Start of the summer holidays and so far I have only managed to grab a couple of hours at the allotment. I have however been very good and spent an afternoon in school moving and rearranging cupboards. Definitely time for some quality time at the lottie.
Everything is flourishing and I am drafting in the little Ps to help harvest the produce over the summer. Obviously it's their favourite jobs, 'one for home and two for me' comes to mind. Fresh air, exercise and a large chunk of their 5 a day, can't complain.
Anyway onto the plot.
45 has had most of the attention over the past couple weeks so time for 47 to receive some tlc.
I had to start with these pictures of the flowers on 47. You can see why we fell in love with the plot. The flowers are making a beautiful addition to our home and are brightening up every free space.
The Day Lillies are opening and it is a pleasure to walk through 'the jungle' as the little Ps have called them.
I took a cutting from the lilies to see if they would bloom in a vase.
Apparently they do ;)
The rose is in full bloom and I need to have discussions with the new owner of 48a to see if I can train it back across between the 2 plots. If not, tidy it for now and cut back with new trellis in the winter.
Behind the flower beds lies a mass of fat hen and herbs. I'm tempted to try the fat hen in a curry instead of spinach. Beyond the herbs lies a tangle of loganberries, raspberries and blackberries with masses of fruit ready for picking. (Obviously blackberries aren't ready yet but again we have masses forming.)
The gherkin and cucamelon beds are also becoming over run with weeds so that was my starting point. I found it quite fiddly weeding around the cucamelons as they need tying up again so instead have wrapped themselves around the weeds surrounding them and the result is a tangled mess of greenery. Not an easy sorting one handed. Best leave that bit for Mr P ;)
The gherkin plants that survived the slug attacks are starting to fruit as are the cucamelons so obviously not that unhappy with the invasion of weeds.
However what is worrying me is what appears to be rust on the weeds in this bed!
As we are only permitted to have fires between November and March, I have bagged them for disposal at home. Hopefully the plants won't be affected!
So other than eating peas what were the Little Ps doing whilst this was going on?
Bob topped the Charlotte potatoes and pink fir and with JJ dug up our first crop.
These were very tasty last night boiled with a touch of butter. Think I'm going to make potato salad again.
JJ helped me to take the chard out. It took some time taking the roots out without disturbing the rest of the bed. This is the smaller plant.
Mr P took this photo a couple of weeks ago, as you can see the largest chard is as big as me. Time to come out.
The bed the chard came out of had a good sort out. It was topped up with compost and the radish and spinach spread out.
Peas were picked....
.....and CP found some pods that had split so decided to replant them. Never know might be lucky enough to get a second crop September/October time. Clever cookie knew to cover them up to stop the pigeons.
Purple French beans are forming. Not quite enough for a meal but give it a week.
The fruits of the Little P's hard work. Most of the produce had gone over but will harvest the seed for next year.
What amazes me is looking back through my previous posts how much more the Little Ps are able to do now and the skills and knowledge that they are accruing. Last year I would never have trusted Bob with the secateurs and JJ has her own tools. KP has taken on a bed (although has not been here long enough to plant it) and CP can carry the small watering can when it is full. They won't be little Ps for long!
So what's next?
The loganberries and raspberries need picking and using, little project for the Little Ps to research over the summer.
Wine needs to be moved on to the next stage.
Oh and keeping on top of the weeds and watering, although looking at the forecast for the week ahead, watering is not going to be such an issue until nearer the weekend.
Thanks for reading
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