Tuesday 23 September 2014

The September plot

I've been a whirlwind of activity at the allotment this week.  I want to do a better job of tidying up this year while the weather is so glorious.  Last year I was only partway through when it started raining and didn't stop until spring.

I started with the strawberries.  I grew them through weedproof membrane this year which cut down no end on the weeds, I can't recommend it highly enough.  But as well as the old foliage there were dozens of little plantlets rambling everywhere and trying to root through the fabric.  I cut everything off.  It seems drastic but it gets lets light and air into the centre of the plant, and it means there aren't any rotting leaves under the new growth next year.  This should cut down on the risk of fungal infections and hopefully slugs.


I'd potted up a few of the runners a couple of weeks before, and I took those home to plant out in one of the raised beds there.  I'm slightly concerned that the fruit at the plot will be taken by birds, slugs etc. so growing some at home is the backup plan.  And you can never have too many strawberries.

Afterwards it looked satisfyingly neat.  Almost nothing on my plot ever looks neat, so this was a very exciting moment for me.


I had a big pile of sticks and other woody stuff to be burned.  I wasn't sure it would be dry enough, but as it happened it turned into a blazing inferno.  Guess it was dry enough after all.  It was a while before I dared to leave it to get my camera.


Today I started on the area of doom behind the shed.  Check out the eight foot nettle above the roof.


The previous plotholder used to grow rhubarb here, and he had a couple of nice neat little compost bins.  They don't seem to be nearly big enough for my needs, so I brought two old ones I had from home.  I ripped out the nettles, levelled the ground (after a fashion) and put one of them up.



I used the top of it to mark out where the second one will go.  At the moment the second one is stuck deep in the dark dangerous recesses of the garage.  It won't be an easy retrieval.  I'm debating whether I'll do it tomorrow.  I think I need to press on while I still have a bit of forward momentum.  Wish me luck.

Around the plot there's not much to pick now.  Mostly courgettes,with the odd cucumber, some squashes, blackberries and the last of the tomatoes.


This is my favourite kind of courgette, tromboncino.  It's a climbing plant, although mine decided it would rather romp around on the ground this year.  It curves nicely with a bulbous bit on the end.  The skin is thin and delicate, and by the time a small boy has carried it up to the top of the allotment site using it alternatively as a telephone and a gun it will tend to look a bit on the battered side.  You won't find it in the supermarket for that reason.  But the flesh is dense and crisp and I find it always fruits really well.


Something of great excitement to me (bear in mind I don't get out much) is the sight of tiny little sproutlets on my sprout plants.  I've never grown them before, but I found several unwanted plants in the "Free Stuff" area a while back, and remembering my motto (If It's Free It's For Me) I snaffled them.  The caterpillars are eating the main leaves, but I'm hoping enough will survive to support the sprouts.


There are still a few flowers left, sunflowers and the odd rose.  The sunflowers have been lovely this year, I nearly picked a bunch today but I couldn't bring myself to cut them.  Plus I have a horror of earwigs dropping out when I least expect it.






I'm hoping to happen upon a pile of free bricks to make a small area to stand things on behind the shed, as well as to make a path across the plot (where the red wheelbarrow is in the picture above).  (A number of the site's wheelbarrows were painted red for the town carnival, so that plotholders could walk in formation as the Red Barrows.)  In the meantime I shall continue the battle with the area of doom and maybe even do some weeding.  It would be nice to have things a little bit together before the end of the season.

27 comments:

  1. Wow, where do you get the energy from? I hope the weather holds for you to tackle the area of doom, it has turned wet here in the North West. I must try your courgette variety next year, it looks nice. x

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  2. You've been so hard at work. The strawberry patch looks so incredibly neat and tidy, what a big job. I've never seen the telephone/gun variety of squash but I am sure I would love it because I love them all. Zucchini (courgettes) are one of the few vegetables I've ever successfully grown, so they have a special place in my heart. :)

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  3. Wow CJ, so much work! Tromboncino very cool! I'm always learning stuff about gardening here. Maybe one day, I can impress my mother in law. And no, you can never have too many strawberries :)

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  4. Wow, you have made a huge difference, especially to the area of doom! It doesn't look doom like at all now you have done so much to it. The strawberry patch looks brilliant too, I understand the enjoyment of newly created tidy! xx

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  5. You are a hardworking girl! I love all those squashes.. we call the courgettes Zucchini here. We visited a Dahlia farm today, will show you some fun photos of the flower tomorrow. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  6. You have gotten so much done CJ!!!! My goodness lady! And just look at those sprouts!!! And all of those happy blooms still showing their faces! Keep up the hard work...your harvests just show how passionate and talented you are in the garden! Happy Wednesday friend! Nicole xoxo

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  7. You have been busy.. doesn't it feel good when you can see a real difference after you've worked your socks off! :o) I've got to sort my strawberries ou....t as well as loads of other jobs.. busy busy :o) xx

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  8. The red Barrows. I love it.
    How good do you feel after such a good hard session on the plot!

