Update for June

We have been so busy in the house since the building work was done and the carpet was laid, that the allotment has been slightly neglected and the blog has been very neglected.

My first update is what we are having for dinner this evening.

Our own potatoes that were self setters growing around the grape vines, and peas. There is a mixture of varieties but they all taste wonderful.







We are suffering a glut of strawberries and red currents so for desert, I have made some frozen yoghurt with some of the fruit for a bit of variety.









Followed by a report on the weather and how climate change is impacting on what we are growing. Among the fruit trees the have a peach. As we grow by organic methods I refuse to spray so we have a bad case of peach leaf curl and every day I pick off more leaves. We do seem to have a very robust tree and it is currently fruiting. At the last count there were 9 peaches. Not very big yet but I have great hopes for them.







After last years bumper crop of broad beans, the mice got all the beans sown in the autumn so we have a late grop developing. unfortunately, the black fly have attached and I am desperately spraying with the mix I made with rhubarb leaves soaked in a bucket of water. Not sure if it is working, but they still taste wonderful and have lovely furry insides.

Update from Old Basing

The smaller, very neglected plot at Old Basing has had some much needed TLC



We have some of the good stuff brewing. You will remember the impact that comfrey tea had on the courgettes in our first year, well this year the squash and beans will benefit at Old Basing.








We have decided to cover an area that is particularly badly infested with mares tail. Nothing will shift it so as a last resort we have covered with black plastic to shut out all light and water. We are going to plant squash in the bed next to it so they will scramble all over the plastic. Hopefully, this time next year it will be weed free.<








The garlic and onions are doing really well but bad news for the rhubarb which has all gone to seed in the heat. We have cut it back where we can but it is looking very dry and woody.







We had a few potatoes left over so planted them very late. They are all peeping through so a nice late crop or new potatoes looks likely.

Sunny June

We have a load of self setter potatoes from the area where we grew them last year and have had to clear them out so that we can get the grapes planted. We have left them as long as possible but they are overdrawing and the great surprise was that we got a good tub of young potatoes. They are really delicious bite size and lovely with a bit of mint and salad. You will have to take my word for it as I am not sharing.




Adding to my tea pot collection, I have two guest teapots. I must be spending too much time watching Dickinsons Real Deal and have become a fan of Majolica. Both were a bargain from ebay and I couldn't resist. This is my favourite so for really special guests.



Not that all guests aren't special, but as this one was less than £4 I wont be quite as upset if it gets tea stains on it.

I have heard that some people don't appreciate the artistic skill involved in the creation of these items - for those, it will be the boring old one. Or a glass of cold milk!






Back to growing - one of the compost bins has reached the top, so I have added a layer of 'soil' out of the duck compound and a bag of multi purpose compost. To this I have added two butternut squash, a patty pan, a pumpkin, and four plastic bottles. Keeping it watered will be a challenge as it will drain well but they should grow all over the bin and over the arch.


We have been doing a bit of bartering again and swapped a dozen eggs for five quince plants. These are going around the edge of the pond to act as a bit of shade and a screen. In a couple of years I should be able to add quince jelly to the list of produce available from Pyotts Products.





I must go back to the tea drinking at this stage and show you the new teapot stand that we were so kindly given recently. It is a very posh addition to our flask and tin mugs. I must look out for a tin teapot for the allotment.





A surprise egg at the weekend. Either a little bit got stuck or somebody not pulling their weight. Aparently it can happen occasionally and nothing to worry about but when we cracked it, there was no yolk.






Finally, a bit of animal husbandry. Not ducks this time but Star. He was very brave and had his injections, worming and flee treatment last week. We also asked out his sensitive eyes which are due to being a white cat so nothing to worry about. I was worried that he needed glasses but thankfully we don't need to take him to SpecSavers. We do have to protect his vulnerable parts from the sun though so had to get some sun block for children to rub on his ears.

I forgot to ask if the same applies to white ducks - they don't seem to be worried about the sun though.