Best plums I've ever had (only plums I've ever had!!)
And plenty more raspberoonies where these came from (No, not Sainsbury's)
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Froo-it
Just look at these!
Best plums I've ever had (only plums I've ever had!!)
And plenty more raspberoonies where these came from (No, not Sainsbury's)
Best plums I've ever had (only plums I've ever had!!)
And plenty more raspberoonies where these came from (No, not Sainsbury's)
Wonderwall
Remember the grand notion of a wall of Morning Glory?
Well, it worked and here it is.
It'd be even better if I could get the little beggars in focus!
Well, it worked and here it is.
It'd be even better if I could get the little beggars in focus!
Reciprocity City
Not
I'm getting a bit fed up.
Who always cuts the grass on the communal path between the two allotments? Moi.
Who keeps the entrance tidy & stops it getting overgrown? Moi.
Who never does either of those things? Harrumph
I'm getting a bit fed up.
Who always cuts the grass on the communal path between the two allotments? Moi.
Who keeps the entrance tidy & stops it getting overgrown? Moi.
Who never does either of those things? Harrumph
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Harvest Home
Well, not exactly. But I did pick:
I've also managed a halfway decent onion crop despite neglecting them shamefully and have to hack through a forest of weedage to harvest them. They got away from me while I was on holiday and I never got back to them. I find onions surprisingly difficult; next year I'm going to plant them on my cleanest plot and try to feed them better and weed them better. Perennial cry of the gardener, eh?
And here's a bashful fellow - one of my bumper-ish plum crop beginning, just beginning, to blush.
In here you can just see a cucumber flower beginning to develop.
Cornflowers are doing well too.
- Runner Beans
- French Beans (why does anyone grow dwarf French - les haricots "Toulouse-Lautrec? They dangle down on the earth and you don't know they're there until they've either gone over the top or the slugs have had 'em. Les haricots ascensant sont much better)
- Blackberries - this is a real bumper year for blackberries. I've been picking industrial quantities for 4 weeks now and they're only slowing down slightly.
- Raspberries - for tea with ice cream
- Courgettes - good job we like ratatouille cos, ye gods, have we got courgettes
- Spuds - all volunteers from poor clearing of last year's crop
- Cornflowers and Sweet Peas
I've also managed a halfway decent onion crop despite neglecting them shamefully and have to hack through a forest of weedage to harvest them. They got away from me while I was on holiday and I never got back to them. I find onions surprisingly difficult; next year I'm going to plant them on my cleanest plot and try to feed them better and weed them better. Perennial cry of the gardener, eh?
And here's a bashful fellow - one of my bumper-ish plum crop beginning, just beginning, to blush.
In here you can just see a cucumber flower beginning to develop.
Cornflowers are doing well too.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
I had a little nut tree....
..... nothing would it bear.
Well, it's changed it's mind this year.
Quite the heaviest crop of hazelnuts it's ever had. Nuts, whole Hazelnuts. Cadbury's took me and they covered me in Chocolate. Come on, sing along.
But who'll get there first, me or old Nutkins? My money is on Nutkins. And I'm still going to coppice it next year because it's getting too big.
What else is going on? I spent a few minutes standing in front of a brushcutter (with a blade) in B&Q before deciding that, good though it was, I couldn't justify spending almost £200 on it when I had a "reasonable" (plastic line) petrol powered strimmer. And I was slightly worried about cutting my feet off. So I went back to the strimmer and strummed merrily away to make a tidyish allotment. The trick to it is to a) do it more often so you aren't dealing with grass which is too long, and b) pre-cut the lengths of line (they just push in) so that when they need changing (frequently!) you can do it really quickly.
Well, that was fun. A good proportion of the strimmage ended up on my trousers, which now stand up by themselves. No pictures cos who wants to see pictures of cut grass stiffening my trouser legs? There are websites for that sort of thing, allegedly. But let's have a flower theme for a moment.
The blowsy old Mallow:
The Cornflower (yes, I know it's the wrong way round):
The Nasturtium
Meanwhile, back at the potting bench, I've been addressing my bete noire, of failing to do successional sowing to extend the season. So this wet, miserably wet, Sunday afternoon (Memo to weather - Errm , this is summer, actually. Let's have some) I've sown Lettuce (red cos & red salad bowl) - I like red lettuce, mangetout, rocket, spicygreens, cavalo di bruxelles (or sprouts, as they're called round here), red cabbage, caulipretties (as my sister-in-law called them when she was a toddler) & savoy cabbage (a bit late but worth a try). Must try to get some cavalo nero, black Italian kale, in too.
Well, it's changed it's mind this year.
