The Sweetie Plant Plot

A couple of weeks ago we had a pumpkin cutting ceremony.  As you can see all pumpkins (and butternut squash) were lined up for counting.  Not a huge harvest but considering the fact that everyone down the plot keeps telling us it’s been a terrible year we’re quite happy with our 3 pumpkins, which will be duly carved for Halloween.  Just as well there was 3, one for each child - saved any arguments!

Hardening off at home, minding their own business.  If anyone happens to stop by here and knows what the green one is - please leave a comment as it’s a mystery to us!  Nice recipe for pumpkin soup with smoked paprika can be found at Simply Recipes.

Growing at the moment are leeks and Brussels.  Going in soon will be garlic and broad beans.  Lots of weeding and digging to be done asap!  We have been trying to source cheap but conveniently available manure - just how hard can that be you may well ask?  According to the farmer it’s not the right time of year  - who knew? Cow poop has a season.  Local stables want us to shovel and haul it ourselves - not happening. And the local shop (for local people!) had just one undamaged bag.  We eventually plan to clear the ground at the back of the plot and have compost bins but in the meantime - just what does a girl have to do to get some poop around here?!

We have been going to the plot, honest!  Perhaps not as much as we’d like but we have other commitments to juggle including children and a full time job and like all plotholders we’ve had to contend with the rain and the even more rain.  So all things considered we’re not doing too badly. (I just forget to take the camera. A lot.)

We’ve had loads of runner beans:

Loads of Swiss Chard, there is a tiny blueberry lurking in there, which the birds enjoyed the one or two berries from and yes, it does need weeding…

We’ve also had a few sweetcorn, not loads, but what we had was *so* sweet and yummy, think we’ll definately be trying it again next year.  We had really great success with our new potatoes, some of the best on the whole allotment no less! They have been replaced now by leeks (yes, we didn’t realise until after that wasn’t recommended because they like firm soil and the potatoes loosen it up, but you live and learn!):

The sprouts in their tent seem to be coming along well too:

So far we have one butternut squash!

But how exciting is this?!  We have about 3 pumkins, roll on Halloween party!

Now for the scary bit, try not to have nightmares, this is about the last half to third of the plot which we haven’t done anything much too yet, apart from dear Mr S has beaten it back for us on several occasions, thank you!  He is also head grass cutter and much appreciated that is too

Thanks for visiting

These were taken a couple of weeks ago.

Asparagus, we planted crowns so no crop for us this year, we should be able to cut a few next year though. To the right you can see raspberries that were there when we moved in.  Then in the background are some very sad looking french beans, we are making a mental note not to put these in so early next year as they are suffering from the cold (we think). Well, we are beginners so have to make some mistakes!

Onions at the front of the plot with our 3 varieties of new potatoes behind.  We have since had our first harvest of Rocket (can you hear champagne corks a poppin’?). This was from one plant which might not be huge but we thought if they were left in then they might get eaten by the horrible slimy things that shall not be named…

Yum, they were delish! 

Here you can just about make out that in the middle is a gooseberry and some chard round the edges and yes, we desperately need to trim the grass.

The left bed at the front of the plot with some peas, garlic and Italian beefsteak tomatoes kindly donated by Pamela on the opposite plot, love that sharing thing! In the background is another small bed with a blueberry and some more chard.

And last but not least, presenting the toolshed…

This came free from Gumtree thanks to the eagle eyes of R and the boys put it together for us girls, they do come in handy sometimes don’t they!?!

will be these:

Just look at that colour! These are Mr Fothergill’s Mixed Leaves for cut and come again. They’re in the greenhouse and this is my third cut! Who’d have thought lettuce could be so exciting

(yes I am that sad!)

Sad news for Manor Gardens

So much hard work lost…

Ok, finally I’m sitting down with the seed packets, here’s what is incubating in the greenhouse or already in the plot: (edited to fill in the gaps and put in alphabetical order…well I am a librarian after all!)

Aubergine - Black Beauty

Butternut Squash

Brussels Sprouts - Trafalgar F1 hybrid

Capsicum - Californian Wonder

Courgette - Defender, Early Cien

Cucumber - Femspot

Dwarf Bean - Sonesta

Gardener’s World Salad pack!

Leeks - Musselborough

Peas - Early Onward

Pepper (HOT)  - Caribbean Blend

Pumpkin - Aspen

Radishes - French Breakfast

Raspberries (autumn fruiting)  and blackcurrants - left by previous plot owner

Red Onions - Red Baron

Runner Beans - Prizewinner

Salad leaves - Mixed

Shallots, onions, garlic ?

Spuds:

earlies - Rocket, Red Duke of York, Jersey Royal

mains (ordered) - Pink Fur Apple and Sarpo Mira

Sweetcorn - Zea Mays “Early Xtra Sweet” F1 hybrid

Swiss Chard - Bright Lights

Tomato - Sungold

Also,

Brambles - a vigorous F1 hybrid unknown variety

Weeds - several varieties

Comfrey - well, that was growing until we sprayed it with the Root Out - Doh! and again I say Doh!

Toilet rolls contain peas which is kind of appropriate when you think about it not that you’d want to but there you go…. Not sure if these will grow as they are out of date by about 2 years, ahem… but they were sown in desperation after learning that there is pea and bean weavil at the allotment so we may lose the first lot we put in, which are actually in date. The other pots are pumpkins for Halloween fun, chives (free with Gardener’s World) and courgettes (I think). Other stuff is coming along at C’s house, including sweetcorn and aubergine. We also put the asparagus in at the plot this week so if we are still here in 2 years we’ll hopefully be feasting on that

Ok, this is cheating, I bought this, but haven’t killed it yet! Hurrah! Cucumber Femspot, have grown this before and it was a heavy cropper and *so* much crunchier than shop bought.

And finally butternut squash for the little helpers.

 
No, it’s not a new art installation by Christo it’s the progress on our plot. The bed with the green string has onions in it now, planted by C, (sorry not sure which variety they are - we’re total amateurs you see!) The green string is marking where carrots are to go in at some point after the snow that’s forecast. This is an attempt to deter the carrot fly and this hasn’t had manure cos carrots don’t like it (apparently). Did I sound like I knew what I was talking about then? LOL

The bed in the forefront was double dug a while ago - what fun that was! I dug it over again today because it was ‘capped’ - technical term only C knows the true meaning of (with the help of the RHS) and weeds and roots had already begun to grow (godammit!).  I think this is intended for peas or beans but the plan changes on a daily basis, so tomorrow who knows it could be sugar cane! Mr S continued digging the third row bed that can be seen looking dark brown and luscious in the distance. The little beds are intended for fruit or flowers - yeah, we are that girlie :) and introducing the little helpers to the delights of things that grow. 

First day we got the plot I took photos, next couple of times we went to the plot I forgot the camera (making mental note to take it next time, otherwise not much point in having a blog is there?!) Duh! Here you can see the helpers

The Sweetie Plant Plot is shared by S and C who have been friends for a while now and have each yearned for ‘a bit o’ dirt’ of their very own (as in The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett) but as one works full time and the other has 3 small children they thought that this would always remain a dream, until that is they had too much wine one night and the dream became a nightmare reality ;) 

The plot is  named after a request from C’s daughter M, for when C asked her 3 children what they would like to grow on the plot they replied:

carrots

peas

a sweetie plant!

Sounds pretty good to me!

Next post will contain the first plot photos.