Strawberries Being Eaten
As with lots of fruits and veg that I’ve never grown before I’m learning as I’m going along!
Something is eating my strawberries - is it the birds?? My planted last late autumn plants aren’t currently producing that many fruits so it’s a bit disappointing to see a few being munched. I must get some straw pretty soon too.
Apologies for the lack of blog posts in the last month - I’ve just not had the time to blog here alongside all the other internet work I do (I am hoping to get some gardening merchants on our discount codes site in the near future). But I’ve been doing a bit down on the plot …sweetcorn plants have been planted out along with the courgettes (do I need to feed them with anything?). Tomato plants (sweet marillion) have been planted out in the greenhouse border and I’ve got another load to plant outside (and give away ‘cos I’ve got too many).
Weeds… I swear they grow quicker after they’ve been dug up. I weeded around the onions one day - two days later they’re back. I’ve been working on the front end of the plot when time permits, marking out bed areas and putting old carpet down inbetween with bark plonked on top (oh it’s all very technical). Those horse tails (mares tails) are most certainly the Devil’s work (with roots 6.5 feet long apparently)
Wirral Groups: Access To Allotments
It’s apparent that the demand for local allotment plots continues to rise. It was mentioned at our own AGM that just our site has in excess of 35 people on the waiting list.
A local group has contacted me, asking to give their efforts to improve the availability of Wirral allotments a mention:
The Access To Allotments Action Group (find their web page here) has this stated aim:
…to press for the provision of suitable and sufficient allotments for the residents of Wirral.
On the groups web page you’ll find out more about their current activities, past actions and contact details too. So do pay them a visit here if you’d like to find out more.
Our Allotment Association AGM
It was our annual AGM last night, held in the Hoylake Social Club.Not only did the official association website get a mention (visit it here) but this very allotment blog got a little mention too. I started this blog just over a year ago, primarily to remind myself where, when and what I’d planted.
You’ll notice there’s a bit of gap in the posts since the summer - this is due to the fact that I struggle to find the time to balance young family life with our new search marketing company, my running and various other stuff. I know …excuses, excuses!
I’ve got a lot more photos to add into the blog so I’ll be adding them in and backdating them when I get chance. Think I’ve got a photo of a good few inches of rainwater inside the greenhouse from last “summer”.
Whilst my plot looks like a bit of a jungle (at the moment) I managed to get various produce from it in my first season including:
- potato (though a fair few were rotten)
- onions (used the last few at end of November)
- carrots (admittedly not the biggest carrots you’ve ever seen)
- cucumber
- tomato …lots of
- various berries from the plants that were already there
Disasters included:
- weeds, weeds and more weeds
- aubergine
- peas - plonked the seeds in but nothing happened
- swede - drowned
- turnip - drowned
- beetroot - drowned
- Cauli, cabbage and broccoli that I planted in the autumn appears to have fed numerous slugs.
I’m currently shedless but hope to be acquiring a free one in the next couple of weeks so that’ll be good if I get it.
Here’s to a more successful season this year, not quite so much rain and for me a better, not so weedy plot!
Time Is Like Gold
…and I wish that I had a lot more of it!
Haven’t done much at all recently at plot 69, mainly because we’ve had chicken pox in the family - myself included unfortunately. Additionally last week was something of wash-out due to the heavy (though welcome) rain. I’ve been busy catching up on work over at my search marketing business.
On the plus side the onions and the potatoes seem to be doing okay. I needed to weed the potatoe patch last week. I need to finish this and hope to spend a couple of hours on the plot tomorrow afternoon. Weeds are prolific - I’m not sure if that’s partly because the plot was left unattended last year by the previous plotter? The front section of the plot needs digging over again because the weeds are back again. As a result the plot looks a mess which is disappointing. I think I’ll make some raised beds in this front section when I de-weed it again.
During the week when I was in my sick bed the weather was scorching for the time of year and I suspect it has adversely affected both my parsnip and beetroot seeds because I couldn’t get down there to water them.
Classic novice mistakes I suspect!
Great News
Out of the blue, Rose called to say that a full size allotment should be available to me - she’ll be calling back in the week to confirm.
-
Seed Shopping
-
-