STORING BEETROOT

Golden Beetroot

Beetroot In Baskets with compost

We have now stored our crop of Beetroot for the Winter , using plastic baskets, lined with paper, then with layers of compost and Beets, until the baskets are full. They can then be stored in damp free sheds for future use. They keep very well indeed and stay firm using this method.

Also we shall be having a nice crop of Sprouts too and winter greens from our plots.

Allotment Harvesting Time

Tomatoes & Peppers

Damsons

Large Pumpkin

Squashes & Pumpkins

New Strawberry Bed

Long Peppers

It's that time of year now for gathering up the crops to store away.
Thankfully we have a good storing shed on the allotment.
Right now it is full of Potatoes, Squashes, Onions and Pumpkins, all ready to use when we want them. Been another good year and despite the "Not Great" Summer we had, things have grown quite nicely. Already made a new Strawberry bed for next year, with runners saved from the existing plants, so they should be established well for next Summer.  Still lots to pick there and the soil to dig over and prepare before the weather becomes too cold and wet.

SUNFLOWER TIME

Sunflower Border

Polytunnel Tomatos

Blackcurrents

Rustic Rudbeckias

Plot 3

Artichokes in flower

Plots 1 & 2

A cheerful sight currently on the plots are our Sunflowers!

Something about them I really like and they certainly cheer you up!!

I grew a big border of mixed ones this year and they are now standing head and shoulders above everything else on the allotments. Later on of course the seeds will help feed the birds, though I will save a few for next year. The Sunflower is also the symbol of the "Vegan Society" of which we are members, so they are a good statement of our lifestyle too.

Everything on the allotments is just about at its peak now, though the Pumpkins and Squashes are still growing, some are a decent size already,but still a couple more months for them yet.

The Tomatos are starting to ripen and we're picking cucumbers and courgettes now.

So loads to pick now, including the huge amount of blackcurrents we have.

Dana is making wine with these as well as the Gooseberries, so we'll see how that develops.

I have just sown more Spinach for the Winter as the Rabbits at home enjoy that as well as us.

Also planted plenty of Leeks for the winter & springtime.

So lots to keep us busy yet and no shortage of produce to eat!

THE HARVEST - July 2015

Me Podding Broad Beans

Alderman Peas

Gooseberries

Raspberries & Strawberries

Blackcurrents

Our Sunflower Bed

Broad Beans

Tomatos developing in Polytunnel

Raspberry Canes

Allotments at their best

Currently gathering the produce from our plots and either freezing them or making jam or wine.

It is almost a full time job right now,with still so much produce there still.

The Pumpkins are taking shape and should be a huge amount again this autumn.

The Tomatos are still green, but should not be too long before they start ripening.

The main job at the moment is watering everything, especially the polytunnels which need doing twice a day.

The Runner Beans are beginning to form now so we'll soon be deluged with those!

It has been another successful year though by the looks of things.

ALLOTMENTS UPDATE- July 2015

View of Two Plots of ours

Strawberry Bed 3

Sweet Peas

Inside Polytunnel

Chard

Pumpkin Patch

Spring Onions

Peppers

Raspberries and Polytunnel

Everything is looking great now on our allotment plots.

Started picking the Strawberries and Raspberries and even some of the "Charlotte" potatoes last week. Everyday there is something ready to pick, which is very rewarding after all the earlier hard work. Now its a case of enjoying the produce you have grown and water when needed.

Though this week we've had some rain, after a two week dry spell.

The plots needed the rain of course and it is much better than watering by hand.

Our allotments have one communal tap for 21 plot holders to use, which means connecting a long hosepipe to the tap and then put the hose into your water butts to fill them up. 

But the water is on a meter, so careful use is required and mainly on veggies that only really need regular watering, like Runner Beans, Pumpkins and Peppers and Tomatos.

Root vegetables like Onions are not really in need of much water.

The Polytunnels are looking good and the Chillies & Peppers coming on now with flowers forming. The Tomatos have a few fruits but not ripening as yet.

They now require regular feeding with a potash based liquid feed diluted in a watering can, probably twice a week. Also remove all Tomato leaves that are below the first truss of flowers at the base of the plants. This gives more strength to the fruits forming.