Due to popular demand!

I started our blog as a way to keep distant friends and family members up to date with our allotment adventures.  I had intended a fairly casual thing updating when we had any interesting news - lets be honest no one wants to read a daily blog with every page entitled "Did some more digging today" but I think I am going to have to keep it more like a diary as we have had several people asking when we will next update and, although it fills me with horror, we have had over 150 views from around the world - and that does not include us!  I know many of them will be internet spiders searching for links (Is there an organic treatment for that?) but 150!  So after the heavy postings tonight I will try to post regularly.  
Thanks for reading.   Hope you enjoy our musings!
MARK

To be or not to be? A clucky question

We are allowed to keep chickens on the plot and I am rather keen.  Although I am happy just to keep them for a hobby the economics seem to work out and they should pay for themselves.  We are allowed to keep a maximum of four and have more than ample space.  Mrs 2K is on board with the proviso that I devise some sort of auto-door opener for the wintery mornings to save a dawn trip or two.

No, before you ask – we don’t need a cockerel.

Our neighbours chicken run with 
noisy but temporary guest

Matthew posted a quick poll on Facebook for suggestions for names and got a staggering amount of replies.  Many were names like Big Mac, Goujon, and Bargain Bucket with Colonel Sanders, Nugget and Crispy featuring heavily but the majority were names you could not shout out loud within earshot of decent allotment holders!  The fact that they would all be females seemed to be totally missed by the teenage respondents as most contained highly aspirational forms of the name cock. 

Names aside, chickens or not?  Comments please

Tempus Fugits – when you’re having fun!

I have a massive list of things to post but have not had time because we have been using every spare minute to dig, plant and harvest (no, not harvesting yet - just checking you are paying attention!)

The plot is almost "finished", if there is ever such a time.  We have dug all of the sections which we are planning to use immediately and broken up the lumps, sieving some of the soil which if we continue as we are will produce enough stones to build a small mountain!

To keep a record of what’s gone in – as much for my benefit as yours – here is an update

Runner beans – on the tunnel and wigwam

Broad beans – plants and seeds

Peas - not up yet just of couple of shoots starting to show

Potatoes – both our sets and those found around the patch from last year

Parsnip seeds (not up yet – but then I only planted them two days ago!)

Broccoli

Butternut squash

Courgettes

Patty pan courgettes

Strawberries

Raspberries

Jostaberries

Currant (miscellaneous type!)

Gooseberries – probably a write-off this year as they seem to have been stripped of leaves by a passing caterpillar

Rhubarb

Asparagus

Onion sets – many varieties, all of which seem to be doing well

Garlic

Sweet corn

Leeks

Lettuce – various forms including pak choi

Carrots

Radishes

Spring onions

A mint plant

Ruby chard

Celery

I also have seeds growing for

Brussels sprouts – rather too many for comfort

Cauliflowers

Cabbages red and white

Assorted herbs

And in the greenhouse

Tomatoes, aubergines, chillies/peppers, cucumber and watermelons - yes, watermelons!

Swede, celeriac and more herbs still to go in

There may be some more but I think we have most vegetables in the known world – if you can think of any more please leave a comment and we will kick ourselves and get to planting!

Oh forgot, horseradish and mint plants which are determined to come up whatever we do!

In for a penny....

Better start digging - again!

Those of you who know us understand that we foolishly believe that if a thing is good, more will be better (read chocolate, businesses or onion sets!)

Width - just a little larger than
the taller bright green plants

Delighted with our 200 square metres we had the opportunity to gain another 100 sq metres neighbouring our plot, so, of course, we jumped in.

On the diagonal - sorta!

Any volunteers for a little light digging?

Wigwams and Tunnels

It was with some trepidation that I realised the time had come to tackle the obligatory landmark on allotments and veggie gardens everywhere – the runner bean tunnel.   We walked around the allotments and spied on the standing structures, of which there were many, to get an idea of how best to construct the monument.  This calmed my fears rather as it appeared that everyone had done it differently and with varying rigidity, although they were all still standing and would do the job for the summer.

We built a tunnel out of 8ft canes and it stands proud and firm, planting 2 plants at the base of each cane.  Success.

Disaster - we were given some more plants, generally a good thing! But now we had to tackle the wigwam.  Fortunately out of the back on MIL’s tardis shed came a weird plastic thingy which forms the top of the wigwam and after a relatively short time we had a cane wigwam fit for beans.  Not too shabby a job if I say so myself!  Two beans at the bottom of each pole again and protected by plastic bottles - they are doing nicely.

Now we even have flowers – beans, hopefully, to follow!!!

The Blue Peter Experience

We have a new crop on our patch and it seems to be spreading fast around the allotments. 

I knew all of those years watching Blue Peter would come in handy.  We have been collecting plastic bottles for a few weeks now and it is amazing how they add up, especially once friends and family chip in.  There are a myriad of uses for every part of the bottle – bar the cap but I am sure that will come!

First we cut off the tops, bottoms and slice down the side to make seedling protectors which have certainly done their job against the fierce winds on our open site.

Next cutting off just the bottoms and burying, neck up they are used to supply water directly to the roots of individual plants.

Bottles growing as far as the eye can see!

The whole thing can be used on the top of a cane, not as we thought to prevent poking your eye out when bending over, but actually as a bird scarer, rattling in the gales breeze.  Although not going blind is also a plus!

