July is Here!

Lettuce Spring Onions and Rainbow Chard

You only have to be away from the garden for a few days to notice the differences, and see how quickly things grow and change, I had not been into the allotments for a couple of days due to bad weather of constant rain. So My hubby had been collecting New Potatoes and Chard, Spring Onions and Lettuce, along with Kale for Salads.

So I was amazed to see how the Dahlia’s had grown and were now starting to flower. 

Dahlia’s starting to flower Click to enlarge.

I also had a surprise when I looked at the Red Current Bush, Last year I left them when ripe for one more day, only to return to find them all gone.. This year I have netted them well and even I struggled to unravel the netting to gather a few berries.. There is still lots more left to ripen.

More Redcurrents to ripen

Redcurrents

Strawberries

The strawberries although very large this year because of all the rain, are taking their time to ripen. I managed to pick 8 large ones..  And threw 4 away which the slugs had got to, The blackbird was waiting and quickly enjoyed desert.

  But 8 was more than a fellow allotmenteer managed, as unfortunately a thief thought he/she would take all of his over night. 

It seems we have someone who either is slipping through the hedge or someone who has an allotment Key helping themselves… As on another plot 2 roots of potatoes were dug up and stolen. But when all our plots are open apart from the perimeter fence, there isn’t a whole lot you can do. Except accept it, as the police do nothing, even when lots of sheds got broken into all in one night and expensive machines were taken such as rotavators and mowers they never came, only giving a crime number to the Plots Managers.

We would sooner give things away and would happily share and do often between plots. And it is quite down heartening when people put time money and effort into growing their own food to then have someone come along to take it.

On a lighter note  remember I said our apple tree had blossom, well a few have set into fruits not many I counted 8 so fingers crossed we get some apples for the first time this year ,, Seems 8  is the magic number right now 🙂

Apple Tree fruits Appear

So far too I have picked lots of Raspberries too, and the Blueberry bushes have lots on too, but not ready for a while yet.  You can see how quickly things have grown from comparing these two photo’s of where I weeded out near the path near the shed las time to how quickly the marigolds have come into flower  with the same boarder a few weeks later on the second photo.

I set too and weeded out all of the grass that had grown.

Marigolds, looking at the Raspberries and Loganberries behind them.

I found a lovely recipe in Deliciously Ella’s cook book for Kale and Avocado Salad. I found a similar one here which she shows you how to prepare so easy! and Delicious.

  I hope all of your Veggies are thriving 

Happy Gardening

Sue

Watch Out Thieves Are About!..

On Monday night Thieves broke into the allotments.. I say broke into, as the main gate to the allotments which hold well over 100 allotment plots was obviously breached by some one who had a key to the main gate.. as no sign of damage to the Lock on the gate was done.. 

A gang we believe with a vehicle systematically broke into many sheds, taking Rotavators, Petrol Strimmers, Mowers etc..  

Thieves- Broken Lock on our shed

Much damage was done, but thankfully someone was looking after us,  I had put a prayer and crystal protection around our plot only the week before as we had some things go missing. And even though the thieves had a good go at getting into our Shed thankfully they didn’t succeed.

You can see how they twisted the lock and the scrapes as they tried to lever the door open.. But the Shed was also locked with a Key in the handle lock which Hubby had secured the lock really well with Long screws and bolts to the 2 inch wooden frame.   So they didn’t manage to succeed with our Shed. but either side of us was broken into along with many more. 

Here you can see how they prized off the lock to our shed

 

 

We were thankful that nothing more than a new Bolt hinge was needed to be replaced . But sadly it put many a hard working allotmenteer’s out of pocket having suffered losses and damaged sheds. 

My only consolation is knowing that there are more honest folks out there than there are thieves.

However this didn’t dampen the Dreamwalker Spirit for long as I had harvesting to do.

And Here is the picture of the Purple Cauliflower

Here’s me smiling with our Purple Cauliflower and Broccoli heads.

Garlic from last years late planting we didn’t plant much this year.

   I also remembered the Garlic we had drying in the shed and made short work of cleaning the bulbs to bring home ready for using

 

Garlic all cleaned and ready to use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Peas are now nearly ready also 

Today the Peas are ready. but I am leaving them so my Grandaughter can pick them when she comes at the weekend

The Kidney beans are now if full flower and the bees and insects are doing their work

More Harvesting Done ~ Purple Cauliflower, Black-currents, Loganberries one courgette, Strawberries, Broccoli.

Next time as promised I will update you on the Flowers I have growing both in the Allotments and in the Garden at home. 

Enjoy your weekend

Keep Smiling

And Remember There are More Good People than Bad

we just hear all about the Bad ones.

~Sue~

 

 

 

July~ Grow Your Own ~Up date

I hope every one is enjoying Summer as much as I am.. Here in the UK the weather is good .. High temperatures with a mixture of rain is good growing weather. 

So here is my picture Update..

Loganberries

Loganberries Bumper crop

This year has been a great year for loganberries.. Last year we let the new shoots grow as they were cut back the year before.. we tied them high to a frame and then after flowering we netted them to stop the birds from eating them  I have had around 8 punnet’s off and still there are more to be picked

I netted these loganberries to keep little predators at bay

 Remember these Peas I rescued from the main row which didn’t do so well?

Now these peas were rescued by me as these were the only ones from a full row of many that came through. So I transplanted into one place, some are sadder looking than others as they have been nibbled by beetles.. But they will survive… We have another long row recently planted.

Well this is how they look now, the peas pods are filling out and in about a week I think we may have our first crop of peas

I have Pods on these peas

Peas second planted row

Above you can see the wired row of the second rows we planted of peas.. they haven’t done as well as last years crops, a bit hit and miss. After the rain we saw the prints of a pigeon had got under the mesh and had enjoyed taking his pick.. But that’s gardening, You win some and lose some..  🙂  

Courgettes

The courgettes are doing well too.. even though the leave have slight mildew due to the humid weather, I have had some lovely little courgettes off which I have used raw in salads which you can see better below

Courgettes in close up

The Dwarf beans are growing nicely as are the runner beans which are in flower

Beetroot and carrots

Here is the later beetroot we planted which was just weeded and thinned out.. the other rows watered are two rows of carrots and leeks .We are already pulling beetroot which we use in salads and make a delicious smoothie drink with in the morning which we have at breakfast.

more beets, onions, swedes and more beets we stager the sowing of the beets so they don’t all come at once..

Long view of crops

Red cabbage in the foreground and Sweet corn growing in the background

Purple cauliflower

Now this is my pride and joy.. its only small at the moment you can see hubby’s thumb.. and we only have two.. We set the seeds but out of many they didn’t germinate ..

The broccoli too are doing great

Broccoli

Here is what we harvested yesterday 

Harvested for dinner and desert From Left to Right. Potatoes~ Loganberries~ Courgettes~ Rainbow Chard~ Dahlia’s and Sweet-peas

The flowers are doing well, except we have lots of black fly on the Dahlia’s

 

Dahlia

But I have had some lovely cut flowers, which was why I planted in the the allotments

 

And here are the sweet peas

My sweet-peas in the allotments.. they are much stronger plants than in my garden they have produced lots of bunches of sweetpeas I have already picked

Picking Sweet-peas, The more you pick the more flowers that they produce

And arrange on the hearth

Flowers indoors

Next time I will be sharing my Home Garden blooms..

Enjoy your Summer. 

~Sue~