Allotment Update No. 16

2011 June 11
by Chris Vernon

Follow the allotment series here.

After a record-breakingly dry spring, we’ve finally had some wet weather and the plants have really appreciated it. The rhubarb, which had been looking increasingly unhappy despite regular watering, is now thriving:

Rhubarb

Rhubarb, these started as four small donations from our allotment neighbour.

The remaining onions (some were nibbled by hungry rabbits) are starting to swell:

Onions

Onions, this is our 2nd bed of onions. They went in after the super cold December and have done better than the first lot.

And the sweetcorn are looking great!

Sweetcorn

Sweetcorn, current count is 55 plants from the 60 kernels. Not bad!

Our squash have come from various sources. Some we grew ourself from seeds, some we got as little plants, others from friends and family:

Pumpkin

Our largest squash, the donated pumpkin from Will & Kaz. 🙂

Squash

We have 23 various squash/pumpkin/courgette plants in total.

The beetroot and parsnips are coming along well. We may have underestimated the germination rate of the parsnips and overestimated our likely consumption of them…. Anyone out there who would like some parsnips in a couple of months’ time??

Beetroot

In the foreground, the eldest beetroot, behind them younger. In the background parsnips and potatoes.

After netting the chard to prevent the rabbits getting at it, it has grown up quickly. Tasting some directly from the plant, I can see why the rabbits liked it so much. The ordinary green ones taste best, but the yellow and red look exciting:

Chard

Rainbow (at least red, green and yellow anyway) chard.

Kale

The kale has been growing fast since it finally started raining a couple of weeks ago.

The garlic that we put in in autumn had completely died, so we were forced to harvest them all, although it’s a bit early. Maybe they were tricked by the dry spring into thinking that summer had been and gone. Turnips that we had almost given up on have also done remarkably well, so we thinned them out and ate some in white sauce with the chard.

Harvest

First real harvest this year. Chard, turnip and garlic.

Time to stop buying vegetables!

3 Responses leave one →
  1. Alison Russell permalink
    June 12, 2011

    I’m very impressed at the weed-free-ness of your beds – watch out for that grass though, it creeps! I’m very jealous of your harvest. We’re picking lettuce (Sunday party’s salad was from the garden) and and mangetout peas are nearly ready, but beans are very slow and currently fleeced up against possible frost! At last our third attempt at carrots seems to be succeeding, but it’ll be a long time till we can eat any. Looking forward to digging potatoes very soon though.
    Meanwhile, flower garden is fantastic 🙂

    Good to meet you last Sunday, Chris. Sorry there wasn’t more time to talk. Come again.

  2. Dave Strong permalink
    June 13, 2011

    Looking good Chris! If you need to get rid of parsnips you know where Amanda and I are 😀

  3. Will permalink
    June 14, 2011

    not bad for a first harvest – great work

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