What a difference a few sunny days make !

Wow!! we have had some sunshine at last ! except for some showers today which hampered any plans for planting out that I had in mind.  Other than that I have managed to get lots done in the garden and on the allotment. I sowed some carrots, turnips,Parsnips and  spring onions in a raised bed last week and covered them with two old windows that someone gave me last year.  With the heat under the glass the turnips are up already and need thinning.

I have painted and re-styled my allotment sign, it looks very 'folk art' now and I have done both sides so that it shows outside the plot as well. See what you think of it !! I was rather pleased as it looks much better than before and will last longer as I have painted the wood before doing the signs.

I'm hoping the weather will be fine tomorrow so I can go and put the sign on the plot.

This is how the sign looked originally, probably more in keeping with the allotment, but I prefer the 'Folky' look.

I treated myself to some flowers when we went shopping today, these beautiful peonies were reduced so I couldn't resist them, the others were full price but still a bargain. They smell lovely.

I'm looking forward to cutting my own flowers from the cutting bed on the allotment later on in the year.

I have lots of plants growing strong in the greenhouse. There are chillies, tomatoes, cucumbers, courgettes, and I'm just starting off the french beans 'Blue Lake' and 'Fasold' both have done well every year.  The broad beans are flowering, and the mangetout are growing stronger.  Onions are starting to shoot up now and the garlic planted last Autumn looks like it will be ready to harvest soon.  The three varieties of spinach is looking healthy and needs thinning and transplanting very soon.

I am looking out for my asparagus as I will be able to harvest it for the first time this year, if it's a success that is.  I think I have lost most of my globe artichokes. I thought they were hardy, but only two seems to have survived.

I have been reading some of my old post going way back, and they were much more interesting than my later ones and very chatty too, so I guess I have got a bit lazy, must do better !!!!!!  I was  all excited way back then on getting my plot which made me very keen to record everything.

That's about all for now I hope the rest of the week is kind to us weather wise !

M x

Not sure I like the New Blogger !!!

Ohhh I logged on to write a post and blogger has changed ! that was a surprise, I expect they have been telling us leading up to this change, but as usual I haven't read any notices. My desk top PC has died on me ! I think it may have been because of some electrical surges we had a few days ago. So I have to use the laptop and I don't like the keyboard very much.

I have been busy sowing seeds, potting on and generally tidying the plot. Everybody at the allotment are saying that they are all behind this year due to our crazy weather, myself including. But some things have come on well as you can see below. Isn't it brilliant to see the seed pushing through the soil /compost ??

This is my first harvest of rhubarb and it's such a lovely colour. I didn't cook it but cut it into small chunks and  froze it instead and will use it for a crumble next week. YUMMY!!

The Zebra Beans ( an old variety) are pushing through and are so big.

These are the Bellotti Beans

 Here we have more beans and some cucumbers (Marketmore) I haven't tried this variety before.

This is the mixed tray

The greenhouse on the allotment is chockablock with about six different varieties of tomatoes, and there are lots as I am going to do a plant / boot sale with a friend. We have lots of different plants divided up from our gardens and I have grown masses of herbs, also divided ones I already had. If we manage to sell them all it will cover our costs on the allotment. Mind you it's not all profit as the costs involved in sowing, growing and potting on, boot costs, plus time involved probably takes a chunk off.  No wonder garden centres charge so much !!! they have staff to pay as well.

I hope you are all getting on top of the sowing and planting on your plots and in your gardens.
Have a good week !!
M xx