Sunday, 5 May 2013

Early May plot update

Well things are starting to move along. An upturn in temp is always welcome at this time of year and it`s meant I can start to get stuff planted out on the plot and also in the tunnel.
All the Cedrico tomatoes are now planted into final positions and the stump carrots are doing well tucked up under fleece. They are under there for 2 reasons. Firstly, to keep carrot fly off and secondly, the sun gets very strong in there and the fleece protects them a bit because they are still only seedlings.
My Toughball onions are doing well in my homemade compost. I`m not planning on putting any fertilizer on these because the compost was so good in all aspects including N P and K and aslo trace elements. It will be interesting to see how they do.
I also sowed parsnips yesterday. Really late I know but the weather has been so cold I didn`t see the point up until now. Hopefully they won`t be as monstrous as usual !
Last years garlic whuch I saved and planted again looks fantastic. I hope it`s as good as the last lot. All the signs say it will be !
This morning I sowed some cucumber and giant marrow. I`m planting some seeds I got from Peter Glazebrook and some of my own saved seed. Hoping for a better result than last year (which was crap)

I managed to get most of the maincrop potaoes in the ground this week. I planted Kestrel which I leave in as a maincrop although they are really second earlies. They do really well on my plot so I grow them every year. I still have some Bluebelle and Amour to plant this week.





Saturday, 13 April 2013

Stump carrots sown

All done. Seeds sown, watered and tucked up until they germinate.
Also sowed all the onion sets this morning. 140 Sturon and 45 Red Baron.




Thursday, 11 April 2013

Other blogs I follow

I came a cross this site via an allotment mate and decided to check it out. It`s fab for anyone wanting to grow veg and flowers too. Check it out !


Stump Carrots

Well here we go again. Our little guy is at camp this week so it gave me the opportunity to get some jobs done at the allotment. I did some final compost mixes for the stump carrot bed and mixed in the fertilizer. Made a start on boring all the holes in the stump carrot bed (now finished) and filled with the mix.
The mix consists of sieved Humax multipurpose compost, some sterilzed topsoil and fine vermiculite. Then to each 25 litre batch I add - Vitax Q4, calcified seaweed, Nutrimate and some lime. Hopefully this will work well for the stumps.
Today I get to hump sand over the allotment all day. I`ll see how far I get filling the long carrot barrels but this might take a few attempts. I`m also going to sow the stump carrots today. This wil give them the 22 weeks they need to mature before the national championships .


Sunday, 24 March 2013

March. Brrrrrrrr !

Coldest March for god knows how long but things are still moving under the growlights and in the greenhouse.
The garlic in the polytunnel looks great and everything in the greenhouse at home is also looking well. We could do with some warmer weather cos it`s getting full in there.
I said to myself last September thast I had plenty of time to get everything ready but here we are at the back end of March and I`m under pressure already. Got a busy couple of weekends coming up regardless of the weather.


Saturday, 9 February 2013

Feb update

Well the blog might be quiet but it`s a busy time right now !
My Toughball onions are now in the greenhouse and I have also sown some Vento onions which were pricked out this morning (see pic)
The Cedrico tomatoes are also up and are under lights for 12 hours a day.
The chilli plants are also really benefitting from being under the T5 lights. They are much further on than they usually are which is a bonus because they are soooooo slow usually.
I have started to fill the long carrot barrels and I`ll be carrying on with this whenever I get the time.
All the seed potatoes came from JBA last week and they have been washed and are in trays in the greenhouse.
Looking good !



Saturday, 5 January 2013

Long Carrot Greenhouse

Nearly done !

Went up there today with my little helper. Thanks mate !