Allotment Vegetable Growing in May 2006

Wind Smashes Glass

02/05/2006

The wind changed direction and was coming from the southwest, This blew over the greenhouse vents that had sat safely all winter and one broke.

Nasty job, clearing broken glass.

Greenhouse Ready to Build

02/05/2006

I began laying out the greenhouse with the help of our site rep Larry who is a bit more used to these things than me. My mechanical abilities are next to none.

Anyway, I can now work out exactly how big the base needs to be and get on with it.

Brassica Cage

02/05/2006

The brassicas sitting safely in their cage protected from the pigeons who would reduce them to stalks in  minutes.

The sides are plastic coated wire fixed to a wooden framework. Between these are 8 foot bamboo poles to support the heavy green net.

Greenhouse Construction

05/05/2006

The base is now ready and the sides are partially constructed to the rear of the photo.

The wheelbarrow has just delivered some hardcore that has gone in around the posts.

Greenhouse Disaster

05/05/2006

This photo was taken after I realised the front left hand apex strut (I don't know what it should be called) was missing.

Across the front is a piece of wood screwed in as a temporary support and you can make out the supporting posts keeping the side from flopping over.

Potatoes

05/05/2006

It's not all bad news of unbuilt greenhouses on the plot. These are the Arran Pilot first earlies popping up and looking quite good.

No sign of anything else yet, but there is plenty of time. See Growing Potatoes

Planting Cauliflowers

14/05/2006

The top of the brassica cage rolled back so I can work on planting out cauliflowers, you can see my trusty kneeling mat and measuring stick. Most useful tool, a piece of two by one marked out in six inches on one side and four inches on the other, it really helps with planting out and sowing.

I think I may have grown a few more than I need!

Broad Beans and Sweetcorn on plot 29

14/05/2006

In the foreground, the poorly germinated broad beans and a lot of weeds growing. Behind you can see the sweetcorn. I planted 40 plants in this bed.

To the left you can see shallots and garlic in the deep beds and by the compost bin there are three comfrey plants, which are doing well now.

Salad bed on plot 29

14/05/2006

I can't get over how the large lettuce on the left survived the winter, but it did.

The Arctic King lettuce are doing well and you can see the strawberry bed is looking well behind the salad bed.

Comfrey Patch

24/05/2006

The comfrey is now overdue for cutting, more than ready to turn into compost and tomato feed but the shocking weather has me so far behind that I really don't know how I'm going to catch up!

Waterlogged Again

24/05/2006

The last thing you expect at the latter end of May is for the plot to be so waterlogged. The media rambles on about drought while we consider swimming lessons and look up cures for trenchfoot on the web.

You can see just how bad it is in this photo.

Potatoes Popping Through

24/05/2006

The maincrop potatoes are showing well now, as are the weeds between the rows but earthing up will sort those.

You can make out the puddle between the rows at the back - I just hope the potatoes don't drown.

Cauliflower Hearting

25/05/2006

I noticed a little heart in the center of the cauliflower already. I'm not certain if this is a good thing or bad but I'll find out.

Posh Plot's Compost Bin

25/05/2006

When I saw this rather posh compost bin, I asked the plotholder if I could take a photo and this is it.

It's really nice to see how some people are improving their plots and their different methods.

Nibbled Broad Beans

25/05/2006

Something has been eating my broad beans and you can see here how badly.

We've been talking about this on our vegetable discussion forums, I'm not the only sufferer but I think I know what the problem is - the dreaded slug. I'd sown some in pots in the garden and they'd been eaten at as well but the culprits were there when I lifted the pots.

This wet weather is perfect for slugs and so I think they're to blame.

Sweetcorn and Courgettes

25/05/2006

I'm trying to bring my sweetcorn back into good health and to keep them a bit warmer and the nasty sweetcorn eating pigeons off, I've cloched them.

I wish I'd done this to start with but when I planted them it was so warm I didn't think it was needed.

Behind you can make out the weed-suppressant fabric mat , through which I have planted courgettes. I'm intending to plant some Plum Roma tomatoes as well here.