More planting

We have continued to find gaps in the showery weather during which to work on the plot. Not only did things need to be planted but beds needed preparing for them.

The seeds sown last week have come through quickly and have also germinated well. If the slugs leave them alone we will have some thinning out to do. The last potatoes to be planted are also pushing through.

This year we covered the seed beds by just draping enviromesh over them rather than creating a 'tent'. Last year carrots grown in this way suffered less from slug attacks on young seedlings. It may have been a coincidence but we are repeating the method this year. There are gaps in the rows of seedlings but nothing like last year's complete annihilation. 

Other slug treats planted out were the low growing sunflowers - Music Box. These were the strongest looking young sunflower plants that we have ever grown but will they survive Slugmageddon?

I also planted the last lot of annuals in mud! The earlier ones are growing but I always wonder at this stage whether I will eventually have a flower display. This year seems more in the lap of the gods than ever.

We planted leeks which always look pathetic at this stage. Usually we are complaining that the soil is too dry and the holes made for the plantlets fills in before we can plant - not so this year!

The sweet corn is also now in the ground in the necessary block formation to aid wind pollination. Once the flowers have formed I usually brush the plants with my hand each time I pass their bed as a little extra help. Some of the modules had two plants growing so these were split and planted separately.

The garden and plot greenhouse now are planted up with as many tomatoes as they can comfortably accommodate so the remaining plants have been installed directly in the ground. Last year was blight free and the outdoor plants did very well. If blight hits we could have a wipe-out but as the plants would probably end up on the compost heap if not planted out we may as well take a chance.

The winter brassica plants have been waiting patiently in the cold frame and are now planted on the plot protected under enviromesh.

As you can see from the photos above most of our planting is through weed control fabric which I wish we had 'discovered' when we were still working  - paid working that is - as it has greatly cut down on plot maintenance but the way we use it doesn't mean that we have no weeds in the covered beds.

For some crops and for sowing rows of seeds, a channel is cut into the fabric and weed seedlings will germinate in the gaps as they will in any mulch used. Weeding these areas though tends to be quick and easy. Far easier than weeding under the fruit bushes after which I ended up with a large itchy bite on my neck. Usually I would just hoe any uncovered beds to remove the weeds but the soil is too wet.

Copyright: Original post from Our Plot at Green Lane Allotments http://glallotments.blogspot.co.uk/ author S Garrett