Quite the heaviest crop of hazelnuts it's ever had. Nuts, whole Hazelnuts. Cadbury's took me and they covered me in Chocolate. Come on, sing along.
But who'll get there first, me or old Nutkins? My money is on Nutkins. And I'm still going to coppice it next year because it's getting too big.What else is going on? I spent a few minutes standing in front of a brushcutter (with a blade) in B&Q before deciding that, good though it was, I couldn't justify spending almost £200 on it when I had a "reasonable" (plastic line) petrol powered strimmer. And I was slightly worried about cutting my feet off. So I went back to the strimmer and strummed merrily away to make a tidyish allotment. The trick to it is to a) do it more often so you aren't dealing with grass which is too long, and b) pre-cut the lengths of line (they just push in) so that when they need changing (frequently!) you can do it really quickly.
Well, that was fun. A good proportion of the strimmage ended up on my trousers, which now stand up by themselves. No pictures cos who wants to see pictures of cut grass stiffening my trouser legs? There are websites for that sort of thing, allegedly. But let's have a flower theme for a moment.
The blowsy old Mallow:
The Cornflower (yes, I know it's the wrong way round):
The Nasturtium
Meanwhile, back at the potting bench, I've been addressing my bete noire, of failing to do successional sowing to extend the season. So this wet, miserably wet, Sunday afternoon (Memo to weather - Errm , this is summer, actually. Let's have some) I've sown Lettuce (red cos & red salad bowl) - I like red lettuce, mangetout, rocket, spicygreens, cavalo di bruxelles (or sprouts, as they're called round here), red cabbage, caulipretties (as my sister-in-law called them when she was a toddler) & savoy cabbage (a bit late but worth a try). Must try to get some cavalo nero, black Italian kale, in too.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
And so, at last, an update
Back from hols, back to work tomorrow; so how's it been with the allotment while we were in Crete?
30C heat for a few days I gather but also torrential downpours. That has a predictable effect on the weeds! But overall it isn't looking too bad. I'd give it 6/10, after two weeks total neglect. In detail:
Blackberries - doing VERY well. Himalayan Giant are prolific & huge (the clue is in the name?) but v thorny. Oregon Thornless are smooth (!) and have a heavy crop but they ripen later so aren't ready yet.
Raspberries - the earlies seem to have peaked while we've been away, with signs of pigeon damage, and the lates aren't ready yet (come on lads, get on with it).
Blackcurrant bush - well, it's still there but isn't doing much.
Salads - beginning to bolt but will still get a few pickings then need to resow for more later.
Onions & Shallots - disappointing - I'm doing something fundamentally wrong with my onions (he squeaked, painfully). Too much competition from weeds I think. Need to rethink them for next year.
Leeks - doing well, need weeding
Brassicas - red & ordinary cabbage doing well in Fort Brassica but it needs better access for weeding. At present it looks like Thistletown. The hurdles are good at keeping they pigeons out but I need to rethink the fixings and the roof for better access. All this for a few cabbages.
Climbing French - OK but need to get up their poles more (Allez! Montant!!)
Dwarf French (La petite) - OK, but need to start flowering.
Spuds - amazed that I've got any; they're all volunteers from last year.
Plums - hanging on, altho some have clearly dropped as there aren't as many as before hols. But we may actually get some ripe ones this year.
Runner beans - flowering nicely.
Rhubarb - seems to be having a second coming. (Hmm.... No good'll come of it; ee mark my words)
Hazel - needs coppicing in the autumn. Ee, that our Hazel, she's a right un; always needs a good coppicing
Lovage - roaring away
Courgettes - fruiting well.
We had fried Courgettes in Crete - actually we had lots of different versions but the ones we liked best were very thinly sliced, dipped in a light batter & then flash fried as a starter. Yummy.
Cucumbers - still alive (x2) but not fruiting yet. Come on lads; I'm looking forward to my Burpless Tasty Green
Sweet Peas, Cornflowers & Morning Glory - all OK but looking a bit 'thin'. The whole plot needs a good feed. Bring on the manure in the autumn. But at least the Morning Glory 'wall' shows signs of delivering on the idea.
Flowering Mallow (Lavatera) - totally OTT as usual, and determined to fall over like the blowsy old tart it is.
It's going to have to come out in the autumn because it's where the manure is going to go. But it makes such a good show I'll have to put another in somewhere else.
Mangetout - gone completely over & now only good for Mushy Mangetout.
