have onions drying out in the greenhouse, and also down at plot 44 in the little plastic greenhouse! Wont be short of onions this year!

This is the first of my tomato Pomadoro, it is an italian cooking tomato.

This is Ruby, a delicious little cherry plum tomato. A real favourite, tasty and prolific.

Blackcurrants ready for picking.

The potato tub experiment is still going strong. Stangely though, no flowers. Will this affect the crop in any way I wonder?

One of my favourite flowers, the Stargazer Lily. You either love em, or hate em!

Alstroemeria lily, this particular variety was included in Lady Dianas wedding bouquet. At least this has stood the test of time!

And finally, who does this remind you of? Answers on the back of a post card to....

Who am I?

Can anyone identify this little chap? I found nestled amongst the mange tout on plot 44.

Home from Holiday

Got back from a short break in Minehead on Friday. Managed to get to plot 44 on Saturday and today, everything has grown soo much in just a few days..especially the weeds! I did lots of weeding on Saturday, and formulated a plan of attack for today., this included lots and lots of picking! So for tea today to go with the rather large joint of Roast Beef we have, newly dug Maris Piper potatoes, for roasting, first picking of runner beans, final picking of broad beans, a very large bag full of mange tout, a generous helping of sugar snap peas, a decent serving of freshly shelled peas, Florence Fennel, carrots, a small swede, beetroot and cabbage! Make a note to buy some bigger plates! I also pulled up the remainder of the onions which look as if they are suffering every kind of rot and mildew going! I have them drying on every available rack, chair and net that I could find! Though I dont think I am going to end up with a very successful crop, I have a nagging feeling that I will end up throwing most of them away. Dont know what I will do about growing onions next year, even the ones that I grew in containers with new compost ended up with white rot! Anyone any tips?

Nightjars and gloworms

Goosey and I went for a walk last night,to hopefully see a rare Nightjar and increasingly uncommon gloworm. It was organised by a member of Dorset Wildlife Trust, and another lady who supports Corfe Mullen Nature watch. I am ashamed to admit that I didn't get either of their names:( It was a blowy night, but at least it didn't rain. We all met at 9:00pm at Rushcombe Bottom, it was well attended, with approximately 32 people, of varying ages. After a brief introduction and telling us what to look and listen for we set off. We were shown to a spot that would be our best vantage point, and after a very short wait were rewarded by hearing and then seeing the birds in flight. It was a brilliant experience. I wasn't able to get any photos, because A:- it was too dark, and B:- they were too fast! On the walk back to the meeting point we saw a few gloworms. It was a brilliant experience, and I am really glad that had the opportunity to go. Thanks Goosey(again)!

Orange delights

When I was at the allotment the other day, I was just packing up to come home when I spotted this butterfly, I followed it all around the allotment, every time I got close enough to take a picture, it would up and fly off again! I finally managed to get a decent shot, I think I have identified it as a Comma(?) A fairly common species apparently!

Following on with this orange theme, I decided to add a couple of pictures of these magnificent Nasturtiums. They are looking wonderful at the moment, and not a blackfly in sight!

They look fab on a salad, and taste nice too. Quite peppery.