BUSY PERIOD? What is everyone up too?

[Parsons Jack]

Hi all,

It's back to the dry weather here again. I've just had the hose out on the garden. Planted out some sprouts today, and weeded through the calabrese. Already a few heads forming on the calabrese I'm looking forward to them. Planted out some squashes, two to a growbag. Not sure about these really, but thought I would give them a try. The climbing beans are racing up the supports, but no sign of any flowers yet

Cheers, PJ.

[Catherine]

Hi PJ You sound like you've been busy. We have been at our plot from 10am to 5.30pm. Really burnt and tired now.

OH built me another bed. I transplanted some tomatoes into black pots, weeded, planted some seed. Our peas are just not coming through so today I have planted 48 pea seeds into little pots. We go on holiday in two weeks so I really need to get some peas up and running. Our carrots are not coming through either. So that is something we have to work on.

Worst of all we have black fly on our broadbeans and cabbage root fly in the cabbages. The chap on our adjoining allotment walked past today and said, when we told him of our problems. Oh dont worry its not the end of the world if you lose everything I was so cross, we have put so much effort into the plot. I will have to put a photo on the website to show what we have achieved and this person!!!! is saying that.

We love squashes so have got three plants going.

Like a daft s**l I planted some gourds not realising that they were ornamental. All four grew so I am finding places for the to grow.

Well tomorrow I am going to work there again and hope I dont see him. I am not in a good mood yet...

What is the beach like at the moment?

[Parsons Jack]

Hi Catherine,

Nice to hear you've been busy. I'm afraid the world is full of nasty people like that. It's probably best to just laugh with him, then mutter under your breath when he's gone. Don't let him think he's getting to you. The beach is lovely at the moment. Not too many holidaymakers yet, so still pretty quiet. Went up the other end yesterday where it is a bit shingly, and spotted five oystercatchers dozing. Really attractive with their long orange beaks. I'm on holiday in two weeks as well. Off to Austria for a bit of walking. Haven't been for a couple of years, so really looking forward to getting back there
I only had 3 peas come up. I haven't got around to sowing more yet. What sort of squashes are you growing? Mine are Sweet Dumpling. Small with green and white stripes according to the packet.

Cheers, PJ.

[Geoff]

Another glorious day. We have had some light overnight showers but not a lot. I don't complain as rather selfishly I have an ample supply of water from a borehole so I wastefully put the sprinkler on the veg plot. Went for a late walk and watched the sun set behind the Lake District mountains but the midges drove me home.
Sorted out the peppers today, planted some in greenhouse border and potted on those for the greenhouse staging and shed with plastic roof. Perhaps 45 plants of 12 varieties will prove to be OTT!
I went mad on squashes a couple of days ago PJ, excluding the butternuts that I don't grow outside I've planted Amish Pie, Blue Banana, Crown Prince, Musque de Provence, Patty Pan, Potimarron, Pink Banana, Queensland Blue, Red Kuri, Summer Crookneck and Rugosa Friulana - 27 in all. With 4 varieties each of courgettes and pumpkins - another 21 plants - I could have a problem if we have a good summer. Catherine, the ornamental gourds are great - we grow a row every year for drying and never have any trouble giving away the surplus.

[Mike Vogel]

0. Saturday. Harvested too much rhubarb. Planted out some squashes and sweet potatoes [only 3 of the latter have survived of the 10 original slips]. Contemplate how to erect windbreaks for the peppers I intend to plant out later [using packaging polythene, bubble-wrap and build-a-ball kit]. Back home, complete planting in the greenhouse, mainly aubergines and peppers, but a squash at each corner.

Sunday:

1. Get up rather late and onto the plot with my wife. She picks the beans while I plant out a few more toms [Legend - not very big, sown at beginning of April] and a couple of patti pan marrows and some dahlias to fill up a space on the plot.

Incidentally, we've been dining on immature broad bean pods for the past week or two. We think they are far tastier than other beans.

2. Then we harvest some coriander and Sue notices fairly ripe strawberries, which I suggest leaving for a day or two. Home for lunch

3. 4 pm and I'm off again [Sue's busy]. Rake up the week's compost material and into the Dalek it goes. Sow more runners [I'd planted some out yesterday]. Pull up a few weeds.

4. Mulch toms and other things with straw.

5. Then get the strimmer out. It's just been fixed so it works a treat. Strim all the paths on my plot, then demolish the tall grass on a neighbouring plot. It uses a lot of petrol over half an hour, but does a good job. It's a second-hand flymo.

6. Gather up this and that [a few radishes mainly] and off home. On the way, chat with "the other Mike", who has already planted out his peppers and doesn't seem to bother with windbreaks. I'll still put mine up; it can get pretty windy in our exposed situation.

7. Dinner. Left-overs plus our own broccoli, and a rhubarb fool for pud. Freeze the rest and make crumble when I've got the time.

That's enough allotment.

mike

[oldherbaceous]

I think it's going to be rather nice today.

[Parsons Jack]

Hi OH,

It's a lovely bright sunny morning here as well

Cheers, PJ.

[Parsons Jack]

[quote="Geoff"]
I went mad on squashes a couple of days ago PJ, excluding the butternuts that I don't grow outside I've planted Amish Pie, Blue Banana, Crown Prince, Musque de Provence, Patty Pan, Potimarron, Pink Banana, Queensland Blue, Red Kuri, Summer Crookneck and Rugosa Friulana - 27 in all. With 4 varieties each of courgettes and pumpkins - another 21 plants - I could have a problem if we have a good summer. quote]

Hi Geoff,

I think you should find room for a few more if you can. Just to be sure

Cheers, PJ.

[Compo]

Got busy yesterday as I had been away for a few days, harvested some of the broad beans and had them for dinner, they are bigger now. Also the first of the international kidneys which we will have for tea tonight.

Sowed some seeds in trays, purple sprouting, Jan King cabbages and more lettuces etc. Trying to clear out the greenhouse so I gave away some chilli and tomato plants etc, not sure If I will be able to use them all and hate to waste them.

Used some two year old compost and made a crown for the pumpkins to grow from. Plot looking full of promise and we are picking stuff now which is great.

Oh and I rewired my posts for the rasperry canes and noticed they were fruiting small fruits as I tied them in with Raffia. A productive day but why do I leave feeling that I have not done enough?

On a good note our new committee are getting to grips with the overgrown plots, when you threaten to take a plot away you get two responses usually, one is you get the key back the next day or you get presence of a person with a spade, scratching their head thinking what do I do next...........I tell folk about the website and they dont seem to take heed, it has certainly helped me to become a proficient plot holder.

Compo

[oldherbaceous]

It's made my hair rustle like pea straw today, the sunshine that is.

[vivienz]

Got back from holiday early yesterday evening & dashed off to the lottie to find that it's grown into a jungle & brought home a crateful of strawberries - took me an hour to pick them all!!!
I had warned hubby a few weeks ago that there were likely to be industrial quantities of strawbs on the way. He said "don't you worry, I can eat all the strawberries you can grow...". Yes, well, he's regretting that one now. I reckon he'll have a strawberry rash by the end of the week!!
A spot of dinner now (fresh lettuce, rocket & the first new spuds), then off with the strimmer before the committee boot me off!
Vivien