We had a token day of rain on Friday but not enough fell to make a difference on the allotment. Certainly not enough rain fell to release us from our watering duties so quite a bit of our time is spent lugging watering can around the plot. One day I clocked up a distance of 3.3km just carrying water back and forth.
Our efforts carrying cans is so far being rewarded. The young parsnip seedlings are growing well and it seems that germination has been as good as I can remember. Soon I'll even have to thin the seedlings out whereas last year it was a case of sowing extra seeds to fill large gaps where seeds had failed .
The carrot seedlings so far seem to have dodged the attention of the slug patrol and are beginning to produce true leaves. We are not out of the woods yet as those slimy assassins could still wreak havoc.
The annual seeds that I sowed last week are coming through. More potential slug and snail fodder so no chickens are being counted.
I planted small clumps of indoor sown dried flower mix and sowed more seeds alongside them. It will be interesting to see which method suits them best.
The rest of the sweet peas have been planted out and more annual flowers seeds have been sown in front of them.
The tayberry, black raspberry and blackberry seem to be following the lead of the earlier fruit trees and bushes and producing lots of flowers and the bees are busily taking advantage of the bounty. I'm hoping the bees efforts are rewarded.
The bees have plenty of chives flowers to enjoy should white flowers not take their fancy.
The tayberry, black raspberry and blackberry seem to be following the lead of the earlier fruit trees and bushes and producing lots of flowers and the bees are busily taking advantage of the bounty. I'm hoping the bees efforts are rewarded.
As usual we sowed some green - Defender - and some yellow - Atena Polka -courgettes. If of these two, only one variety failed to germinate my money would have been on the yellow variety. I'd have lost my money, All the Atena Polka seeds produced good plants but not one of the Defender seeds germinated.
In the photo above left, the empty cells are where young Defender plants should be. The Atena Polka have been planted out. We bought more seeds of a different green variety - Zucchini - and they have germinated.
The runner and climbing French bean frame has been erected in readinesss for planting the beans which are currently growing on in modules in the greenhouse.
Whilst working on the plot we often come across various amphibians. This week this little newt was spotted when preparing another bed for planting. As usual he or she was transported to a safer location. We regularly provide an amphibian taxi service.
The bird feeders in the garden are very busy at the moment with parent birds busily trying to satisfy demanding youngsters. I'm hoping that this bullfinch dad has some young ones close by.
Finally what have we managed to harvest this week. Not a lot! I did pick our first plot grown cut flowers of the year. The sweet rocket has a beautiful perfume.
Of course there was more rhubarb but this time with a slight difference.
The sticks at the top of the photo are Timperley Early which we have been pulling for a while but beneath them are the first sticks that we have harvested this year from Grooveless Giant Crimson.
The Giant Crimson will be made into a compote to spoon onto our morning porridge. The rest of the rhubarb will be added to some stored frozen red cabbage to make an accompaniment to pork steaks.
The only other harvesting this week has been of various herbs such as mint, coriander, parsley and sage which were picked in such small amounts that no photos were taken.
As this week will see an end to May, I am hoping that shortly I will be able to report on a more varied harvest.
This week I am linking to harvest Monday hosted on
Dave's blog Our Happy Acres
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Now that's commitment! I doubt I could water that large of a plot using a watering can - our veg garden definitely suffered before we installed stand-alone spigots in each of the veg areas. We run a hose to each of them in late spring (the valve at the house is open all summer) and this gives us running water near the beds all season long.
ReplyDeleteAs we don’t own the land which our plot is on, Margaret we can’t rig up permanent irrigation systems. As is is when anyone on our site is using a hosepipe the water becomes just a trickle for everyone else, it’s most frustrating. Officially we are now supposed to use a hosepipe anyway.
DeleteYour hard work is paying off, the seedlings have germinated beautifully. Hand watering is major chore, but it does seem helpful when trying to get seeds to germinate. I need to go ahead and seed zucchini and summer squashes as well.
ReplyDeleteAt least when using a watering can, Phuong we know exactly how much water we have applied. It’s easy to underwater when using a hosepipe.
DeleteI wish we got more amphibians to visit. All I get are occasional toads.
ReplyDeleteWe get lots of toads and frogs, tpals. WE fairly regularly find newts when digging.
DeleteOh my! I don't know If I would stick with it if I had to lug water around that much! But it looks like it is paying off. You have some beautiful critters in your garden as well! I love that!
ReplyDeletePart of the attraction of gardening is sharing spaces with wildlife, Shawn Ann.
