VALE ROAD ALLOTMENTS 2011
`ALL MY HURTS MY GARDEN SPADE CAN HEAL`
(RALPH WALDO EMERSON)
Thoughts and ideas through the year of 2011. This page has a gallery below it to add pictures. Please feel free to put on any relevant tips for each month of the year.
January
A wet and soggy start to the new year, but at least the snow has gone. Brussell sprouts almost finished but they were very tasty over Christmas after having the frosts on them.
Nice to be able to dig up the swedes and parsnips too. Looking forward to potato time now as it will soon be time to start the seed potatoes chitting. I recommend Rocket first early Charlotte 2nd early Kestrel is another excellent 2nd early. But there`s so many different varietys nowadays you are spoilt for choice.
The garlic is progressing well and the broad beans are sprouting (sown in November), the Italian plots I notice have forests of broad beans growing, they seem to grow beans more than any other vegetable.
Everything else looks mainly dead this time of year the winds are biting but take heart there are buds on some of the bushes (like currant bushes) that are waiting to burst into life.
February Time to buy seed potatoes. Lay them out in trays or egg boxes and place in a cool light place frost free. They should be nicely chitted by middle of March. I always plant my earlies then, but it`s taking a chance , we might have late frosts. A safer time would be the end of March. February is not a great time of the year for gardening, but the days are getting longer and spring won`t be too long, meanwhile here`s a few snowdrops to cheer us up. It`s been very wet this first half of Feb.
Tony (the big blogger) reminds us it`s time to spray fruit buds as soon as they appear. Copper solutions are good especially for peach and plum.
Tony also says it`s a good month for a clean up of your poly-tunnels, greenhouses, or even cloches.
A good brush down with washing up liquid will enable maximum sunlight (if we get any) . Timber staging or timber beds can be cleaned with a mild application of Jeyes fluid to kill off lice, slugs, and other pests.
FEBRUARY 28TH The month is finishing off in yet more wet weather. It`s been extremely hard to get anything done, lets hope for better luck next month. A bit premature saying my sprouts were nearly finished.
MARCH 8TH A few dry days at last although it`s been pretty cold with frosts. It`s time to take cuttings of chryusanths (I can never spell that) if you have kept the stools from last year. It always pays to do this as a small plant could cost up to £2 each at a garden centre. You could take a chance and plant potatoes in the middle of this month. Here`s some signs of spring on our allotments. Plots 62, 65, 18.
March 18th First wet day for a while, things were just drying up too. The keen ones eager to get cracking have put their potatoes in, and some are putting their bean sticks up.
April 1st `Oh to be in England now that April`s here`, well we can now get on with sowing seeds, but don`t forget it could turn cold again in April, if you do sow seeds it would help if you covered them up with fleece or something similar in a cold spell.
April 8th Had some remarkable weather this week, with temperatures into the 70`s. Needless to say it`s inspired everone to start sowing and planting.
April 16th The fruit trees have loads of very early blossom, lets hope we don`t get a hard frost to kill it off. Potatoes are also showing so ditto for them. It`s more like July or August temperatures.
May 4th Our British climate has done it again. After that harsh winter it`s been the driest and warmest April on record for the U.K. A bit of rain at last over the weekend of 7th May which refreshed everything and it was badly needed. The over wintered broad beans seem to have had a setback and there is a lack of flowers on the upper part of the plants.
May 19th Just dug the first new potatoes (Rocket) I think they are maybe two weeks earlier than usual. Probably due to the warm dry weather. No sign of any rain yet.
June 6th Lovely rain at last, nature is doing its duty and coming up with much needed water for our crops on the allotments. The busiest time of the year now when everything needs to be done. The weeds are growing well too.
June 24th Well we asked for it and we have had lashings of rain, but at least potatoes and other crops seem to have trebled in size after their long drink. Watch out though for tomato and potato blight in this damp weather.
July 8th Sunshine and showers just what we need, still time to sow french beans , carrots and anything else that is fairly quick growing before it`s too late. Room perhaps where you have dug your potatoes out.
July 28th.
Everything growing well in fact a lot of things seem to be a month too early. Apples have matured more quickly as have brussell sprouts, parsnips etc. A bit of a blight scare on our plots but so far my spuds are fine. Watch out for the tomato plants though, they will be the first to be affected.
If you are pulling your onions up now, it`s best not to keep them in a greenhouse or a poly tunnel, as they will get too hot and will not keep as long as they should.
AUGUST 12TH
It`s harvest harvest harvest this month everything is ready to pick. Runner beans, courgettes, peas, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, radishes, tomatoes, it`s an endless list. But what bliss to think you don`t have to buy these in a shop. Who said gardening doesn`t pay !!!
Watch out for the tomato blight as it is showing up on our allotments.
SEPT 4TH
Lots of mildew about this year on our squashes, courgettes, and cucumbers etc. One very good tip for maybe next year I have heard is to spray one part of skimmed milk to six parts of water onto the leaves. Apparently it changes the p.h. of the plant and gets rid of the mildew. A bit late to do it now perhaps.
On the sixth of Sept we had gale force winds and rain which caused many bean poles etc to collapse . The wind got up to 60 m.p.h. Pictures below.
SEPT 29TH
Well it`s been a funny season, but we have had great crops of apples plums and pears etc. Our leeks are struggling a bit at the moment but hopefully they will survive. Courgettes and runner beans are finished time to get the bean poles out and have a general tidy up. Now is the time to order manure ready to dig in. If you have autumn raspberries you can cut them down to the ground as soon as they have finished. This can be left until Jan or Feb if you want.
Oct 4th Every where over here the leeks seem to have that dreaded leek moth, but can`t complain about the swedes. A monster one I dug up today. Weighed nearly five pounds. See below.
Oct 15th Still glorious dry sunny weather, have we got to pay for this later I wonder ?
Lots of clearing up to do now. to prepare for next season. Don`t forget it`s important to rotate your crops. Preparation with compost and manure is all important to ensure a good harvest next time.
Oct 31st Very mild weather for end of Oct. Masses of berries on the holly this year, it`s supposed be a sign of a hard winter. Let`s hope not.
Nov 3rd Rainy season is back by the looks of it. A good time perhaps to clear and clean up of poly tunnels etc. Washing up liquid in some water is fine or perhaps a very mild solution of Jeyes fluid to kill the bugs off.
Nov 17th Middle of this month and Tony`s flowers are still blooming.
NOVEMBER 24TH Best to start thinking about ordering seeds etc, lots of firms to choose from, Suttons, Marshalls, Unwins etc, but I have used Tuckers in the past and found them very good value for the money. Plenty of seeds in the packets
NOVEMBER 28TH More pictures of this crazy season. Rob Forster`s peas are coming into bloom, as are Jaggers broad beans.
DECEMBER 11TH What can you say about December a dark, grey, and dismal month usually. If you have swedes parsnips or leeks to dig, do it in the middle of the day, and if the ground is not too frozen they will be easier to dig out.
DECEMBER 28TH Very mild for time of year and quite a contrast from this time last year. Very quiet on the allotments at the moment, we`re all waiting for spring and a barrowload of goodies.
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012
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LOTS OF BEANS BLOWN OVER THIS YEAR
