Allotment Vegetable Growing in August 2007

Click on the photos to pop-up a larger image

Onions Drying in the Small Greenhouse

Onions Drying in the Small Greenhouse
02/08/2007

With the wet weather drying off onions outside as I normally would is hardly an option so I've spread them on the slatted wooden bench I built in the small greenhouse.

The onions are one of this years success stories but not so much the topsy turvy tomato planter at the back of the greenhouse. See a close up on my allotment diary

Smart Car park on the Allotment Site

Smart Car park on the Allotment Site
06/08/2007

Sorry this is a bit of a dull picture but you can see the car park is being covered with white stone chippings - special mention and thankyou to Janice for her efforts.

I suspect Larry is looking to win a prize next year for the poshest site!

New Allotment High Security Fence

New Allotment High Security Fence
06/08/2007

We've had some young intruders on the site and found the hole they'd cut in the fence to give them a step up in climbing over. So Larry and I fixed up this additional high security barrier.

I wanted either a mine field or deep pits with sharp stakes but Larry thought this a better idea.

Drying Onions in the Small Greenhouse Take 2

Drying Onions in the Small Greenhouse Take 2
06/08/2007

OK - I admit I'm really pleased with these onions so I couldn't resist a better shot of them. These are Ailsa Craig and I think they're fantastic.

Good size and reasonable keeping qualities. I'm pretty sure we won't need to buy any onions if they store OK.

Runner Beans on Andy's plot

Runner Beans on Andy's plot
06/08/2007

It just ain't fair. My runners are a pale spindly things, half drowned with just a few leaves and not a been in sight. So along comes these newbies and just look at them.

It's black magic, I tell you.

View down the large greenhouse

View down the large greenhouse
06/08/2007

On the right are some aubergines and peppers, on the left cordon tomatoes, mainly stripped of leaves. The flowers are marigolds to ward off whitefly.

At the rear the San Marzano plum tomato that was doing so well until the blight struck in the house.

Close up of the blighted San Marzano tomato

Close up of the blighted San Marzano tomato
06/08/2007

Potato blight - Phytophthora infestans - will also affect tomatoes who are members of the same plant family, Solanaceae

The symptoms are quite simple, brown patches that grow along the stems, leaves just dry up and die and the fruit has brown patches that spread and rot.

See Tomato Blight and Blight Resistant Tomato Varieties

Tomatoes again - from the outside

Tomatoes again - from the outside
06/08/2007

This photo from outside the greenhouse shows the tomato plants quite well and the ripening fruit since we've had a few days of decent weather and sunshine.

It's a race between ripening and blight.

Cloudburst

Cloudburst
06/08/2007

Luckily I had returned home when the sky darkened and then we had a cloudburst and thunderstorm. It started with lightning and hail then as the storm was overhead the power shower in the sky turned on, overwhelming the drains.

Harvesting King Edward Potatoes

Harvesting King Edward Potatoes
10/08/2007

I had three rows of King Edwards that were hit by blight but by cutting of the haulm prevented it spreading to the tubers.

In the background are cauliflowers under nets to keep the pigeons away.

Carrots and Parsnips

Carrots and Parsnips
12/08/2007

On the left are my parsnips, which are looking seriously good and to the right of them a row of carrots, var Senior.

In the blue tub, yet more carrots. This time half are Healthmaster, supposed to contain more beta carotene and be good for you, the other half are from Medwyn Williams and are Osiris. They are both doing really well in the pure deep compost judging by the foliage, but it's the root that counts.

Compost Delivery Arrives

Compost Delivery Arrives
23/08/2007

Yet another 7 tonnes of compost for the plots. It's quite amazing how he manages to bring his large lorry backwards up the narrow paths, I find it tricky enough in a car!

The last loads were delivered in February and were a nightmare as the lorry got stuck.

Compost Unloading

Compost Unloading
23/08/2007

Here it comes! It's quite a site as the skip tips the compost onto the path. Steam rises from it as well and a really rich smell.

With a sinking feeling I realise I've got to move that lot!

My Compost Mountain - Deja Vu

My Compost Mountain - Deja Vu
23/08/2007

Here it is, my very own compost mountain again!

It really does seem larger than the last lot back in February - Compost Delivery

It does the soil good, if not my back.

Giant Molehills Up The Path

Giant Molehills Up The Path
23/08/2007

Looking up the path from plot 5 you can see the other deliveries of compost. I think we had 8 on the site in total, 2 on the front path and 5 on the back.

The good news is that it blocks the paths and certain people will have to walk all the way from the car park to their plot. Poor things.

Prev >> July 2007: | Next >> September 2007

Check out the Allotment & Garden Diary to see what we're doing now and our Monthly Growing Guides

Monthly Free Newsletter

Now Read the Book!

Our Growing Books

Our bestselling books for growing success!
More Information
FREE SEEDS SPECIAL OFFER