Tag Archives: allotment

chillies, Experimental Chillies and be;;s, Uncategorized

Chillies 20016 in the heated prop

The window sills are cold; which is not unusual at this time of year. However this does make them a little less conducive for chilli germination. In the past, this method hasn’t really been an issue. It has in fact been more successful than germinating seeds using a heated propogator. However, I have relented; least of all because I am impatient.

 

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The youtube video is also available here.

 

The second batch of chillies
in the heated prop, and starting to warm up

I have also taken the opportunity to sow the second batch of seeds. These are prairie fire, sparkler and the much anticipated purple haze. Last year, I bought a plant of purple haze and was rather happy with it. The fruit are a lovely shade of purple which ripen to a bright red. There are quite a number of pellets in the heated prop; simply because there is no guarantee that they will all germinate. Fingers crossed though.

 

And another thing.

 

wahaccaseeds

I was handed these by my sister. As if I didn’t have enough chillies to play with. A very kind thought nonetheless, and I somewhat intrigued. There is still room in the heated prop to try them. So in theory I could try them as an experiment. Inside the matchstick book, are indeed little matches: attached to which are seeds. No idea what they are exactly, I don’t know what a Wahaca is. Other than them being Mexican, I don’t have an awful lot more to go on.

overwintering alliums, Uncategorized

Sinking Garlic Round three @TheGarlicFarm

Waiting garlic
all the little cloves

With the weather being relatively mild, I have taken the opportunity to sink a third batch of Garlic. What you see above is the rather abundant crop from last year, and the foliage that the autumn planted garlic had sent up before Christmas.

The varieties that have been dibbed in are as follows:

  • Lautrec Wight
  • Early Purple wight
  • Solent Wight
  • Tuscany Wight

I had taken the decision to sink some more as it felt like I didn’t have as many cloves sunk as in previous years. This batch like the first batch sown in Autumn has been placed into raised beds. There is an additional batch that is open ground further up the plot to offer something of a a contrast. All of the garlic sown will get used, it is not as though there will spare unwanted garlic in the kitchen. I am sure that of the varieties sunk, some are old favourites and others are very new to the plot. Some of the varieties are quite mild, creamy cloves that you might need a few of on a dish. Others are thick cloves, very pungent and not necessarily needed in a great quantity. I do like the purple and pinked skinned ones though, these seem to have some character.

In my observations, garlic does take time to get going. This was often a cause for concern for me in the past, as I would worry that the cloves had  been sunk and didn’t appear to be doing anything at surface. What I hadn’t considered that below the surface the cloves were sending out roots and establishing a system to anchor themselves in and gain nutrients. Over the autumn months, slowly but surely the green foliage started to rise and poke through the soil. These are my observations with autumn planted garlic, I have only previously sown spring garlic once before. Even then, the open ground in which it was sunk was entirely boggy and not particularly conducive at that time to the garlic. I have waited to try again, and kept in line with previous experiences by planting into raised beds.

For me, having raised beds has been very useful. Cloves are still planted deep enough, with a hole made by a dibber and the tip only just being visible. Drainage is improved and there is reduction in the likelihood of water pooling around the clove, collecting and causing the seed to rot. That said, cloves of garlic do appear to be fairly resilient, and the garlic sunk into open ground is only a matter of weeks behind that sat in the raised beds. The foliage is present and correct, just a little shorter. If it is difficult to have raised beds, I see no reason why garlic can’t be sown in containers. In fact, the first time that I grew onions and shallots; they were sown into and grown in containers.

Taking stock, Uncategorized

Talking Pictures: Petal Videos

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Over the last few years I have occasionally taken some videos on the plot. Most of them were used on the blog, the odd post contains a short clip that I have filmed. Recently I have been trying to create a few more bits and pieces to add to the blog.

The you tube Channel Link is there if you click on it.

You can find a small selection of clips, I haven’t uploaded that may. Mainly because I am still learning how to do it! But also because I am learning and trying to decide what is the most useful and appropriate material to use. I make no apologies for my accent! The Birmingham Britain accent does get something of a bad press in the media, whilst mine is not as bad as the stereotyped version; idiolect and vernacular are somewhat unavoidable.

Have look at what is there, I would like to add to this; and hopefully I will. Just a case of finding things that are useful and interesting.

Uncategorized

Blueberry Sinking

There were two blueberry bushes on the plot. These were darrow, blue jay and blue crop There had been three, but the third one (Blue crop) had failed to thrive. Today I have replaced the third dead bush with a bush of the same variety.

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You can also see the You tube Video is here

I do like having blueberries on the plot. They are a relatively trouble free, despite not being on the plot for very long. I have three bushes in three pots, and the soil is specifically acidic for them. To be perfectly honest, given how much it has rained I have not had to water them with saved rain water. I do wonder how acidic the soil in the containers is, and will have to look into that at some point. There was a small maiden crop last year, a pleasant surprise, as I wasn’t expecting the young bushes to produce masses. They did flower and they bore fruit for quite some time.

I think the variety that cropped the most was Darrow, and the fruit were large plump and juicy fruits. All of which are still in the freezer as I work out what to do with them next.

Fruit trees, Uncategorized

Sinking fruit trees

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Cold and damp, the plot was not particularly pretty at the end of the last week. A stark contrast to the week before when the plot was much drier and the mud wasn’t so sticky.

