I was just at statcounter.com which I'm using to measure the traffic coming to my blog...all free and very easy to use!
It is interesting to note that people out there all over the cyber world (Czech Republic,USA, Canada, Australia,India,France, etc etc..) are potentially reading something that I'm writing...although some people could be falling onto my page randomly or by mistake!
I've found that blogging is a good way to record what is happening day to day, and as the archive of posts builds up, just how much has been learnt and achieved.
I really love being on the allotment - and even without the blog would feel a sense of achievement. But, having the blog lets me look back and see the fruits of my labour.
So I recommend blogging to you all - allotmenteers or not.
Please feel free to leave comments, questions, advice, tips etc....it would be great to read what you have to say.
Saturday, 23 January 2010
Friday, 22 January 2010
Always winter, never spring
Hello All!
I think that should be "Always winter, never Christmas" - from the Narnia books...but the sentiment is the same...
It is a long time since my last post....and I've still not been to the allotment this year. It has been too cold, too frozen, too covered with snow to be able to do anything apart from develop chilblains!
The grave yard has short opening times during winter too...so is much harder to get organised and motivated to get down to the plot.
So here are my predictions for what I'll find when I do turn up!
1) A big mess - weeds will no doubt be evident and ready for a growth spurt.
2) Lots of clearing to do...I should have spent more time getting ready for winter - pull up the exhausted tomatoes, peppers etc... but I didn't!
3) Dead fish - they are supposed to survive winter by slowing down metabolism etc.. but it has been a long hard winter.
4) Rhubarb - I'm sure this is perennial, so it should be fine.
5) Most other plots in the same state - I'm sure I'm not alone in my fair-weather attitudes.
Hay-hoe...
Friday, 25 September 2009
Winding down for winter
Hi, long time without a blog post ! Eeek, just took a look and is a whole month... now that wasn't supposed to happen!
BUT - I have been busy on the plot, very busy - most of it is nice stuff to be honest...digging up spuds, and beetroot. Pulling off cobs of corn. Picking very ripe and sweet raspberries. Harvesting lots and lots of french beans. Cutting off clumps of the rhubarb...another success, very tasty - my custard making needs more work though!!
As it stands now, in late September - I think I can look back on my first year and be quite happy with what I've achieved.
Was at the plot today, and raspberries are coming thick and fast (yummy). Shame I only put in two bushes. Lots and lots of weeds though...they are everywhere and setting seeds too.
So will have a lot of weeding to do in the next few weeks, to ensure I've got a clear start in the spring. Will cover up the beds too, to keep the weeds down...actually may be helpful to list the tasks I've got coming up.
Weeding - as always! But the good weather has given the weeds a lot of good growing time, and they are pretty much everywhere!
Planting - got some onions sets (red and white) so will have some early onions. Plant some more soft fruit, raspberries, and maybe a plum and apple tree, and more rhubarb!
New raised beds - got some wood stored behind the shed, so will see how far that will go.
Spread Compost / rotted manure - it has been rotting down for months, so should be OK to put onto the beds now.
Pond re-siting - the pond has been on a bit of a slant, which doesn't look very good - and means less water for the fish...so will see if I can get the liner out and level if off. Will need a bit of planning so that I don't stress the fish out. May also be the point to solve the green water issues I've still got.
So lots done, lots still to do.
The more you put into something, the more you get out - as long as those slugs haven't been eating everything!
I will definitely keep up the allotment, and hope to make it more fertile and enjoyable as time goes on.
BUT - I have been busy on the plot, very busy - most of it is nice stuff to be honest...digging up spuds, and beetroot. Pulling off cobs of corn. Picking very ripe and sweet raspberries. Harvesting lots and lots of french beans. Cutting off clumps of the rhubarb...another success, very tasty - my custard making needs more work though!!
As it stands now, in late September - I think I can look back on my first year and be quite happy with what I've achieved.
Was at the plot today, and raspberries are coming thick and fast (yummy). Shame I only put in two bushes. Lots and lots of weeds though...they are everywhere and setting seeds too.
So will have a lot of weeding to do in the next few weeks, to ensure I've got a clear start in the spring. Will cover up the beds too, to keep the weeds down...actually may be helpful to list the tasks I've got coming up.
Weeding - as always! But the good weather has given the weeds a lot of good growing time, and they are pretty much everywhere!
Planting - got some onions sets (red and white) so will have some early onions. Plant some more soft fruit, raspberries, and maybe a plum and apple tree, and more rhubarb!
New raised beds - got some wood stored behind the shed, so will see how far that will go.
Spread Compost / rotted manure - it has been rotting down for months, so should be OK to put onto the beds now.
Pond re-siting - the pond has been on a bit of a slant, which doesn't look very good - and means less water for the fish...so will see if I can get the liner out and level if off. Will need a bit of planning so that I don't stress the fish out. May also be the point to solve the green water issues I've still got.
