Allotment Diary - Me 39hrs. He 38hrs.

A visit up the allotment to do a bit of weeding -shock horror the weeds had gone crazy

These are my onion and broad bean beds

Oh my gosh the weeds in what was the leeks, beetroot and carrot bed

On the plus side, the main crop potatoes are doing well.

I got side tracked weeding this front bed - so left it to tackle the onion bed

Well after over 2 hours digging, you can at least see the broad beans.

There are still a few annual weeds, but the thistle thugs are almost all gone.

Before

After

Not perfect - but pretty darn good for an old lady I think.

I also mowed all the paths and lawns

Dug up some delicious new potatoes which we have been having for lunch these past three days.  Boy they are good; they taste so buttery and are the best ever!

It's not looking bad considering we have had mostly hot sunny days and very little rain.  Pat would have liked a bonfire - but maybe another time - I was just so worn out after almost three hours working up there.

The main crop of potatoes in the fruit cage are looking pretty good and doing a great job of keeping the weeds down

The fruit is coming along nicely - I need to cover up more of my bushes

We used to have this fruit 'cage' covered in netting, but the harsh weather and winds ripped holes in it and I couldn't replace it - it was too much hard work and expense, so this is the best I can do.  I have some net curtains at home I am going to use.

Whilst I was busy doing everything else - Patrick did a good job on his patch - just a bit left for him to do.

I have reluctantly come to the decision that I will have to give up the middle part of my allotment.  It is heartbreaking to have to do that as all my Jostaberry bushes are there which I grew from 4" cuttings and they are just now bearing fantastic fruit.  I also moved my gooseberry bushes from the end 'third' when I gave that up and this year they are cropping too.  I laid lots of lovely paths, planted comfrey along two ends, the boisenberry/blackberry cross is just getting to the stage that it will produce a good crop for the first time ever!

Patrick says not to make a hasty decision, but in my heart I know that it it time to accept the fact that I just won't be able to keep it up to the standard that I like.  This is the third season now that we have had lots of sunshine - and I am not allowed to stay out in it for long - even though I cover myself from head to toe literally and smother myself in factor 50+ and wear a wide brimmed hat all the time.  If only we had some cloudy days, I could spend more time up there - but it seems to be the pattern of the weather that has changed.

I don't have to decide until October of any year - and there is the option of covering over the big areas of unused beds with plastic to stop the weeds growing, then I can just mow the lawns and use the bits I can cope with - and still harvest all my fruit crops.  Decisions, decisions.

In the garden at home I am growing veggies, like climbing beans, all our salads, and I have some garlic, and courgettes too.  I can garden in the evening when the sun has gone in - but I don't have a lot of space.

My salad crops are amazing - such a variety - we don't have to go to the supermarket for mixed bags.

And I suppose I could dig up the lawn!