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  9. Goodness you've been working hard. I know just what you mean about trying to get it done before the rain starts - it's a small (and unknown) window of opportunity. We've just started the Autumn cut back in the garden - which feels a bit odd considering the temperature is more like July! Have fun!! x

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  10. Pity you didn't live closer, I have plenty of spare bricks after Mikes demolitions of late! Gosh you have worked so hard lately, it feels good doesn't it! Why do boys have to use nice home grown veg as other items, I have a boy here using patty pan squash as the odd flying saucer.

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  11. Your post has made me feel terribly guilty. I have no ooomf for garden based matters at the moment. Here or at the allotment. I need to get my butt in gear before the weather turns. I love the look of those courgettes. Mine are all but over now.
    Leanne xx

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  12. looks great. I have just taken over a small area of the community allotment to grow things with my daughters Rangers pack, last meeting we built two raised beds, and a fire circle, tonight it's going to be about pulling out weeds I think. I think we'll be growing everything through weed membrane as I don't know how often we'll be able to tend to it......

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  13. You must be well pleased at how well you've done, as it's sure looking good. There's nothing quite like a good bonfire.
    If you can put some plastic sheeting or old carpet over the top of that compost heap to keep it warm.
    Lovely pictures, I especially like the sunflowers. Happy plotting. Flighty xx

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  14. I am so envious of your plot! I hope my new garden will look as lush as yours this time next year. Need to dog it yet!
    Miss Tulip x
    The Thrifty Magpies Nest

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  15. You put my veggie patch to shame! Well done with all the hard work; it's looking really good. Good luck with the 'area of doom'! x

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  16. I don't think I've ever managed to get all the tidying up done before winter sets in. You've made a great start there, and it looks like it will be sprouts for Christmas dinner.

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  17. It all looks lovely CJ - how pleasing too after all your hard work. I'd get excited about sprouts too !
    Have a good end of week Kate xx

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  18. Your plot looks lovely. Gorgeous sunflowers, I completely forgot to grow some this year! I took a huge seed head home from a walk the other day, then I discovered it was full of earwigs inside the stem! I wondered where they were all coming from. xx

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  19. The area of doom. I must remember that one..

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  20. You must have worked so hard on the compost area and the beds, It would take me a month of Sundays to get my postage stamp looking so good.
    We have plenty of "spare" bricks if only you lived closer! (I call them spare the builder calls them necessary!)

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  21. That trombocino is very impressive! You'll get several meals out of that one squash alone. And you have a right to be excited about your brussel sprouts - I am just as excited about the one lone pumpkin that just might stick around and turn orange by October 31st.

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  22. I am getting a whole new perspective on gardening through reading your posts. "If It's Free It's For Me" that's a good one.

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  23. Oooh it looks beautiful. I have my own area of doom in my garden -- behind and alongside the greenhouse, also where the previous inhabitant had a compost bin too small for my needs... I went out there last weekend and spent a few satisfying hours hacking back at all the brambles and bindweed that had completely covered the bins and I felt soooo much better afterwards. Though, still a good few days worth to needed, ha ha.

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  24. Looks pretty tidy to me. Nothing like a good bonfires to get rid of lots of old rubbish. Bonfires are now banned on our site. I've a pile of old thick tree prunings waiting for Nov 5th to be burnt.

    I must have a go at that tromboncino. It looks great. I was planning on growing fewer courgettes next year. Decisions decisions!

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  25. Your spot looks all professional!!

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  26. Your garden is just beautiful and your hard work has been paying off. Our garden looks dreadful right now, but I am so thankful for all of the yummyness of good tomatoes, cucumbers, and my favorite..kale. Sadly it is all coming to an end.
    There are many spaces here that are "rooms of doom", including the house. We had the delightful experience of a plugged pipe from the house to the septic tank. No flushing!! It is fixed now, thanks to my oldest son and husband, but pipe will have to be replaced as tree roots were the evil culprit. Tomorrow, just to add to the fun, we are having a new wood burner installed and I am keeping my fingers crossed that it does not rain so that I can keep the two Newfoundland dogs outside while men run around and up and down the roof, attic etc.
    As always, it is such a pleasure to visit your site. Thank you.

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  27. Oh my goodness after all that work I am sure you were ready for a nice hot shower and a cup of tea. It looks so beautiful and well cared for.
    Hugs to you,
    Meredith

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