Guilty!!

I've been feeling rather guilty of late because I cant think of anything original to blog about!! I've been busy, but not been busy about anything original! Decorating... working... harvesting....so sorry if this isn't particulary inspiring, but today we had a very brief spell of sunshine that drew me out into the garden. While I was there I.....

was well impressed with the size of my lone courgette,

dead excited at finding loads of potatoes as a result of my potato tub experiment....

more than happy with the progress of my lemon grass grown from seed this year

enthusiastic about the prospect of lots of lovely ripe tomatoes....

thrilled by the sudden surge in my carrots...........

eager to find lovely recipes that needs Jalapenos.................

and ripe tomatoes.........

and chillis'

puzzled as to what can be eating my strawberries......

annoyed at the bloody caterpillars that have left me with no lettuce..............
and finally... reminded at how lucky we are to be able to grow anything at all........

All quiet on the blog front

I have been desperately trying to think of something to blog about... but ..no can do. Its not that I lead a boring life, far from it... But what with the rain, kids on school holiday and decorating there seems to be little time to do what I enjoy most.... my allotment. I get down there briefly, occasionally, weather and son allowing, so have managed to harvest bits and pieces as required, and thats about it. So nothing really to write about.
It was our wedding anniversary on Sunday, I congratulated hubby on his lovely choice of card.....only to be told that it was the only in the shop!!! Not really what I wanted to hear... mind you it is a huge improvement on previous offerings. I remember one Valentines day, he presented me with a lovely card... on the front it stated that all his life he had searched high and low for the perfect girl, then he found me.........Ahhh thats nice I hear you say... inside where the words.... INSTEAD!!! His excuse was that he read the front and thought that'll do, so he didnt bother looking inside. Yeh... right!

Comfrey magic

Popped down to plot 44 this morning for an hour. I think I really need to plan my visits so that I can make good use of my time. I tend to go down without really thinking about what needs doing, then, I just go with the flow, if you like. Although I seem to always find lots to do, I am sure that I could do more, within the time frame. I think I should employ a time and motion consultant!. I could spend all day down there, and still come home thinking "I should have done this," or " Damn I didn't do........." Anyway, today I ....... dug up another row of potatoes, these are Maris Piper, they make a lovely roast potato. fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside....Mmmmmm.....

Then I dug up the rest of the carrots that were under the fleece which has eventually surrendered to the elements. Mind you, I was very pleased with the results. Lots of lovely looking carrots and not a carrot fly in sight. I definately will be growing them under fleece again. I decided to dig up the whole lot, because I didnt want to leave them to their fate.

I then made up a comfrey "brew", apparantley Comfrey is a marvellous plant to have on your plot. If you pick the leaves and put them in a bucket filled with water, leave them for a month or so, you will end up with a vile smelling brew that is the most wonderful liquid feed. You can also cut the leaves and place in a trench under your potatoes, they will quickly rot down and provide nutrition to the crop, some even say that this will improve the flavour too.Check out this link, http://www.allotment.org.uk/vegetable/comfrey/index.php

Roy was kind enough to give me an armful of his Gladioli, they are now gracing my kitchen window, thankyou Roy

Back at home in the greenhouse, the Jalapeno chillies are really excelling themselves, Any recipes requiring Jalapenos gratefully recieved...

I do believe that our "sunmmer" is now drawing to an end.... at the beginning of August... I think all the seasons have merged into one rather ill defined season. What has happened to the long hot summer days we had when I was a kid on the six week summner holidays. I certainly dont recall being stuck indoors for days on end, our mother would have gone mad, two sets of twins and no games consoles !..... every day was beautiful and we were able to go out playing and making "camps" on the common that surrounded our estate with all our friends. Or am I looking through rose tinted spectacles? Do you remember the term "heatwave"? Times are a changing.. I wouldn't feel at all happy letting my 10 year old dissappear off over the common unless he had his mobile with him,and half a dozen friends, even then there is danger. Or is it just the media making us more aware of the dangers that are lurking just outside our front doors therefore turning this generation into soft, sofa hugging gaming experts.

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!!!