Allotment Vegetable Growing in June 2010

New Mantis Tiller

04/06/2010

A great start to the month for me, a new Mantis 4 stroke tiller. I've been using the older 2 stroke model for 5 years and was really happy with it. The new model is even better, not a lot, but it is better. It's pretty hard to improve on something superb!

I've written a full review on the new tiller here: Mantis Tiller Review

Snails!

14/06/2010

I've finally found where the snails hide out for the winter. I was after a large plant pot and pulled this one out from the side of the greenhouse. It was full of snails as you can see.

2010 seems to have been the year of the snail - they've been causing problems in the greenhouse as well as on the plot and in the garden

Patio Growing Salad Troughs

14/06/2010

It's so handy to be able to grab a mixed salad from the back door so we grow cut and come again mixtures in a couple of troughs. These troughs are just 20" by 10" yet they produce more than the two of us can eat.

Even with an allotment, it's worth growing salads and herbs at home if you can.

Carrot Barrels

20/06/2010

I grow my carrots in these bottomless barrels. They're about 18" tall and filled with a mixture of compost and sand.

Soak the compost well and then thinly scatter the seeds on the surface followed by a sprinkling of sand to hold them in place. Thin as you go.

The results are far better than I get in the ground, few strange shapes - just nice straight roots.

Derek's Grand Daughter Shows How to Do It!

20/06/2010

Whilst Nan is harvesting strawberries, this little one is hard at work with her trowel. It's funny how these early experiences actually mould you for later life.

Like most teenagers, gardening was nearly the worst thing I could think of. But as I got older, those early memories of helping in the garden surfaced and attitudes changed.

Building the Wonderwall

20/06/2010

This is a fantastic idea - similar to a polytunnel but with netting cover so only needing a lightweight framework - the Wonderwall will keep both pigeons and butterflies off my brassicas.

Last year I was devasted by caterpillars but not this year. Derek from plot 6 in the background.

Wonderwall Up with Supervisor

20/06/2010

The tricky bit of constructing the Wonderwall is getting the netting on. Luckily Val was on hand to supervise or goodness knows how it would have ended up.

Val & Wild Potatoes

20/06/2010

I'd missed some tubers at harvest last year and ended up with wild potatoes growing. Since I'f nothing desperate for the ground, I just let them grow on and they're doing amazingly well.

Val's happily instructing me on how to weed from the top table. (Bosses!)

Brassicas in the Wonderwall

24/06/2010

Planted out most of my brassicas in the wonderwall. It's really easy to work in there and quite pleasant even with a hot sun as the netting provides some shade but still allows cooling breezes.

Even the smallest size allows room for quite a few plants.

Brassica Tent on Raised Bed

24/06/2010

I built the raised beds with a framework so I could net or cloche over the crop. So the spare brassicas that won't fit in the wonderwall are in this bed.

The netting has seen better days, but I think it will keep the butterflies off.

Outdoor Tomatoes on Raised Bed

24/06/2010

These bush type plum tomatoes are planted through weed matting which will help to protect the fruits when they develop.

Later in the year I can cloche them with horticultural fleece which may give some protection from late blight.

Comfrey and Broad Beans

24/06/2010

The comfrey is coming back well from its last cut despite the lack of rain. In the foreground some late planted broad beans are doing quite well.

Sorry about the spots of water on the lense!

Forum Meet Up

27/06/2010

We met up with some forum members at Bury agricultural show. The show wasn't brilliant but it was lovely to meet up with people.

There's more on this here: Allotment Diary