30C heat for a few days I gather but also torrential downpours. That has a predictable effect on the weeds! But overall it isn't looking too bad. I'd give it 6/10, after two weeks total neglect. In detail:
Blackberries - doing VERY well. Himalayan Giant are prolific & huge (the clue is in the name?) but v thorny. Oregon Thornless are smooth (!) and have a heavy crop but they ripen later so aren't ready yet.
Raspberries - the earlies seem to have peaked while we've been away, with signs of pigeon damage, and the lates aren't ready yet (come on lads, get on with it).
Blackcurrant bush - well, it's still there but isn't doing much.
Salads - beginning to bolt but will still get a few pickings then need to resow for more later.
Onions & Shallots - disappointing - I'm doing something fundamentally wrong with my onions (he squeaked, painfully). Too much competition from weeds I think. Need to rethink them for next year.
Leeks - doing well, need weeding
Brassicas - red & ordinary cabbage doing well in Fort Brassica but it needs better access for weeding. At present it looks like Thistletown. The hurdles are good at keeping they pigeons out but I need to rethink the fixings and the roof for better access. All this for a few cabbages.
Climbing French - OK but need to get up their poles more (Allez! Montant!!)
Dwarf French (La petite) - OK, but need to start flowering.
Spuds - amazed that I've got any; they're all volunteers from last year.
Plums - hanging on, altho some have clearly dropped as there aren't as many as before hols. But we may actually get some ripe ones this year.
Runner beans - flowering nicely.
Rhubarb - seems to be having a second coming. (Hmm.... No good'll come of it; ee mark my words)
Hazel - needs coppicing in the autumn. Ee, that our Hazel, she's a right un; always needs a good coppicing
Lovage - roaring away
Courgettes - fruiting well.
We had fried Courgettes in Crete - actually we had lots of different versions but the ones we liked best were very thinly sliced, dipped in a light batter & then flash fried as a starter. Yummy.Cucumbers - still alive (x2) but not fruiting yet. Come on lads; I'm looking forward to my Burpless Tasty Green
Sweet Peas, Cornflowers & Morning Glory - all OK but looking a bit 'thin'. The whole plot needs a good feed. Bring on the manure in the autumn. But at least the Morning Glory 'wall' shows signs of delivering on the idea.
Flowering Mallow (Lavatera) - totally OTT as usual, and determined to fall over like the blowsy old tart it is.
It's going to have to come out in the autumn because it's where the manure is going to go. But it makes such a good show I'll have to put another in somewhere else.Mangetout - gone completely over & now only good for Mushy Mangetout.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Gorgeous
I've been walking the Samaria Gorge again
15 Kms of hard, hot walking 
and somehow the fact of it being mostly downhill 
doesn't make it any easier, especially in the light of this sign.
By the end my right knee was twanging. I suspected the cure to be lashings of ice-cold beer but was unsure whether to rub it on or apply internally. Dr Son and Dr Brother-in-Law quickly advised by text that I should immediately apply internally and, if no improvement, repeat quickly until feeling no pain. That did the trick.
15 Kms of hard, hot walking 
and somehow the fact of it being mostly downhill 
doesn't make it any easier, especially in the light of this sign.
By the end my right knee was twanging. I suspected the cure to be lashings of ice-cold beer but was unsure whether to rub it on or apply internally. Dr Son and Dr Brother-in-Law quickly advised by text that I should immediately apply internally and, if no improvement, repeat quickly until feeling no pain. That did the trick.
My other Allotment......
..... is in Crete (I wish), hence the radio silence for the last fortnight. Here's a photo. 
Iannis keeps chickens
Iannis keeps chickens
and rabbits there too, along with the usual civilised comforts of a pool 
and BBQ house.The pool attracted lots of frogs at night (noisy little beggars they are); lizards live in the walls and come out to hunt moths, and owls come out to hunt mice etc.
And of course there's always the delights of PYO oranges.
This was all followed by a flight into Manchester last night in torrential rain (perhaps a tautology?) and a drive over the Snake Pass with roads awash. Never seen such torrents of water. I gather you had it hot in the UK while we were in Crete but there was no evidence of it last night!!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Yes, another one!!!
Another ohnosecond, just one day after the last one.
Repeat after me.
Before swinging away madly with the hedge clippers I will remember, I WILL remember that I carefully threaded a hosepipe deep through the hedge so I wouldn't cut it in half with the hedge clippers.
Not deep enough though!! Now I have two hosepipes, created in an ohnosecond, and both of lesser utility than the original. This was a bit of an embuggerance in the watering this morning.
On which theme I should share with you a new German verb I've invented - to offgebugger - usually deployed around going-home time with a cheery cry of "Right then, ich bin offgebuggeren".
Repeat after me.