So lots done, lots still to do.
The more you put into something, the more you get out - as long as those slugs haven't been eating everything!
I will definitely keep up the allotment, and hope to make it more fertile and enjoyable as time goes on.
Sunday, 26 July 2009
All change at the plot...
Spent the last half hour, trying to get bluetooth to work - to get photos via phone to PC and onto the blog....but not been a success.
So will add the photos in later, for the moment please just use your imagination....
All change at the plot is not really an exaggeration. Plants and weeds have been growing very vigorously. So as you get through the gate and approach you notice a lot of tall green growth.
Some I'm happy to report are my planted out veg - with the sweetcorn doing amazingly - the tallest on the whole allotment, easily over 2metres tall now, with cobs now forming too. It all seems pretty big for what on the packet was described as mini-pop!
The tomatoes that are in with the carrots ( by chance ) are doing nicely. The tomatoes and courgettes that are in where the broad beans were are doing well, and have a few small red toms.
The courgette that I grew from seed are big plants now, and have produced a marrow! Again not sure how this happened, but there it was about the size of a cat! It is now at home waiting for a recipe to be decided upon - think it will be involved in a moussaka.
French beans are producing lots of beans, and have had two good meals from them, and more beans are on the way.
Peas are out...I've given up on these feeble plants, they couldn't get themselves climbing....and the frame they were on was surrounded by weeds. Lots and lots of weeds, of all sorts. So I took the decision to dismantle the frame, dig up all the weeds, and plant the sweetcorn replacements I've been nurturing at home. Plus some pepper plants also join the party.
Also set to work at some major hoeing of weeds on the rest of the plot...it was looking very nasty, all tangled and obviously in need of some proper attention.
I would like to thank my some for volunteering his resources and coming to help with the planting, weeding, watering, dismantling etc...was quite a full day to get it all sorted. We took two wheelbarrows full of weeds to the allotment tip!! Well it is never really sorted, there will always be weeds and plenty of work to do.
Pond is still not clear, though fish are active and healthy looking. Pond snail have been around the top and active too. Not sure how they work! Do the snails breathe under water, or hold there breath...might check that out with wikipedia.
That's all for now folks! I'll try to get photos sorted.
So will add the photos in later, for the moment please just use your imagination....
All change at the plot is not really an exaggeration. Plants and weeds have been growing very vigorously. So as you get through the gate and approach you notice a lot of tall green growth.
Some I'm happy to report are my planted out veg - with the sweetcorn doing amazingly - the tallest on the whole allotment, easily over 2metres tall now, with cobs now forming too. It all seems pretty big for what on the packet was described as mini-pop!
The tomatoes that are in with the carrots ( by chance ) are doing nicely. The tomatoes and courgettes that are in where the broad beans were are doing well, and have a few small red toms.
The courgette that I grew from seed are big plants now, and have produced a marrow! Again not sure how this happened, but there it was about the size of a cat! It is now at home waiting for a recipe to be decided upon - think it will be involved in a moussaka.
French beans are producing lots of beans, and have had two good meals from them, and more beans are on the way.
Peas are out...I've given up on these feeble plants, they couldn't get themselves climbing....and the frame they were on was surrounded by weeds. Lots and lots of weeds, of all sorts. So I took the decision to dismantle the frame, dig up all the weeds, and plant the sweetcorn replacements I've been nurturing at home. Plus some pepper plants also join the party.
Also set to work at some major hoeing of weeds on the rest of the plot...it was looking very nasty, all tangled and obviously in need of some proper attention.
I would like to thank my some for volunteering his resources and coming to help with the planting, weeding, watering, dismantling etc...was quite a full day to get it all sorted. We took two wheelbarrows full of weeds to the allotment tip!! Well it is never really sorted, there will always be weeds and plenty of work to do.
Pond is still not clear, though fish are active and healthy looking. Pond snail have been around the top and active too. Not sure how they work! Do the snails breathe under water, or hold there breath...might check that out with wikipedia.
That's all for now folks! I'll try to get photos sorted.
Saturday, 11 July 2009
Tasty Mash-up!
Has been a lot going on away from the plot, but...have at last pulled up some spuds!
I can't remember what they were, but pretty sure they are earlies...this is very exciting - as people who have veg gardens or allotments, always rate their tatties.
Mine look nice, though haven't as yet cooked them up...also pulled up some onions, carrots and beetroot. So will make a nice salad or something.
It was nice to come home again with a bag of veg with some weight to it.
The carrots are not very uniform, it may be that my soil isn't deep enough, or easy enough for them to make their way down straight - they seem to be twisted or split into fingers....still taste OK!
Above, home grown produce...l to r
onions, potatoes, carrots, beetroot.
