Saturday 20th June 2009 - weather: overcast but warm with a hint of a shower
Weeds weeds everywhere! GGRR. I wish my seedlings would grow as quickly as as strongly as the darn weeds!! Anyhow, I had a couple of hours on the site so the plan of attack was to weed the peas and strawberries. The peas are now in full flower and already there are plenty of slim pods so I think in about 10 days or so I should have my first picking. Something has been eating them though, as soon as they poke through the netting. I originally blamed the pigeons, BUT, as I was a-weeding, I came across a little pile of this.....
Is it muntjac poop I wonder? Or even roe deer?? We do have deer in the woods around the site and I have seen muntjac on the allotment. I am positive it isn't rabbit droppings, it was to shiny, black, and almost moulded together rather than individual pellets. So, could something else be eating my young, tender pea plants? More netting was called for so hopefully I will get to enjoy the peas rather than our local wildlife.
Weeds weeds everywhere! GGRR. I wish my seedlings would grow as quickly as as strongly as the darn weeds!! Anyhow, I had a couple of hours on the site so the plan of attack was to weed the peas and strawberries. The peas are now in full flower and already there are plenty of slim pods so I think in about 10 days or so I should have my first picking. Something has been eating them though, as soon as they poke through the netting. I originally blamed the pigeons, BUT, as I was a-weeding, I came across a little pile of this.....
Is it muntjac poop I wonder? Or even roe deer?? We do have deer in the woods around the site and I have seen muntjac on the allotment. I am positive it isn't rabbit droppings, it was to shiny, black, and almost moulded together rather than individual pellets. So, could something else be eating my young, tender pea plants? More netting was called for so hopefully I will get to enjoy the peas rather than our local wildlife.
As I weeded the strawbs, I also picked and I am pleased with this years harvest. There were no strawbs last year as I have moved the bed the previous autumn. The plants have become nice and strong looking are are all fruiting well. I will take a stack of pots and compost to 
the plot next visit, (if I remember!), to start saving the runners so I can really thicken up the plot.
Next job was digging the overwintering Japanese onions. As we have rampant white rot on the allotment, I get them out of the ground as early as possible. This year, the onions look great but at least half of the shallots are rotten. I will use them quickly in cooking and store those few that are not rotten for later. I dug one garlic just to see, and it was completely rotten....I might dig then entire row next visit and bin the lot. Last year I had the good intention to grow some garlic in large pots of sterile compost at home in the garden. Did I? Did I hell. I must try to remember to do that this coming autumn.
With that bed clear, I am going to plant the last of my brassicas and get them netted. Jack has given me about 8 purple spouting brocs, and I have some caulis and red cabbages to get in. I may well also sow a row or 2 of spinach amongst the cabbages as my earlier plantings have bolted already.
Finally I picked the raspberries that were ripe, and cut 2 baby courgettes. I could have left them to get bigger, but they are so early and the plants are still so small and weedy, that I would rather the plant puts on plenty of growth so we have more fruits later in the year than it spend all of it's energy trying to develop these early fruits. I also dug a few volunteer spuds and had enough new pots for tea and cut a lovely lime green lettuce.
the plot next visit, (if I remember!), to start saving the runners so I can really thicken up the plot.Next job was digging the overwintering Japanese onions. As we have rampant white rot on the allotment, I get them out of the ground as early as possible. This year, the onions look great but at least half of the shallots are rotten. I will use them quickly in cooking and store those few that are not rotten for later. I dug one garlic just to see, and it was completely rotten....I might dig then entire row next visit and bin the lot. Last year I had the good intention to grow some garlic in large pots of sterile compost at home in the garden. Did I? Did I hell. I must try to remember to do that this coming autumn.
With that bed clear, I am going to plant the last of my brassicas and get them netted. Jack has given me about 8 purple spouting brocs, and I have some caulis and red cabbages to get in. I may well also sow a row or 2 of spinach amongst the cabbages as my earlier plantings have bolted already.
Finally I picked the raspberries that were ripe, and cut 2 baby courgettes. I could have left them to get bigger, but they are so early and the plants are still so small and weedy, that I would rather the plant puts on plenty of growth so we have more fruits later in the year than it spend all of it's energy trying to develop these early fruits. I also dug a few volunteer spuds and had enough new pots for tea and cut a lovely lime green lettuce.
All being well, I will be back at to the plot on Monday to continue with the boring, but necessary, weeding. 
1 comment:
I've got the same idea as you regarding potting up some strawberry runners. I've got about 25 plants at the moment, but we can always do with more!
No raspberries here at the moment. I've only got autumn fruiting ones so I've got a while to wait yet.
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