Welcome to our plot!

I'm Hazel, and in Nov 2006 my friend Jane and I took on a half plot at Hill Allotments, Sutton Coldfield - we want the satisfaction of growing and eating our own fruit and veg, and to improve our diet (and fitness!).

This is the story of what happened next...........

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Feeding the 5000....

Another HOT day on Saturday – getting worried about the lack of rain again … I know, there’s no pleasing some folk!

At the Hill there was a great deal of weeding to be done, & when Jane & E joined me for an hour we made light work of the Root bed (plot C) which look smashing when done. Our plot always looks like it has masses more weeds than everyone else…or am I just comparing our plot with neat neighbour John’s immaculate plot?

As it was getting hotter, I weeded the miscellaneous bed (plot B) with decreasing enthusiasm, & tottered off to the Club for a couple of cold drinks & a sandwich. I couldn’t help overhearing a table of half a dozen plotholders discussing the Onion Problem, so invited myself in … the conclusion was that none of us were really sure whether it is the eelworm, & if it is, how long can you not grow onions. So no further forward there, then. I will dig ours up, though – the bulbs have not grown very much, & if they don’t store either I can see me just scrapping them, which is a shame.

I met Chrissie, a new half plot holder about half way up towards the club. Her allotment has a real kitchen garden rather than allotment feel – with stepping stone paths, raised beds & a big shed & a bench – lovely.

Jane brought her dad down to the plot in the week to see what we were up to – he’s our resident expert on runner beans & tomatoes – & we heeded his advice with regard to feeding the runner beans as they looked a bit out of sorts. Actually, what he said was that if they didn’t perk up, he would be inclined to rip them up & put in some shop bought plants, which I felt was a bit harsh on the poor little things!

I duly hoed in some blood, fish & bone – then later in the evening Jane went down to ‘miracle gro’ them too – lack of communication, there – but when we were both there this evening we had to agree that the beans looked ten times better than they had done.

I didn’t feel like doing an awful lot more in the sun, but planted out the surviving eight sweetcorn plants in a block, & put up a wigwam & planted out the barlotti climbing beans. I’ll have to go back in the week to do the sowing that I’d planned on.

I came away with the Smug Trug filled with POTATOES (Nadine), BROAD BEANS (aguadulce), SPINACH (hector f1), LETTUCE (mixed), RADISH (cherrybelle) & the last of the early row of CARROT (Adelaide). Astonishingly, Jane confessed the she doesn’t like broad beans……hurrah! more for me – I had some for tea tonight & they just melt in your mouth. More fool her!

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