I have heaps of bottle bottoms left over with about half an inch of bottle attached so I guess these would work nicely as mini cloches for seedlings, especially on pots, although we have not tried this yet.

Valerie Singleton would be proud of me!

A stinking good deal

With no sign of our garden centre purchased garlic cloves sprouting I decided to plant up some of the organic garlic from Morrisons we use at home in cooking.  One pack of two cloves cost a whole 60p as opposed to the £2.50 pack from the garden centre.  I broke up the bulbs and crammed all 23 cloves into a pot.  Watered well and waited.  Within a couple of days there were shoots showing and within a couple of weeks they we in desperate need of planting on.  I put them direct into the plot and am pleased to report that every single clove sprouted and is doing well.  23 new garlic plants for 60p – gotta be a bargain!

Only a couple of weeks old - the plants of this size
 sell for £1.99 each.
Someone knows how to make a profit!

There seems to be lots of controversy about planting from the supermarket, especially with potatoes – should you plant out the sprouting spuds from the back of the cupboards or not.  (Mr Titchmarsh said you must not use them)  I guess the jury is out until I gather my garlic crops but I suspect I know what I think about planting supermarket garlic now!

In which we gain a shed

With things well underway it was time to turn our attentions to the area marked on my initial plan as the "recreation area".  Sounds impressive but I was just aiming at a bench, some slabs and of course the obligatory garden shed.  Although I am regretting the term "recreation area" as Mrs 2K seems to be expecting a BBQ and hottub! 

Our neighbour Diane has decided to reduce her plot size and, as I mentioned in a previous post, has agreed to sell us her shed and paraphernalia.   We are now the proud owners of a 4 x 6 shed (only allowable size or the allotment police committee will be after us) complete with window – believe me that’s a status symbol in the shed world, guttering and a waterbutt.  

Reports of my death are greatly exaggerated!

On one of my all too frequent buying trips I discovered that the nursery had reduced their onion sets to half price, a bargain, 80 onions for £1, so of course, I bought three packs - well I would be mad not to - or so you would think. 

Hercules Onions - lets hope they live up to their name
 & shallots

Returning home in triumph I presented my purchases (always the romantic!)  to Mrs 2K.  She did not share my delight.  She had spent several back breaking hours planting our previous onion sets after digging the ground and declared that she had done enough and never wanted to see another onion again as long as she lived.  Needless to say she was delighted with my present of the 240 she would now have to plant.  Muttering death threats she started digging.  

...and more

Remember my previous post about waiting for the veggie reductions is Homebase?  Well, my prediction came true, with potato sets and other plants reduced to ridiculous prices.  I purchased a whole £5 worth of goodies, with the cashier querying the price as she could not believe what a bargain I had.  Presenting the ready sprouting seed potatoes to Mrs2k was a delight, however, the 3 packs of 60 onion sets for 50p each did not get the reaction I anticipated - think I may be off onions for a while!

Ps.  If you want me I am hiding out in the allotment shed!

Turner Prize entry?

Bird protection or modern art?

Family Heirloom

Truly priceless heirlooms are few and far between, and not always in the form of gold or jewels.  Jim and Margaret came to visit on one of our many, sunny afternoons and after several cups of tea ended up transplanting to Plot 27.  The idea was just to have a look and give us the benefit of their wisdom but neither could resist nudging over the soil and removing the odd weed. 

Two healthy Jostaberry plants

Margaret brought us a couple of Josta Berry plant cuttings which she had been given by her brother, he has the master plant which initially belonged to their father who is no longer with us but his legacy lives on.  We will really have to make a success of the Josta's and hopefully have enough to make some jam.  I am sure that will be a taste of "home" for Margaret. 
Priceless

The shiny nearly-black berry, which is smaller than a gooseberry and a bit larger than a blackcurrant, is edible both raw and cooked. It is described as having a taste intermediate between a gooseberry and a blackcurrant, with the gooseberry flavour more dominant in the unripe fruit and the blackcurrant notes developing as the fruit ripens. The ripe fruit will hang on the bush in good condition through late summer, but is very popular with birds. The somewhat unripe fruit can be used in cooking recipes as a gooseberry. Like blackcurrants the fruit freezes well, and like many other members of the Ribes genus it is rich in Vitamin C.  "Wikipedia"

I’m sure we like broad beans – don’t we?

The unusual Broad Bean Flowers

 In a desperate attempt to avoid working a stall at the Bank Holiday Carboot, Mrs 2K distracted me with promises of spending money so unusually we headed off to the boot fair as buyers.  With hopes of topping up the veggie plant supply there was not much available and certainly nothing that we didn’t already have in abundance until we spied a display of broad beans.  
Having previously had no intention of growing them but with an eye for a bargain I negotiated hard and paid the marked price of 50p for 2 plants.

See the little seedlings coming up
 beside the almost full grown plant?

We got back to Plot 27 and discussed where to plant them but unsure basically of anything to do with broad beans (even, let’s face it, if we like them) went on the prowl to again look at the neighbours.   One friendly chap had the most wonderful planting of row upon row of beans (hope he knows that he likes them!) and we asked his advice.  Well, how many do you have he asked to determine plant spacing, six we answered – he looked at us curiously and clearly did not compute – what six rows of his beloved plant, six dozen – what could they mean?  No six plants we clarified whereupon he promptly took pity on us and give us his left over seeds.  Now we have thirty six!  - hope we like them!