I had a look on the BBC "Dig In" website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/digin/beetroot.shtml) on beetroot, and will take their advice on cooking it - when I first did this I peeled them, and cut off the tap root, this lets loads of the colour wash out while cooking....the website has advice on growing and cooking other veg too.
Rhubarb - photo from 28/6/2009 - forgot to put this is in previous post!!
Basically happy to report that rhubarb has now settled in and is starting to flourish.
Thought I had lost this plant, as it went all floppy when I first planted it!
Will take more photos soon, to show how quick everything is growing...the sweetcorn is very tall and chunky.
The plants in the pots in the garden (all grown from seed) have got a fair bit bigger, so I will probably get rid of the peas , which are proving a waste of effort, and get my extra sweetcorn, tomatoes and peppers down to the plot.
I've had comments from my lovely (and supportive) wife about her becoming an "allotment widow". This needs to be taken seriously, even if it is a gross exageration. May have to take up golf (even though I promised not to do this until I was old enough), to give an alternative form of "widowdom".
Mobile phone tip 4: Don't leave phone in potato patch!
I can't remember what they were, but pretty sure they are earlies...this is very exciting - as people who have veg gardens or allotments, always rate their tatties.
Mine look nice, though haven't as yet cooked them up...also pulled up some onions, carrots and beetroot. So will make a nice salad or something.
It was nice to come home again with a bag of veg with some weight to it.
The carrots are not very uniform, it may be that my soil isn't deep enough, or easy enough for them to make their way down straight - they seem to be twisted or split into fingers....still taste OK!
Above, home grown produce...l to r
onions, potatoes, carrots, beetroot.
I had a look on the BBC "Dig In" website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/digin/beetroot.shtml) on beetroot, and will take their advice on cooking it - when I first did this I peeled them, and cut off the tap root, this lets loads of the colour wash out while cooking....the website has advice on growing and cooking other veg too.
Rhubarb - photo from 28/6/2009 - forgot to put this is in previous post!!
Basically happy to report that rhubarb has now settled in and is starting to flourish.
Thought I had lost this plant, as it went all floppy when I first planted it!
Will take more photos soon, to show how quick everything is growing...the sweetcorn is very tall and chunky.
The plants in the pots in the garden (all grown from seed) have got a fair bit bigger, so I will probably get rid of the peas , which are proving a waste of effort, and get my extra sweetcorn, tomatoes and peppers down to the plot.
I've had comments from my lovely (and supportive) wife about her becoming an "allotment widow". This needs to be taken seriously, even if it is a gross exageration. May have to take up golf (even though I promised not to do this until I was old enough), to give an alternative form of "widowdom".
Mobile phone tip 4: Don't leave phone in potato patch!
Monday, 6 July 2009
Currant affairs...
My currants have been snaffled up, all of them!! It was only about 20-30, but they were gradually getting big and fat! I think I mentioned that the last time I tasted them, they were a bit inedible, but guess others have a different palette.
I think we are probably looking at a wood pigeon as number one suspect! I've seen them waddling around my own plot and others...big bird, big appetite, with a long enough reach with it's beak to get at the whole crop -and currantly (ha ha) the blackcurrant bush is only stumpy, as it is just year one!!
If I get more of a crop next year, I'll make sure to cover it up with bird proof netting, or an electric fence (hmmm, wind or solar powered?), or a mini-minefield?
Never mind, is all part of nature - I'm sure I'll lose more of my plots generous bounty to other critters.
I think we are probably looking at a wood pigeon as number one suspect! I've seen them waddling around my own plot and others...big bird, big appetite, with a long enough reach with it's beak to get at the whole crop -and currantly (ha ha) the blackcurrant bush is only stumpy, as it is just year one!!
If I get more of a crop next year, I'll make sure to cover it up with bird proof netting, or an electric fence (hmmm, wind or solar powered?), or a mini-minefield?
Never mind, is all part of nature - I'm sure I'll lose more of my plots generous bounty to other critters.
Thursday, 2 July 2009
Compost Companion
Another hot day, Thursday is a WFH (working from home) day - so scooted down in the morning and after work to give all the plants a long drink...
Also gave the two manure heaps a soaking to keep the rotting process going...on lifting the cardboard cover, a little mouse was revealed who quickly scampered off.
Probably was under the cardboard getting a feed on some bugs (spiders/woodlice and the like), but that is a guess!! I'm presuming that it isn't normal for a mouse to make a house inside pooh corner!
Also gave the two manure heaps a soaking to keep the rotting process going...on lifting the cardboard cover, a little mouse was revealed who quickly scampered off.
Probably was under the cardboard getting a feed on some bugs (spiders/woodlice and the like), but that is a guess!! I'm presuming that it isn't normal for a mouse to make a house inside pooh corner!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
