Obviously, I can no longer complain about too much sunshine and not enough rain. If things carry on like this I need to invest in a wetsuit to get on with the work. At the moment, I can't see the beds for the grass paths in between - I swear, the sunshine waits for me to go to work, and then appears, only to dissolve into puddles of rain before I've got my work boots on.

On a plus side though, the rhubarb is still triffidic, the goosegogs don't look mildewy (yet), and I am still eating kale and PSB.

Talking of PSB, I think it was a late one - the second I moaned about it on here (I swear it heard!) it shot into action. I even got my mom and brother to eat a bit.

Had a bit of a panic last week with my tomatoes - put them outside to harden up, and almost lost the lot. They were flattened by the rain, and badly wind-burned. I've bought them back in for some TLC, and will me making some sort of poly-contraption out of clear sheeting and chicken wire. I'm also collecting plastic bottles for mini-cloches. I have a ready supply of empty plastic milk bottles at work, so I'm having as many as I can get my hands on. I am disturbed though about the number that must go in the bin over the course of a week. I collected 5 in one hour this morning, and that's just my department. Shocking.

Passed the test

I didn't get as much done as I wanted done this weekend, but then I never really do!

The landlords came down to have a look at the work I've been doing on the Plot - it looked much better since Mrs Plotyblog strimmed most of it back. I'm going to get hold of some hessian and tentpegs to flatten the rest with - thereby removing the need to mow. This will be really useful on the paths where it's too narrow for the mower, but if I strim, I'll decapitate everything in site :-)

I'll need to start putting stuff out soon, as the house is starting to look like a nursery. The Mange Tout I put out the other week have all been ravaged by the slugs. Why can't they attack nettles instead?

Well, easter wasn't as productive as I would have liked it to be, although herself has helped with a lot of the planting, and will be doing even more when the bulb order arrives - I hope before the landlords do. It would be nice to say "Yes, there are fresias in there, but they've only just gone in." Having said that though, it's not like they'll be getting out a trowel and having a dig, is it? Most of the flowers we've got are for cutting - it's a big character flaw in me that I don't understand stuff that I can't harvest, so I'm being humoured. I've also got a couple of blueberry bushes coming too. I've plaited a load of the willow fence again, but there is one bit that I'm going to have to take to with a sharp iimplement. Even if only to stop the little beggars whipping me across the cheek when they don't fancy stying where I've put them!

To keep my spirits up here are some lists:

In the plot there is:-

Redcurrant
Whitecurrant
Blackcurrant
Gooseberry
Red Gooseberry
Raspberry
Alpine Strawberry
Strawberries
Greengage
Pears
Blackberries
Elder
Onions
Kale
Sprouting Brocoli
Nettles ;-)
Jerusalem Artichokes

To go in, we have:
Cherry Tomatoes
Black Tomatoes
Solanums
Corgettes
Aubergines
Peppers
Gherkins
Cucumbers
Lettuces
Leeks
Potatoes
Basil (in pots)
Sugar snaps
Mange tout
Sweetcorn
Squash
Carrots
Turnips
Nasturtiums
(I think that's it..)

Left to go in (i.e, still in the packet):
Amaranth
Quinoa
Oca
Melon

Another thing that always cheers me up is reading other people's blogs, and being part of the plot-online-world. Sorry to everyone who has left comments - I don't know how to add links to you yet, but I'll learn!

It's Greg and Charlie's fault

So, I was watching Veg Out this morning on Discovery Real Time, and was astounded at the size of the Purple Sprouting Broccolli plants on there. Twice, I 've grown them now - and they've not got that big yet. maybe I need to restrain myself and stop eating the leaves. (With butter and nutmeg.)

I'm looking at brassicas (brassicae?) in general to be honest - I've
always been on the shy side as catterpillars do tend to munch
anything I leave alone for too long.
This year though, I have designs on a lovely little kale and
romanesco like this one....

As well as my PSB. I also know that herself will eat all of that - much to her suiprise! Let's see how she does with the Amaranth...

So, in an attempt to join the ranks of the great and good at http://sirlancsallot.blogspot.com and www.mytinyplot.co.uk, I've got myself a blog, and lo - here it the Plotyblog!

I'm in the process of getting my teeth into growing anything I feel like on the allotment that came with the house we rent. We've been here for almost a year and a half now, and it's taken this long for me to see the point of it. I know you can grow stuff, bu essentially, I'm a bit on the lazy side. Maybe it's harvesting my own kale all winter that converted me. Or finding the secret blackcurrant bushes...

Either way, you never know, something might grow.