MY WEEK 29 : ( 17TH JULY )

Hello all, well is there no end to this current heatwave we are experiencing? what with the difficult Spring weather we had and the problems that it posed for us all with poor germination, we are now suffering with crops prematurely running to seed or failing altogether. As has been said by a few people on the different allotment forums, we will just have to put this down as just one of those years and accept that what we do manage to harvest is a bonus.

I thought that I would share this picture of the plot that has been voted as the MOST IMPROVED 1/2 PLOT on our allotment site, a lady called Joan is the plotholder and has transformed the plot from an overgrown wasteland with waist high weeds and couch grass to this lovely garden in just 6 months, well done.



Things are gearing up now towards our 2nd Annual Show that I have organised for early September following last years opening success. Interest appears to be much higher this year already, we have had a few new plotholders on our site this year who are expressing an interest as well as participants from last year. The aim of the show was to primarily increase the community spirit on our site which we can hopefuly carry forward to future activities and possible fund raising events.



This week I have seen the first of my Butternut Squashes forming, as you can see from the photograph it already has that unique shape to it. This is the first time that I have grown this vegetable so I am looking forward to harvesting them for the first time, I will have to look up some recipes for them as I have never cooked them before but have been told how nice they are. One thing that I need to check is that if you need to stop the plants after a certain number of the fruits have formed to give them ample chance to mature and ripen, perhaps somebody could let me know if they have had experience in growing them.


The first of my climbing French Beans have formed over the last week, it is a variety called Blue Lake. They are best harvested when they are young and are delicious as a vegetable or as an addition to a nice salad. They freeze very well and are preferred by some to the Runner Bean for their flavour, if you have a glut of them or do not manage to harvest them before they get too big then you can dry them and use the seeds as Haricot beans for use in soups and stews during the Winter months or infact use them as next years seeds, so nothing goes to waste.



The first corns are forming on my Sweetcorn plants, thanks to a couple of other plotholders it looks like I will have a good crop of them despite the poor germination that I experienced with my seed, they very kindly donated some plants and more seed which is indicative of most allotment folk, with plants and produce going back and forth between us all, what a great spirit that most of us have, long may it continue.




As an experiment this year I tried planting a few Sweet Pepper plants direct into one of my beds at the allotments rather than just in the greenhouse back at home, this week has seen the first of the fruit forming on them which is nice to see, obviously the weather that we have had so far has suited them well and maybe I will be able to do this in future seasons if the current rend to warmer weather continues, infact we may find that we will have to consider planting vegetables that are more suited to our newer climate conditions.



The first signs of my Brussels Sprouts a variety called Bedford Filabasket have appeared this week, the brassicas in my cage are perforing very well infact they are probably the best quality of brassicas that I have managed to cultivate so far. The only pest or problem that I am experiencing with them is Whitefly, you can control these by spraying your plants with a weak solution of washing up liquid and water or if you want to use an insecticide without it getting onto your crops then a good tip is to wet the ground underneath your plants then with your insecticide spray at the ready shake your plants which will cause the Whitefly to fall to the wet ground where they will stick to the surface long enough for you to give them a spray without it going onto your plants.





Around the plot this week the Tomatoes are growing well along with my Ridge Cucumbers.........




Daniel's first Pumpkin has formed and my Summer Cabbages are ready for harvesting..........




The first of my Gladioli have started to bloom with a slightly later flowering red variety to follow.

Now that more of my Dhalias are blooming I have included this slideshow below to show you the different varieties that are in flower at the moment.




Well that is it again for another week, I'm afraid that there will bo no update next week as we are going to our little retreat in Snowdonia again for a much needed rest and hopefuly some respite from the oppressive heat that we have experienced here in the Midlands, my plots will more or less be in the lap of the gods while I'm away so hopefuly I will still have some produce alive when I return with my next update in 2 weeks time, anyway thanks once again for your messages of support and appreciation of what I am doing or trying to share with you all, regards Steve.