Got out early today so around to the plot to take advantage of a lovely afternoon.
One thing I always do now when I go to the plot is to give the greenhouses a quick check. I noticed a pane of glass had slipped in the small greenhouse. I’ve no idea how or why but the S clips that support the pane on the pane below had disappeared. Anyway, replaced the clips and refitted the glass. Hopefully these clips won’t vanish.
Next was back to watering. Plot 5 isn’t too bad but plot 29 really needed some. Despite the weatherman’s promises of impending rain in the next day or two, I didn’t think it could wait. With just me on the site using water, the pressure was good so a good soaking in half the time.
The next job was to cut the comfrey patch on plot 5. I keep a pair of shears in the shed which makes the job fairly easy. Unfortunately the comfrey was in flower and as I cut it loads of pollen hit me so, despite a hayfever pill before I left home, I was sneezing away.
I noticed quite a few weeds popping up on the paths and some nettles struggling up where the comfrey had been cut. Quite a bit of bindweed as well so loaded the sprayer with some glyphosate. By using a pumped sprayer I’m able to direct and apply just to the foliage of the little beasts, minimising the amount used and maximising the effect.
I was asked in a comment about the brassica cage so a couple of photographs. The photo on the right is a close up of the sides. These are made by stapling some stiff wire netting to 2″ x 1″ battens in an inverted U shape.
These give a firm side and then I support with cross battens from more 2″ x 1″ battens and bamboo canes. It’s important to ensure the netting doesn’t sag down or the pigeons will happily sit on it and peck through to the plants.
The netting is some I acquired in the shed when I bought it from a departing plot holder. I’ve also got some black plastic netting stapled to battens for the same job on more frames.
The picture below shows the cage as a whole with the spare couple of sides leaning on the greenhouse.
Brassica Cage on Plot 29
Brassica Cage
Can you help new allotment holder thought I had a good crop of potato’s but suddenly started wiltting told it could be eelworm, will the potato’s be ok to eat.
Could be a lot of things – but if you’ve got tubers they should be OK to eat.
I am on your website page because I was looking for some racking/shelving to go in my newly constructed potting shed – where are you exactly?
I just love allotments I have a smallish veg plot and have too many plants now in my new potting shed and not enough room in my veg plot. Can you give me any help will things grow in containers??
I guess so. Also why havent my onions come up yet and my leeks are very spasmodic??
love to hear from you denise at Hadzor, Nr. Droitwich, Worcs
We’re in Crewe, Cheshire.
There’s a series on growing in containers on the site and I cover container growing in the book as well. Vegetable Growing Month by Month
Too late for onions this year, if they’re not up yet. I’m not sure why you should be having a bad year with them but I’m not doing too well with mine this year either. Water? Food? It’s strange how things do well one year but not the next.