Before swinging away madly with the hedge clippers I will remember, I WILL remember that I carefully threaded a hosepipe deep through the hedge so I wouldn't cut it in half with the hedge clippers.
Not deep enough though!! Now I have two hosepipes, created in an ohnosecond, and both of lesser utility than the original. This was a bit of an embuggerance in the watering this morning.
On which theme I should share with you a new German verb I've invented - to offgebugger - usually deployed around going-home time with a cheery cry of "Right then, ich bin offgebuggeren".
Sunday, June 21, 2009
The Ohnosecond
Are you familiar with the Ohnosecond? The smallest imaginable, indeed the smallest conceivable, unit of time. And remarkably uniform too. It's always (this never varies) the time between you realising you've done something and realising you really shouldn't have done it.
In my case it was hoeing straight through one of only three outdoor cucumber plants. I console myself that it was the puniest of the three (which isn't saying much; they'd all get sand kicked in their faces by Mr Gherkin, himself not the largest of cucumbers). But it was irritating and a classic Ohnosecond.
So what else is going on? Massive weeding, that's what.
And finally, and this trumps all, we are to be grandparents; a little girl due in September. We are of course delighted. Genetically, my work is done. Genes passed on and then passed on again. Gregor Mendel, where are you now?
In my case it was hoeing straight through one of only three outdoor cucumber plants. I console myself that it was the puniest of the three (which isn't saying much; they'd all get sand kicked in their faces by Mr Gherkin, himself not the largest of cucumbers). But it was irritating and a classic Ohnosecond.
So what else is going on? Massive weeding, that's what.
See Janet, look at the tidy beans. 
See John, look at the tidy onions. 
See you Jimmie, if you eat those raspberries before me.
See John, look at the tidy onions. 
See you Jimmie, if you eat those raspberries before me.
And look who lives on our lawn. 
Two of them actually.
Two of them actually.
And finally, and this trumps all, we are to be grandparents; a little girl due in September. We are of course delighted. Genetically, my work is done. Genes passed on and then passed on again. Gregor Mendel, where are you now?
Sunday, June 14, 2009
I never lets that hoe rest
'Tis the only way to keep things tidy. But even so, 'tis a constant struggle.
And this week we've had torrential rain and serious flooding again in Sheffield. Not quite as bad as 2007 but quite bad enough. Made watering the allotment a bit superfluous for a few days!
Anyway, how goes it with the plot?
Beans in (Runner & Climbing French). Kale and Sprouts in, Cucumber and knobby Italian Courgette in. Netting up for Morning Glory to scramble up (first time I've grown them). Bit of a show, what?
Blackberries look good.
Potatoes look good, 
especially as I'm not growing any this year; these are all volunteers from where I didn't clear it out properly last year. Better a volunteer than a pressed man.
And finally, just to demonstrate that an allotment can be a thing of beauty as well as a list of vegetables (altho some of them are things of beauty too (look at this cabbage)
here's a rose.
Sithee, as we say in Yorkshire.
And this week we've had torrential rain and serious flooding again in Sheffield. Not quite as bad as 2007 but quite bad enough. Made watering the allotment a bit superfluous for a few days!
Anyway, how goes it with the plot?
Beans in (Runner & Climbing French). Kale and Sprouts in, Cucumber and knobby Italian Courgette in. Netting up for Morning Glory to scramble up (first time I've grown them). Bit of a show, what?
Blackberries look good.
Potatoes look good, 
especially as I'm not growing any this year; these are all volunteers from where I didn't clear it out properly last year. Better a volunteer than a pressed man.And finally, just to demonstrate that an allotment can be a thing of beauty as well as a list of vegetables (altho some of them are things of beauty too (look at this cabbage)
here's a rose.
Sithee, as we say in Yorkshire.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Bolters
My Pak Choi are bolting.
Little bolters! I've known them to bolt later in the season but never this early. Why?
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
See my Plums!!
Think we might be getting some plums this year.
Shouting at the tree during the winter ("Plums or you're out, matey") may have worked.
Monday, May 25, 2009
The Secret Garden, weeded
It was hard to get in,
and it was horrible once in. 
But it's amazing what several cups of wheelbarrow tea
and a bit of strenuous weeding can do. It's halfway presentable again.
Let's hope the pigeons keep off.Sunday, May 24, 2009
An unscheduled interruption
Best laid plans etc
Today's plan was to have a quick blast around the Peak District on the scooter,
in the sunshine before it got too busy. Then I'd go to the allotment late morning for the rest of the day.
Good plan and it worked up to a point. But it hadn't reckoned with an almost-broken wire in a key part of the ignition system which, you guessed it, duly broke at point of maximum distance from home. Hey Ho. Dead engine.
