Thursday 14 June 2012

Busy time on the plot !

The weather has played havoc with sowing and planting this year for everyone, and the seasons are all out of sync. The plants don't know what they are supposed to be doing and I'm not sure I do either ! The broad beans are doing so well and are full of flowers. The mangetout are giving me a little handful of delicious pickings each day. The spinach bolted and went to seed when we had that hot spell ( remember that time ???) so I have to sow more as we love it.

I have only just planted the french beans so at least this year everything wont want picking all at once. The french beans should start when the broads are over and I have already sown more mangetout to keep the pickings going. I didn't do that last year and regretted it as we love them steamed and also raw in salads. I have also planted turnips this year. I have never grown them before so didn't realise the leaves get so big ! and they have flopped over the carrots and beetroot that I sowed either side of them in  the raised bed.  I now have to transplant them elsewhere, I hope they like being moved as I am looking forward to baby turnip, and it would be a shame to lose them.

Here's a little look around the plot, photo's were taken this week.

The parsnips which are covering the carrots and a row of beetroot. Spring onions on the end.

 Plot looking lush after all that rain.

The courgette bed with Sweet William's behind and at the back on the trellis is my thorn less Tayberry which has masses of fruit coming this year (2nd year) a very strong plant from Victoriana Nursery.


This is the only globe artichoke that survived the winter out of nine plants which were huge last year. I thought they were indestructible !! to be truthful though I'm not sorry about their demise as they took up too much space on the plot and I found them difficult to prepare and cook. But they are magnificent plants and have a stunning flower which the bees love. For that reason alone I will always have one growing, plus try cooking them as babies this year as the Italians do and I love eating artichoke hearts.

The onions (sorry about the weeds) in the foreground and broad beans behind them.


Mangetout, delicious !!


Cabbages and cauliflowers under the enviromesh tunnel. I'm not good at growing cauli's but giving it one more shot this year and if no luck that's it for me !

Last of all the re-painted sign. The yellow letters need going over with a different colour as they don't show up that well.


I hope you liked the little tour. Have a good week.
M x

8 comments:

enrico's garden experience said...

what a lovely allotment...i will follow your blog so you can inspire me...

Maureen said...

Thank you Enrico and I hope you will inspire me with some recipes especially Italian ones. I love Italy and Italian food.
Best wishes to you.

Anonymous said...

Good luck with transplanting the turnips. I've never attempted that, so I will be interested to hear whether it works.
Despite what you say, I think many of your crops look pretty good. The number of pods on my Broad Beans that have set and turned into pods seems greater than before this year, so maybe that's caused by the additional moisture the plants have received.

Anonymous said...

I really enjoyed your post today Maureen. Everything is looking so healthy in your allotment. I LOVE your shed and your signage, both artistic and very jolly using these lovely colours.

Growing courgettes said...

Your garden looks good. Your courgette looks good. I kept my seeds from last year and grew them and they all came up. They are all yellow round ball type and they are just starting to producing little courgettes.

Caro said...

Hi Maureen, Have you thought about growing perennial cauliflowers? I had some from Victoriana last summer and had about two months worth of eating from them. They're another huge plant but, instead of one large cauli head, you get one normal head and lots of little ones! I found them very easy to grow and they come back again over the next five years.

The Cookie Jar said...

Your plot looks so well. I will be intersted to hear how transplanting the turnips go. I grew the little white ones last year, a bit tasteless but helps bulk out stews.

Have a good weekend.

Sheryl at Providence North said...

Everything looks healthy, green and lush! We have had very odd weather this year too.