Asters and Tatties

It’s the turn of the asters to shine today on the autumn allotment – we really know summer is over now as they’re such an autumn flower! K has dug up the last of the potatoes (tatties), so we have an empty bed to do something with:

It’s been a hot week so the allotment is very dry and we’ve given it a good water today – the rubbish bin water butt is proving very useful indeed. Here are the beans looking very dry and definitely past their best:

And even the currant bushes and autumn raspberries are struggling in the heat:

Here is today’s harvest which consists of beans, potatoes, one beetroot, the asters, a few sad-looking gladioli, one or two sunflowers, the autumn raspberries and a scattering of sweet peas, pelargoniums and carnations.

We have also taken the tulip bulbs (in the round, green basket) so I can plant these at home in November (when the threat of tulip rot will have passed). We will get fresh ones for the allotment as usual.

Here are the vases:

Have a lovely weekend, everyone!

Anne Brooke Books

In Praise of Green

The allotment is really getting a lot greener at the moment, which is lovely to see. Even the flowers that are over have amazing leaves – just look at the tulips:

I also think the carnation is just beautiful without flowers – why do mine never form a lovely mound like this at home?? It’s a mystery …

Plus just look at the lilies – a simply gorgeous green:

Meanwhile the gladioli are coming along, and I planted another row today. I have two more rows (ie 20 bulbs) still to plant but I may well get more:

And look! The first pom-pom dahlia is pushing its way through the earth:

The autumn raspberries and currants are enjoying the weather (though it is a bit nippy today!) …

Sadly, some of the currants have rust fungus on them so K gave them a good spray today. It’s not a serious disease for currants and won’t kill the plant – we just thought we should give them the best fruiting chance we can.

The mangetouts and shallots are coming along nicely:

And there’s enough rhubarb for another crumble, hurrah!

Here is the harvest of asparagus and rhubarb, alongside two tulips and some sweet williams:

And here is the vase at home:

Happy Bank Holiday, everyone!

Anne Brooke Books

Tulip Finale and the Allotment Party

Have popped to the allotment twice this week including this morning as it was the Allotment Working Party today, hurrah. Lots of fun and communal mending/tidying up followed by a BBQ and cake. Perfect! A big thank you to all those involved.

Anyway, we’re getting to the end of the tulips this week although there are still one or two to come. The lilies are out in force now, though not yet in bloom:

And the gladioli are getting there …

In the world of vegetables, the shallots are on their way:

As is the asparagus ..

And the mangetouts are hanging on in there:

Here are the two harvests of the week, which include rhubarb, tulips, asparagus and the first of the sweet williams:

And here are the flowers at home:

Have a lovely Sunday, everyone!

Anne Brooke Books

The Great Easter Tulip Extravaganza

There is a total take-over by the tulips on the allotment this morning – which is pretty dang near perfect for Holy Saturday, and I actually felt quite tearful when I saw them all – they were just so beautiful.

Aren’t they amazing! The gladioli bed isn’t quite so dramatic, but the one shoot is definitely taller, LOL.

The lilies are getting bigger too:

Whilst there, I did a serious weed round and K replaced the felt roof on the shed as it was in need of attention after storms earlier this year. Look how lovely it is now!

I have also put slug pellets down and bug-sprayed those lilies. Meanwhile, the rhubarb and soft fruit are loving this sunshine.

Plus we have our first asparagus shoot, which is looking rather rude, I must say …

Here is the lovely harvest trug which is 99% tulips and a couple of late daffodils:

And here are those amazing flowers at home:

Have a lovely Easter, 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

Spring Planting

We popped into the garden centre before going to the allotment this morning, and bought sweet peas, golden beetroot, mangetouts, and cabbages for the allotment, and carrots for home (as we can protect them from carrot fly there). We’ve never grown cabbages before but thought we’d give it a go this year.

Once at the allotment we were delighted to find that some very kind person had left a huge pile of pine bark near the allotment fence so K grabbed the wheelbarrow and we have tidied up our paths, hurrah. Plus the pine smell is just amazing.

So, I have planted the sweet peas next to the shed as usual:

And I made half a bed for the beetroot plants – they’re just so small!

K created some sticks and netting for the mangetouts, and I have then put slug pellets on anything I think they might aim for …

In other news, there is one lone tulip in one of our disastrous Brussels sprouts beds (which we have now cleared):

And the tulips in the actual tulip bed are coming along nicely too:

The daffodils continue to hold their own:

And the lilies are coming along:

Meanwhile, the currants and rhubarb are really getting going, which is fabulous – they are both definitely further along than they were last year, thank goodness.

So, no vegetables for harvesting this week – just the daffodils and tulips:

And here are the flowers at home:

Have a great Mothering Sunday, everyone!

Anne Brooke Books

Tulips and Butterflies

The tulips are finally starting to be in bloom on the allotment, hurrah! And there are loads of yellow butterflies which is lovely to see too – although of course rather less lovely if growing veg, LOL.

The daffodils are still producing a crop, and now the smaller multi-bloom highly scented ones are out, so that’s just amazing.

---

And, to cap it all, the lilies have started to sprout, hurrah:

The rhubarb looks much larger today:

And the currant bushes are leafing up which is very positive too:

Whilst there, K planted shallots, and I planted pompom dahlias (in the hope they’ll do better than the other ones have) and the first of the gladioli bulbs. To my shame, I didn’t store the gladioli bulbs correctly over the winter (oh the horror!) and they have rotted as they weren’t dry enough. As a result, there were only enough for two rows and we’re going to have to get new ones. I shall try to remember to be kinder to them next year …

Here is the harvest of lilies, daffodils, beetroot and some sprout leaves from plants that didn’t work out:

And here are the vases at home:

Anne Brooke Books