DeleteWaiting for rain here, which is imminent. I used to see a lot of frogs and toads in my garden, but then our new neighbours, who inherited the small pond, next-door covered the pond with a tanalised gate panel for health and safety reasons. Since then, the population has diminished drastically. Sad, but true.
ReplyDeleteStill no rain here, Deborah. Surely the neighbours could v=cover the pond with something that would allow frogs and toads to gain access.
DeleteSadly, I think it's the chemicals in the wood preserver that are to blame.
DeleteI've hauled water to a garden before, but never carrying it by hand! That is a lot of exercise. I'm guessing it took a bit to put up the bean frame too. It looks great! And I love the shot of the newt. We have blue-tailed lizards hanging out in our garden. I found one in a bale of straw this morning when I disturbed its hiding place.
ReplyDeleteThe bean frame did take a while, Dave. Once erected there was lots of tying in to do. Unfortunately we don’t have any lizards. I’d love to have some and some gray snakes.
DeleteThe same here Sue - Friday's downpour wasn't enough and yesterday's threatening skies and thunder didn't lead to any wet stuff. I've developed watering can neck again :( Your post has reminded me that it's been some time since I've seen a newt on my plot.
ReplyDeleteOur rain on Friday didn’t rate a downpour descriptor, Anna. I ended up with wrist ache courtesy of watering cans.
DeleteMarvelous having newts, wish I had some! So good to see those parsnips and carrots germinating! Only two of my courgettes came through....such a strange year. All that can carrying must keep you fit, I bet you have super toned arms!xxx
ReplyDeleteI had achy arms, Dina. We has a shower and the slugs emerged to devastate my annual flower seedlings so I hope that they don’t find the carrots and parsnips
DeleteI just can't imagine hauling a watering can that much, it must be exhausting work. Newts get out and about here in the winter when we get the vast majority of our annual rainfall. I love their funny walk, they way they swing their legs together and apart as they waddle slowly along.
ReplyDeleteWe find most of the newts when digging, Michelle. We are forever taxiing them and various frogs and toads into safer places on the plot
DeleteWho needs a gym when you've got an allotment? You'll be building your muscles up with all that water carrying. We had quite a bit of rain on Friday, in fact, Mick cut the grass on Thursday evening and it already needs cutting again, it's loving the warm weather mixed with the rain we had. We're forecast more rain later on this week. Do you get many bullfinches in the garden? I've only seen them here on two occasions but my mum and dad used to get them in their garden all the time. Enjoy the rhubarb, it's something I really miss from my allotment.
ReplyDeleteIt’s amazing that our rainfall is so,different, Jo. Even my sister in Rothwell only had token rain. Bullfinches aren’t exactly regulars but do tend to pop by now and again. They could come more often and us not always notice them. I just happened to be looking out of the window when he arrived. He seemed to know where the food was.
DeleteGoodness, it's all go! What a wonderful sight and may the slugs forget your plot is even there this year xxx
ReplyDeleteThey haven’t Carrie. Just a little rain and they moved in on my annual flower seedlings which were doing SO well
DeleteMost of the rain has missed us here on the N Lancs/S Cumbria border Sue.The stuff started in modules eg climbing beans,brassica,chard and beetroot has been moved outside under a hoop grow tunnel in the semi shade to stop everything getting frazzled by the heat.Probably a good move anyway in that they'll be hardening off before being planted out and will stand up to the gusts of wind we get around this time of year.Over on the plot the onions from seed are struggling in the dry heat.One good downpour of rain will be worth many trips trailing between my plot and the water butts.
ReplyDeleteMost of it has missed us too, David. We planted some of the beans yesterday and some of the leaves were a little scorched.
DeleteThe weather has been great recently, but yes, it has required a lot more watering. Your plot is looking so good, so productive.
ReplyDeleteAmphibian taxi service :D
I wish I could charge the amphibians for the favour, Julieanne. Let’s say twice their body weight in slugs each night.
DeleteWe never see bullfinches round here... they are such beautiful birds and that is a lovely photo too. Funny with the parsnip seeds isn't it? Ours have germinated much more readily this year too, after a terrible effort from them last season. Let's hope they now get on and grow!
ReplyDeleteIt has been strange about the parsnips, Kathy. Ours are now ready to be thinned out but it's always tricky deciding to do this in case sine seedlings fail.
DeleteFollowing the progress of your plots makes me realise how very localised our British weather is, and how much these differences affect our crops. For instance, my Runner Beans are halfway up their poles already.
ReplyDeletewe always sow seeds later, Mark which can also make a difference. That too is down to our weather though. This year we could have managed some earlier sowing but then again we had a couple of late frosts.
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