Sunflower Planting

Yes, it’s that time of year once more and we have planted some sunflowers. Here they are before and after we tied them to canes:

I also planted another 20 gladioli in 2 rows of ten. I really need some more for succession planting but I suspect I might be too late for this now! Anyway, here are some we planted earlier:

The lilies are also going for it so I gave them a good spray today so the dreaded lily-beetle can’t get in there:

We also have a few verbascums on their way but I won’t be picking them till at least next week:

Meanwhile, a few alliums have come up unexpectedly next to the lettuce – so a nice surprise there. I’m planning to take them up and plant at home later.

There are plenty of asparagus spears today so that’s Sunday lunch veg sorted.

The young beetroot plants are coming along too, and I have put slug pellets down to keep them safe.

The mangetouts have started to climb which is brilliant news:

Not such great news with the sweet peas however – they’ve done nothing for a couple of weeks or so, sadly. So we have bought some more and hope to plant them elsewhere on the allotment to see if they do any better. It’s a shame really as for a couple of years the sweet peas did so well – I wonder if it’s because they don’t like the pine needle compost we’ve been using there … Something to ponder …

At least the potatoes look happy!

And here is the rhubarb which, again, isn’t doing brilliantly now but I still managed to get a few stalks for Sunday pudding.

The spring onions and shallots are now putting on a growth spurt – but don’t ask me which is which in the photo as I’ve already forgotten what K told me! I think the shallots are the taller ones? But I could be wrong …

And the sweetcorn has survived one week already, hurrah!

I thought I’d also add in a view of the allotment so you can see how things are getting along as a whole:

Here is the tiny harvest of alliums, asparagus and rhubarb:

And here is the vase at home:

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

Anne Brooke Books

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Sweetcorn revisited

We’re having another go at sweetcorn this year – it wasn’t very successful last year but we’re hopeful! Here’s hoping the squirrels don’t find it all first …

We’ve also planted two marrows and two pumpkins, and we’re hoping they might be big enough for the allotment show in August, so fingers crossed.

There is more asparagus in the bed this week so that’s good news:

I did weed that bed after taking the shot – honest!… I also weeded the beetroots, though had to be a lot more careful there and did most of it by hand:

The lettuces and mangetouts are continuing to do well:

Sadly, the sweet peas aren’t doing much, but it’s early days. As a total contrast, both sets of lilies are really getting tall now:

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Oh, and the carnation mound is also looking good:

And the gladioli are coming along:

The rhubarb is also okay and I managed to get a few stalks to add to the apple crumble I’m planning for tomorrow’s lunch:

Here is our mini harvest for today, including the last two tulips, asparagus and one lone potato! I also remembered to harvest the rhubarb at the last minute, but it’s not in the shot today:

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

Anne Brooke Books

Rhubarb Season

At last – it’s rhubarb season on the allotment and we’ve eaten the first of the crop today, hurrah. That said, I suspect we’re the last to harvest our rhubarb in the village, probably due to the fact we’ve not mulched it for a couple of years, wicked us … Will try to remember to add mulch some time soon!

Meanwhile the mangetouts are hanging on in there, and we’ve put slug doom on them today to give them a fighting chance:

Today we’ve planted lettuces and onions to add to the range of crops we’re growing. K netted the onions to give them some protection as there appears to be a secret onion chewer at loose throughout the plots – possibly rabbits, grr!

Meanwhile the autumn raspberry area is coming on well, and I’m trying to keep the weeds seriously at bay as it saves so much angst later on when I just can’t get in.

There are still a few daffodils about:

But it’s the tulips who are queen of all they survey right now. I do so love the striped ones – they’re amazing.

And even the lilies are looking hopeful.

I’ve also planted another couple of rows of gladioli that we bought yesterday, and I have another thirty left to plant over the weeks ahead. If I run out, I’ll get more as it’s nice to have some later blooms. Plus one of the earlier gladioli is already on its way!

Here is the harvest of rhubarb, tulips and daffodils:

And here are the vases at home:

Anne Brooke Books