A very good AA man sorted it out but the trouble with this scoot is that you have to more or less dismantle it before you can even see the engine. So it took a while. A good while. And completely scuppered any chance of getting to the allotment. Good job it's a bank holiday tomorrow.
Today's plan was to have a quick blast around the Peak District on the scooter,
in the sunshine before it got too busy. Then I'd go to the allotment late morning for the rest of the day.
Good plan and it worked up to a point. But it hadn't reckoned with an almost-broken wire in a key part of the ignition system which, you guessed it, duly broke at point of maximum distance from home. Hey Ho. Dead engine.
A very good AA man sorted it out but the trouble with this scoot is that you have to more or less dismantle it before you can even see the engine. So it took a while. A good while. And completely scuppered any chance of getting to the allotment. Good job it's a bank holiday tomorrow.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
The Challenge begins
The Global Corporate Challenge, that is. To walk, in teams of seven, an average of 10,000 steps a day (each) for 125 days. Read all about it on www.gcc2009.com
We all have pedometers to record progress. So far today I've done 7373. Gotta do better than that!
We all have pedometers to record progress. So far today I've done 7373. Gotta do better than that!
Monday, May 18, 2009
A long week not on the plot......
..... because I've been in London all last week and today, filming the next stage of the David Douglas documentary.
We've been to the Royal Horticulural Society, Kew Herbarium & Archives, Royal Engineers Museum (for photos from 1861) of someone Douglas met as an Indian boy of 8 in the Red River Settlement (now Winnipeg) in 1827. It's the only known photo, in the world (!), of Spokane Garry.
Today we were at the Tradescant tomb at the Garden Museum, Lambeth. Long slots of yours truly on camera, blathering on about David Douglas.
The team have now flown off to Scotland to film Douglasiana around his native patch of Perth & Scone. I, meanwhile, have to go back to work tomorrow.
Doesn't sound as though I've missed much on the allotment front, although I'm now miles behind with my beans. Beans, Schmeans.
We've been to the Royal Horticulural Society, Kew Herbarium & Archives, Royal Engineers Museum (for photos from 1861) of someone Douglas met as an Indian boy of 8 in the Red River Settlement (now Winnipeg) in 1827. It's the only known photo, in the world (!), of Spokane Garry.
Today we were at the Tradescant tomb at the Garden Museum, Lambeth. Long slots of yours truly on camera, blathering on about David Douglas.
The team have now flown off to Scotland to film Douglasiana around his native patch of Perth & Scone. I, meanwhile, have to go back to work tomorrow.
Doesn't sound as though I've missed much on the allotment front, although I'm now miles behind with my beans. Beans, Schmeans.
Monday, May 04, 2009
On this day...
.... May 4th
- I recall, a few years ago, planting potatoes and it was snowing
- in 2001, I flew out to New York on the first day of my Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship. I was away for 8 weeks and it started a project which continues to this day. A film crew land in London on 12th May to film part of the story.
- in 1915, my Dad was born. He died in 1997 but today would have been his 94th birthday. I'm wearing his watch today in memory
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Stuff I did today
In a quick burst of activity today I:
mowed the paths (because my neighbour never does. Harrumph)
hoed the onions and top section
dug out one of the side beds from the [long gone] greenhouse, which hasn't been dug for 5 years minimum; and,
transplanted:
red salad bowl lettuce
green salad bowl lettuce
red cos lettuce
pak choi.
But neglected to take the camera so no photos.
next big job = sowing the beans (runner & climbing french). I try to sow them on the May Day bank holiday and plant them out at Spring Bank holiday.
mowed the paths (because my neighbour never does. Harrumph)
hoed the onions and top section
dug out one of the side beds from the [long gone] greenhouse, which hasn't been dug for 5 years minimum; and,
transplanted:
red salad bowl lettuce
green salad bowl lettuce
red cos lettuce
pak choi.
But neglected to take the camera so no photos.
next big job = sowing the beans (runner & climbing french). I try to sow them on the May Day bank holiday and plant them out at Spring Bank holiday.
Scrubbed up well.....
.... for my son's wedding.
They married at the RSA in London
in a very small (only 9 of us) but beautifully arranged ceremony. It was a really nice day and both families enjoyed it. Doesn't feel right to share family pictures of the happy couple so you'll have to make do with me ouside the wine bar named after me.
They married at the RSA in London
in a very small (only 9 of us) but beautifully arranged ceremony. It was a really nice day and both families enjoyed it. Doesn't feel right to share family pictures of the happy couple so you'll have to make do with me ouside the wine bar named after me.
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