Allotment Update – January 2012

Most of the allotment is dormant at the moment but the Broad Beans sown early autumn are doing well as are the Sweet Peas, Onions and Garlic. Quite pleased with progress as this is the first time I’ve grown crops over the winter.

We also still have potatoes in the ground which, so far, haven’t been eaten or rotted off so we should have them available up to the next set of crop.

George at the allotment has his seed potatoes available so bought a bag of Maris Piper which are now chitting in the shed.

Click here to see our Allotment Progress in Pictures.

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A photographic diary of the progress on our Allotment in Knotty Ash, Liverpool. 1st February 2012 – most of the allotment is dormant at the moment but the Broad Beans sown early autumn are doing well as are the Sweet Peas, Onions and Garlic. Quite pleased with progress as this is the first time I’ve [...]

Netting is up on one of the fruit cages; have had to order some more to complete the other one! The new Walnut Tree from http://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk has three tiny fruit on it already and the Plum and Cherry are doing well. Strawberries are all doing well and the new ones from the Allotment Plant Sale [...]

Everything at the allotment is doing well except for by brussels sprouts seedlings. This is the second lot which has withered and failed so I think I am going to give up on them for this year. I will buy some plug plants to put in later in the month. I finished the caging for [...]

Spent a few hours at the allotment yesterday with Allan and managed to complete one of the fruit cages and painted half of the shed. Allan also cut and fitted the plastic panels in the greenhouse door and I planted our Walnut tree, a couple of gooseberries and some strawberries. It is beginning to look [...]

Allotment Update. It was lovely at the allotment this afternoon, sunny and warm but 30 degrees in the greenhouse which was not very comfortable. I can’t believe I’m complaining about the heat! I planted the early potatoes Red Duke of York and Lady Christl; the Pink Fir Apple are still chitting very, very slowly. I [...]

I have finally placed my order for the allotment Rhubarb, we have chosen Rhubarb Stockbridge Arrow from Mr Fothergills. Rhubarb Stockbridge Arrow got its name from the arrow head shaped leaves. The stalks are a deep red colour and can reach 60cm long when forced, attractive enough even for the flower garden. An established crown will produce 3kgs of [...]

Wild goings on at the allotment! Went to check on things on the allotment earlier and found that the wind had thrown things around. The cloches were at the other end of the allotment and some garlic plants had been lifted (I suspect that was the pidgeons) but the wierd thing was that one ended [...]

We got our shed from Garden Buildings Direct, there were a few problems with delivery but it arrived eventually and we put away safely until Allan could get a day off work which just happened to be one of the coldest days we’ve ever had in Liverpool! So cold that the camera froze a few times and we couldn’t get the camping cooker going for the kettle. Luckily we had our burner going so we had heat and cups of tea.

Allan (my brother) bought over his raspberries to plant on the border of our plot on the allotment. He got on with that while I sorted out the greenhouse. We decided to remove the remaining green tomatoes and compost the plants. If they ripen then great, if they don’t I’ll make some green tomato chutney for [...]

Allotment update …. despite the cabbage white fly the Brussels Sprouts are looking very good and they should be a good size by Christmas. The Chicory is also doing well but I need to look into how to force them. New seedlings have settled in but we’re still waiting for our tomatoes to ripen.Tweet

The symptoms to look out for are white-winged insects about 1.5mm long which fly up in clouds from the underside of brassica leaves when disturbed, flat, oval, whitish-green scale-like nymphs are attached to the lower leaf surface and black or greenish-grey sooty moulds can develop on the upper leaf surface on the sticky honeydew excreted by this pest.

Allan also managed to get three raised beds built and ready for planting so our potatoes went in a couple of weeks ago. We are growing Anya, a second early and Maris Piper a late and our Mum’s favourite potatoe, great for chips, roasting and mash.

Three weeks ago my brother, Allan, was allocated an allotment after being on the waiting list for just a couple of months. The allotments are called Ashfiled Allotments and are situated round the corner from our mum’s house in Knotty Ash. It is just a half plot but is more than big enough for what Allan and I want to do. Infact it looks very big when covered in weeds!