Thursday 6 September 2012

If only we could eat weeds!

Just spent the day at the plot, when I got there I was surprised at how the weeds have grown! If only we could eat weeds (and enjoy them). So of course I did everything I could before I tried to tackle the weeds. So I thought I would try and dig up the horse radish, what a job! I couldn't believe how far down I had to dig just to get a bit of the root up. The horse radish was in the ground before I took up the plot. I thought I'd leave it in to grow as I know my family likes the stuff. Wish I didn't now haha. I got some dug up, a carrier bag full but I know there is root left in the ground as it kept snapping off. So I will have to give it another go to try and get as much up as possible.

Horse radish, goes a lot further down


What a brilliant week we are having in weather, this is the first day I have got to enjoy the sun without being at work. An Indian summer? Maybe till Sunday. Might of got a bit of a tan today but I did get tired a lot quicker than I normally do, so of course I had to have breaks, nothing better having a sit down with a coffee looking over the plot with only the sound of the trees blowing... heaven.

 My lunch!

So it was back to work with trying to dig up as much of the horse radish as possible, then trying to de-weed the plot. I was very cautious with pulling up weeds near the runner beans, I couldn't see the base of the plant so I had to go very slowly or else pulling up a whole plant. As I said I am a novice, but I have learnt a hell of a lot in the last 5 months. Next year I shall be erecting a teepee structure for the runner beans and putting down card board to try and surpress the weeds. Thats the plan anyway. I have noticed now that my runner beans are losing steam and starting not to produce many runner beans and only one plant is producing any flowers so I may of missed a few beans when harvesting so they have gone into seed.

The weeds surrounding the runner beans (don't worry these have been pulled up)

I think the reason why I am getting so many weeds is because I have a lot of ground that is not growing anything except bloody weeds, so i'm thinking about buying some seeds for a green manure, I have been reading up on it in the last few days.

At the moment I am waiting for my over-winter onion sets to be delivered, as soon as they are I am going to plant my broad beans, peas and my white and red onions, I have planned on where these are going for the winter.

I got a job done which I have been meaning to do for a while, I have pruned my soft fruit bushes, I hope I haven't pruned them too much, it looked like that they haven't been pruned in years and have gone a bit wild! So hopefully I should still get some fruit next year, I am on the look out for some cow muck so I can use some for the soft fruit, I don't think they have been given any food for a while.

I did notice that I am getting a late crop of strawberries! This is the one fruit that never manages to get home, they are always eaten on site as a great snack! I'm tempted to try and use the runners for new plants but I have to have a little research on it before I do, any advice you guys can give me would be great. 

 Gorgeous

Truly the best when eaten within 5 secs!
 
I'm thinking of ways to improve the plot next year, I was thinking of building some raised beds, I have been on eBay to see how much it would cost me getting some second hand scaffolding boards, they are quite cheap but of course they are all pick up in person and no one near me, I drive a Mazda 2 so picking them up might be difficult, I will have to pop to a building merchant and see what they got and hopefully not pricey. I have all winter to try and get a bargain as I will be putting them in next year. 

Well I have a carrot cake in the oven to check so I shall be checking off and saying good bye to you all, if you want to follow me on Twitter @adventuresallot is my username. Thank you for reading.
 

Saturday 1 September 2012

My First Ever Blog!

Hi, I don't know where to really start... I haven't done anything like this before. I guess the best place to start is to say abit about me. My name is Stuart 25 years old and I have a half plot allotment in Leominster Herefordshire, I do it with my wife Lauren. We got the plot in late April 2012. We are totally new to growing our own. I grew up in Birmingham and no one in my family knew anything about growing there veg. So we were total newbies. When I put myself on the waiting list I got started with reading as much as I could! I have a whole shelf full of books on the topic. I read alot of blogs also so I thought to myself keeping a blog is a good way of keeping a diary on what we have done week to week (and sharing with everyone who is interested). I would really appriciate any advice any of you could give us.

The best place to start is at the beginning with what we acquired. It wasn't too bad, plenty of weeds but a few gems. We got four different types of soft fruit bushes, two crowns of Rhubarb (has given at least 30 sticks in spring) and most importantly a shed!

 One half of the plot when we first got it. (we did a bit of work already)
When we were taken to the plot for the first time... I liked the soft fruit bushes at the back and the shed of course!

After a bit of a dig and trying to get as many weeds out as possible we set down to start planting. I know many books says don't rush into planting. I wish I stuck by it but we planted some garlics, beetroots, carrots and a few spuds... in a very tight space and you guessed it, it got very crowded espically when the horse radish started to produce shoots! We didn't know the last person there planted it. Our garlic was pushed a side and we only managed to have a very small harvest of five!

Well after a week or so of digging and chatting to other plot holders we got one half of the plot dug over and tried to pick out as many weed roots as possible. The first thing we got was some brassicas. I didn't have any netting at this point so I think the birds had a little nibble or two. My wife Lauren loves runner beans, so at this point I started getting some plants started off in pots at home. I say we planted about 25 runner bean plants.  

Runner bean plant starting to climb! Leeks in background

We got and still getting a great crop from these runner bean plants. Our freezer is full of them. Lauren will be happy for the winter. As I said earlier I am totally new to growing my own but what fun I am having. I think it is funny how this summer has been awful and so many people at the allotment are saying what a bad year it is. All I know is that I am getting fresh produce each week, first it was rhubarb, soft fruits and now runner beans, I can't wait for next year when hopefully the weather improves and I will get an even better crops. 
Not only have I been growing runner beans, but I have just pulled up my onions to dry, and a couple of leeks, which Lauren's Uncle kindly donated to us in the spring. I have got two cougette plants, which I have taken about 10 so far. I have just ordered some over-winter onions, broad beans, peas and shallots, so hopefully I should get some good harvests in the spring.
 One of my first harvests

Well I don't want to write an essay for you guys or else you will get bored. I am going to update often hopefully, all depends if I have something to say I guess. Any feedback would be great. I shall be setting up a twitter page also if anyone wants to follow me... All I can say is see you guys later.

If you want to follow me on Twitter @adventuresallot