Monday, September 13

We're not crying over our onions

Thank you for all the good wishes following, Martyn's hospital adventure. Thankfully, he has had no further nosebleeds, although we made sure to take things steadily last week. Martyn, had been instructed not to do anything too strenuous for a week. It’s a bit like treading on egg shells wondering whether a repeat is imminent.

We did pop to the allotment a couple of times, mainly to harvest a few things although on Saturday we did plant some overwintering onions and garlic. We planted two varieties of onions - Radar and Senshyu and some White Casablanca garlic. 

Fortunately, we had a bed ready for planting. Birds appear to consider beds that have been cleared and dug over to be excellent places to use as dust baths and so we covered the onion bed with a layer of enviromesh. We posted a video here.
Onions were a feature last week as I also tidied up the bulbs that had been drying off. Any loose skins were removed and roots trimmed off. The onions were then placed in a single layer in cardboard boxes and placed in our summerhouse for storage over winter. The summerhouse doubles up as a fruit and vegetable storage area once summer winds down. It is ideal as it is cool/cold and dry.
Any suspect bulbs have been set aside for using as soon as possible. I'll also keep checking the boxes and remove any onions that show signs of rotting.
The new strawberry bed had taken full advantage of our absence from the plot. I had been diligently removing runners and flowers from the plants so that they could build up strength during their first year. Whilst I had taken my eye off the ball, the plants had produced a mass of runners and one variety - Christine - had not only produced lots of flowers but had also set fruit. I removed all the runners but hadn’t the heart to cut off all the flowers and immature fruits. I doubt that any fruits will ripen but Christine deserves to be given the chance to try.
7 September - Mixed dahlias,  Peas - Onward & Terrain, Runner beans - Moonlight and raspberries - All Gold.

Tomatoes - Sungold, Crimson Plum, Shirley & Crimson Crush
The tomatoes are now in full flow. We are picking ripe fruits from both the garden and plot greenhouses and a raised bed in the garden.

I've been busy roasting tomatoes, as this way, they take up less room in the freezer than as ready made tomato sauces, which they will be used to make later.
11 September - Peas - Onward & Terrain, Courgettes - Ambassador & Boldenice, Raspberries - All Gold & Joan J, Broad bean -  Luz de Otono, Blackberries - Loch Ness, Tomatoes - Shirley & Crimson Crush and Sweet Corn - Earlibird

The last lot of Onward peas, that we sowed, are now starting to be affected by mildew which is affecting the leaves and the pea pods, Fortunately the peas inside are fine. Terrain produces small peas more like petit pois.

The thornless, Loch Ness blackberry produces some very large berries.


We have a few Joan J raspberry canes that, each year, enter into a battle with bindweed, however, they continue to produce some tasty berries.
We picked the first of our sweet corn to check whether the cobs had ripened. They had so we will strip the plants when we next visit the plot. The kernels will be stripped off and frozen.

We also picked the first few late planted broad beans. 

Fortunately, Martyn is now back eating warm food and last week we used some cabbage and onions in a chicken dish based on this recipe.

Carrots, tomato and peas were included in a minced turkey and quinoa dish.

Our onion, garlic, cherry tomatoes and courgette were ingredients in a tomato and courgette risotto.


Nostell was looking very autumnal last week. The flower meadow had been mown the previous week and last week bales of hay dotted the landscape.
I was also attracted to the bark of various trees as we walked around the lake.


The four cygnets are now just about fully grown but are still sticking close to their parents.

We often spot a heron patrolling the shallows. Last week he or she was wading through the flowers.

By the way is anyone else finding that they are collecting more and more itchy bites on a daily basis. We all are, in spite of using copious amounts of repellent.  Is it our imagination or this year are there more creatures around after our blood?

As always wherever you are keep safe and well.

This week I   am once again joining in with Dave’s Harvest Monday collection of posts over at Our Happy Acres.

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

12 comments:

  1. Some really great harvests there, and the use of the summerhouse to store veg is a brilliant idea. I was stung by a wasp the other day which wasn't fun, and I agree, there do seem to be more insects around this year. I have definitely noticed more on the windowsills after the windows are open.

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    1. It mean that the summerhouse earns its keep, CJ

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  2. That knife edge of hoping there'll be no reoccurrence! Glad to hear Martyn's doing well.
    I've been known to thinly slice and freeze onions with a good degree of success, although my Dad used to plait his, Sioni Wynwns style, and hang them on nails in the shed.

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    1. I've plaited the garlic which is hanging in the garage, Deborah. It tookl long enough to tidy up all the onions without plaiting them and I'm not sure the shed roof would take the weight, :-)

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  3. I have been one big itch for over a week. I think it was a combination of bee stings, spider bites, mosquitos and poison ivy. At one point I even broke out in hives all over my face and neck and it ain't over yet. I just want to hide inside the house until it all heals up.

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    1. I sympathise, Alex, I have bites everywhere despite using a repellent. I'm not sure what is biting me but the bites carry on itching for over a week, Between Martyn and I we are using tons of calamine but it only calms things for a short time and every day more bites join the party.

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  4. How wonderful you have the summer house for storage. Being able to preserve without further processing for some crops is a real advantage. Onions, garlic and winter squash are about the only crops we can save and there is never a very cool place as the garage can get warm. No cellar here.

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    1. I often think cellar would be an asset, Sue but here only older houses have them and more often older terrace houses.

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  5. That a great idea to roast the tomatoes for the freezer. I've done that some years but not this time. I'm surprised that strawberry is setting fruit this time of year!

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  6. Wonderful to hear Martyn is well again. What a fantastic harvest, especially the tomatoes and onions. I bet the house smells heavenly while they are roasting. Fancy the strawberries setting fruit at this time of the year. Lovely seeing the heron and the cygnets all grown up.xxx

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    1. I thin that the heron is a resident there, Dina it's usually around, That is if it's the same one.

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