Allotment/Veg Patch Thread 12! Plotmenters hoping for better weather

[bookbook]

Well, previous thread is nearly full, and I am busy the next couple of days, so thought I had better get this up and ready.
Thanks for the plot title Una
Everyone welcome to join in and share their experiences, tips, the woes and joys of growing their own .
Summer and harvests here we come ( and we''ll do our best to beat the pests)
Previous thread HERE

There was more than one! Other pictures didn't post...

I've given myself blisters today whilst weeding. It's been trying to rain on and off all day here but frustratingly not had anything that's managed to even get the ground damp.

Enjoy your chickens Frouby - I'd love some chickens but realistically it'd be too much hassle getting someone to look after them when we're away.

una that sounds amazing. I’ve had 3 strawberries and a about 8 raw peas, so less impressive . Although my stealth rhubarb planting is now paying off and I’ve had some nice stewed rhubarbs.

My autumn raspberries have gone a bit potty- are they ok so crowded or should I thin them?

Sorry to hear about the demise of the polytunnel Flying and Frouby we will need regular updates about the hens. What are you naming them? It tried to rain here today but it may do better tomorrow. I have some outdoor tomatoes set and some round courgettes forming.

flying - what a shame about the polytunnel
stealth rhubarb - I leave my autumn raspberries to do their own thing Cath - mine look like that.
Frouby - can I just give a word of warning - a lot of local by- laws don't allow cockerels on allotments , so check ( you may be far enough away so nobody hears with luck ) -
We had rain this afternoon !! - not much though, just enough to damp the surface, but better than non I suppose/

book there are loads of cockerills on the allotment. So assuming it will be ok. Hos cock a doodle doo is pretty pathetic anyway. More a whisper than a crow 😁.

Namewise ds keeps changing his mind. We have a definete Marshal and Skye the 2 banties. The other names started off as Pam (my mums name) Auntie Deb and Auntie Sandra, Auntie Sue and Auntie Nicola. With the 6th one either Chicolatta, Zuma, Rider or randomly, Stanley.

It could all change by tomorrow tho 😁

My araucania cockerel was called chicoletta! We hatched him from an ebay egg. He died a while back so we have no boy just now we need to move the coop I made before the winter, join it to the old chicken shed and make a new outside run and then we can get some more. So much to do.

Between the rain today I potted on all my winter veg, lots of kale and swede came up. Will re-sow leeks as I only have four.

Pic is the coop, made in a hurry as they were bogged down knee deep in perma mud before the snow. They are snug and dry now.

Lonely that's not a coop, that's a luxury hobbit conservatory.

Luxury hobbit conservatory!

Well either the nemaslug or the dry conditions seem to have discouraged the slugs - everything I put out yesterday seems alive and I only spotted two slugs (RIP).

Exciting news about the chickens Frouby. Hope they give you lots of eggs.

Ooo, I’d love a luxury hobbit conservatory, lucky chickens

We’ve had a bit of rain , more a sprinkling. Found somewhere to buy some leeks next week someone at allotment told me about so one thing sorted. Planning plot visit later.

Showing my lack of knowledge again but is it too late to plant strawberries?

ow planting of strawberries - for this season it's too late, but perfect for next!

I'm netting mine next year . Used to be ok on last allotment without but here they are being munched and I'm not getting any. People who have netted have loads.

Afternoon!
Frouby - paw patrol reigns eh?
ow - blue has it - plant now for fruit next year :)
I only managed an hour this morning - finished weeding around the first asparagus bed, watered everything and then picked strawberries ... Cut the next few sweet peas too.

I think with a lot of preventative measures - once birds/rabbits/slugs have found the tasty stuff, you are always in a battle . My strawberry runners came from 'Old John" - he was in his 90's when I started at my plot, ( and still doing a pretty good job - better than me anyway) He was the one to tell me to net strawberries , as blackbirds love them . :)

Ow, it's a good idea to start strawberries in the summer to get established ready for next year. But depending on how the weather has been where you are, you might be better to wait for wetter weather - certainly here the ground is so dry they'd really struggle to get started. My favourite varieties are Manille and Malling centenary. I've done OK without netting my strawberries but have netted my blackcurrants and cherries as both crops vanished without a trace last year.

Paw patrol is definetly ruling here. We also have a guinea pig called Rubble 😁. Chickens happy enough today.

Everything growing well. Including bastarding bindweed. I spend at least 3 hours a week pulling it out.

And we are almost at courgettes a go go. Reckon first one will be ready by Wednesday. Then 427 by a week on Tuesday.

General plot photo.

Harvestable lettuce.

Runner beans running away!

Oh Frouby that looks absolutely wonderful! I’m definitely going to woodchip my paths next year looking at your pictures. Friend getting rid of decking so I’m having it for allotment.

I have a few raised beds at home and the French beans I did in heated propagator are doing much better in that then the runners in allotment I was given that are in heaped up sort of lazy beds. I think they were sown much earlier but the ones at home are loving the manure and compost mix they’re in rather than straight soil, I’ve got a few photos, will post some up in a separate post.

frouby that looks like a proper food producing plot.
your hard work is paying off.

Looking down from shed, mines the bit up to the grassy section.

Plot looks great Frouby.

Very jealous of all the strawberries, not even a hint of red on mine yet.

However this is the first year I've managed to get the redcurrants netted before the birds have attacked.

My rather pathetic sweetcorn in front bed, Alderman peas and purple podded peas behind.

Bottom few beds