Competition for Wimbledon

We have been harvesting our crops!!!


The birds and I have been sharing the strawberries.  Initially the ratio was 3 to the birds and 1 to me but covering the patch with netting helped reverse the ratio somewhat.  

Moja

At the time of writing we have had about a dozen, delicious, juicy strawberries and 1 radish!
Worked out against the plot, that's £7 per strawberry.  Jolly good value when compared to Wimbledon!

... having done a little extra research
28,000 kilos are consumed at Wimbledon so we have a little way to catch up (they actually cost £2.25 for 10 so we will need a few more to reduce the price to 22.5 each  (377 in fact) - will we do it? Probably not, even though the crop is looking strong. Better harvest some more radishes!

Keeping the dates straight!

In my attempt to keep you up to date with our planting, we have been putting in potatoes - yesterday we planted out first earlies, today we planted the late earlies and at the weekend probably main crop and second earlies. A few weeks ago we planted first earlies and lates both of which are doing well. 

Haven't a clue which Potato this one is
 - but it's doing well!

All clear on that then?


Now, harvesting.  You harvest earlies, and first earlies when they flower but lates, second earlies and mains when the foliage dies down.

If you put earlies in late do they become lates or are they still early?

Luke

Since coming back from university
we notice that Luke has got a lot taller!

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?