Tuesday 7 June 2011

Truly Allotment Heaven today

I feel very fortunate to have my allotment plot ! I read about long waiting lists and that in some areas especially in London that it can take between ten to fifteen years to get a plot, so yes looking around my plot today seeing all the lovely veggies and flowers growing I really appreciated my 'Allotment Heaven'.

I worked from 1.30 pm until 4.50pm weeding mainly, as the rain seems to make the weeds prolific and the onion bed took some backbreaking work to weed.  I dug up 3 plants of my early potatoes ' Ulster Prince' and took them straight home, shared some with my lovely neighbours and cooked a few for our supper and they were delicious. We don't eat many potatoes so I have only planted first and second Earlie's this year.

I have dug up my first bed of Garlic 'Cristo' which this year thank goodness didn't get rust. It is a great crop and I think once again I have gone a bit overboard as I have a slightly larger crop to come up yet of a French variety.

The Globe artichoke bed looks brilliant and has a little squash in between Globes and lots of Asters  I can't wait for them to flower as it's the first time I have grown these flowers
The Spinach (three different varieties) is amazing and I am picking a large bag every other day and also giving the neighbours some. I intend to keep sowing so that I have enough until the winter months as we love it.


The Tayberry has fruit and I can't wait for it to fully ripen and pick my first berry, Yum !
The cucumbers in the greenhouse have tiny fruits YEAH ! we love home grown cucumbers and the tomatoes are full of flowers, and I have loads of lettuces and peppers coming on in the greenhouse. So all our own salad stuff sorted !

And here are a few photo's taken around the plot today. Lot's of flowers and bees buzzing, truly Allotment Heaven.





What more can one ask of life ?

Almost forgot to mention that I have been sent a lovely book to review which I will post about over the next few days. I think most of you with fruit growing on your plots will like this book,  it's all about making cordials, wines, beers, soft summer drinks and more from fruit we grow, buy or forage.

Have a lovely week.

M x


11 comments:

Mark Willis said...

I can sense your joy in what you write! It is a good time of year for gardeners - everything is so full of promise, and the first fruits of our labours are becoming available to us. I wish I could grow spinach like you: mine always bolts before it is ready. I think it must just be that my soil is unsuitable for it.

Mrs Jones said...

All looking far more lovely than mine! What variety of spinach are you growing? I tried an American version this year which almost instantly went to seed! I've certainly not had a single leaf off it, so I need to change what I grow, I think.....

Caro said...

Very eye-catching post title! Maureen your flowers are gorgeous, I wish I had the space to grow so many - although there is a grass verge opposite my Veg Patch which might not be there soon, heh, heh... All your hard work (and muck digging!) is paying off and it looks FAB! Lovely new heading photo as well. Caro x

Pam said...

It looks so very beautiful Maureen - can really see the amount of work that has been put into it!
P xx

Kath said...

My spinach invariably bolts too so I grow perpetual spinach (spinach beet) as both we and the chickens can't get enough!

Your plot looks lovely - heaven indeed!

Maureen said...

Thank you MARK, MRS JONES,CARO,PAM & VEG HEAVEN for all your comments.

If you want to grow some good spinach that is slow to bolt try Spinach-Campania, Sutton seeds. Here is a link if you find it hard to come by in the shops.
http://www.marshalls-seeds.co.uk/spinach-campania-seeds-pid2560.html

I also grew Suttons 'Speedy Veg' Spinach 'F1 Tetona' and a good one to try is again Suttons which is red veined and delicious called 'F1 Reddy' the red veined ones do tend to bolt a bit quicker, but only sow a few and then pick like mad and then sow more to follow on.

Oh and Thompson & Morgan 'Bordeaux F1 hybrid' is another red veined and also very tasty. I like this one ! as you can see we like our spinach !!!!

Poppy said...

Hello Maureen, it took me 2 years 7 months to get my allotment. I'm like you, I love everything about it. I love spinach!
Your allotment is looking fab!

Lou xxx

Maureen said...

Thanks Lou, I'm just about to sow more spinach as I also share with neighbours and my daughter so I need lot's and I actually prefer it in my salad rather than lettuce.

Pam's English Garden said...

Dear Maureen, Your allotment looks gorgeous! You have a wonderful variety of plants there. I wasn't able to plant any cool-weather salad crops this year due to the rain, which never seemed to stop. But like you, I feel so very blessed to have a garden! P. x

Wendy said...

Love your blog - so inspirational - so have awarded you this - find out more over on my blog

Erin said...

I just found you on Blotanical. You made a post I was reading...then I was looking for your blog, and here we are. I'm a veg gardener in Canada. I am a loving your blog. Thanks....actually I'm going in to fave you in Blotanical right now before my menopause brain kicks it right out.