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If you can’t access the video above, you can find the You tube Video here

I have planted four trees on the plot. These are morello and stella cherries, as well as a peach called Darling and another Victoria Plum. All being well, these will start to establish and in time produce fruit.

chillies, Experimental Chillies and be;;s, Uncategorized

Chillies 2016: Phase one

The festivities are over, the vast majority of people are going back to work. I have had an extra week, and some of it has been spent reflecting upon the start of the new growing season. In all honesty, I have been feeling a little behind and the allotment mojo has taken something of a nose dive. I usually have chillies sown after Boxing day, and this wasn’t the case.

list
setting up
labelled up

Given last years rather disappointing crop, I am reviewing the seeds that I will  be sowing. This has resulted in more than one sowing of seeds. Today I have found some jiffy pellets, and sown the first batch of seeds. Cayennes are the notable absentee from the list, but these will hopefully be sown in the second phase.

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If you can’t access the video above the you tube video cane be view here.

 

In the first phase we have:

  • Orange habanero
  • Devils rib
  • Trinity
  • Coffee bean
  • Scotch bonnet yellow
  • Hot patio Sizzle
  • Hungarian Hot Wax
  • Jalapeño

Some of these have been sown before, others are new experiments. Chillies are not entirely easy to grow. I have found that the hotter the chilli, the lower the chance of germination. Also, serious chilli heads will also use heat and light lamps to germinate. I don’t tend to use the heated propagator any more, as the seedlings that I ended up with were rather spindly and inclined to fall over. I have had greater levels of success with a cold propagator being placed upon a warm window sill.

Seeds were sown into moistened jiffy pellets which were sat in a gravel tray. I used warmish water, rather than cold; as this just make the for cold damp conditions that are not the best of seeds that are hard to crack open anyway. The gravel trays were then placed into a large foodbag, I would have done the same with pots, and then a transparent lid was placed firmly on top.

Hopefully there will be another sowing in a few weeks, and purple haze will feature.

Books, cabbages and brassicas, chillies, ebook, Experimental Chillies and be;;s, Ghost rider, grapevine, Jammed up, loldeantimber, paperback, petal'spottedpreserve, Potatoes, preserving, Psychology Sunflower Challenge, success, superhots 2015, Taking stock

2015; Bollywood Gardener and beyond

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As a year of two halves, 2015 has been somewhat interesting but different. The first half of the year involved having the best of intentions. Seeds were sown, I had half a plan as to what I wanted to achieve. No different to what I might have done in previous years, I was going to use all my knowledge and experience to make  things better, bigger and more efficient. Then came July, 2015 became incredibly busy and in the tail end; I am only just recovering from a very hectic six months.

Let’s take the first six months, where by the growing season is starting. Plans are afoot, the world is full of promise. We are hoping to have a good year.

Tomatoes, chillies and aubergine were the focus of the first three months. Makings sure that the seeds were sown, that these germinated and the plants pampered. Pampered, as so many valuable lessons had been learned as to how they might be successful. It was touch and go for a while in the early stages. Half baked chillies and tomatoes can be a very scaring and intimidating experience, when you let them be in a hot room or poly tunnel. There were even aphids and bugs that needed to be dealt with.

In July, I hosted a workshop during the annual conference of the Association of teachers of Psychology. I spoke about horticulture and mental health, the benefits that teachers might gain for both themselves and their students. I had asked my Psychology colleagues to sow sunflowers in the Spring and also encouraged conference delegates to do the same in giving them seeds that were kindly donated by the information point. It was also at this point, that I finished the Level 3 Certificate in Counselling studies.

Then came the summer, with lots and lots of growing!

No one year will be the same as the preceding or following. Yet this year felt different. There was just something palpably different that made growing more of a challenge ad something beyond me being busy with work and studies. Last year, I remember being ankle deep in tomatoes, green ones; but there were lots of them. This year,I had a foliage, and not a lot of fruits. Positioned in the poly tunnel, the crop was meant to do well. Even the chillies appeared to have struggled this year. Whilst the poly tunnel seemed to have been filled with triffids, there was a muted level of success. Aubergines did themselves no favours once again. I must say every year that I will not sow them. I finally have proof that I might be better off without them. Lovely plants, the occasional flower; but diddly squat fruit even if the poly tunnel was a bit damp and sweaty.

And note the gadget! The apple one. Having acquired all of those apples from a plot neighbour (they were not scrumped, I had consent!) that was an investment and a half. Saved me hours. The home brew kit is still waiting in the wings. untested this year, maybe it will be used in the growing seasons to come. There were a number of pickles and preserves. The preserving pan was rather busy this year, even though the produce was a bit hit and miss.

With the plot ticking along, and the blog growing. Something else also happened. I had been lucky enough to write guest blog posts for WRG, via the fabulous Michael Perry. This was and still is one of the most valuable writing experiences that I have ever had. This actually triggered something more complex and more challenging than I first realised. Over the summer, the winner of the Big Allotment Challenge Rob Smith had written a short book.  One of my fellow counselling students, L.A.Cotton, had also burst onto the young adult contemporary genre (She’s epic, tell her I sent you) with phenomenal success.

These three things combined spurred me to be courageous and write something myself. June and July were turning points, and I remembered sending a message to both my sisters; saying that I wanted to write an ebook, and I would try and get it out by Christmas. That was it, I was going to do it.

Having written as mentioned previously, the guest blogs for WRG , one of them was about the Indian Inspiration on the plot. I think Michael Perry used the words ‘Bollywood Gardener’ or something similar, and I adopted the hashtag! This inadvertently became the start of the book. I wrote in a way I can only describe as feverish. I have the same frame of mind when writing the blogs, to be honest; and it’s part of the blog life. The book however was different in that this was thousands of words and trying to bring the assorted elements of the blog together. There was a lot of things that I wanted to include in my budget of 25, 000 words. I had a notebook-my blog book actually, the one that I take to the plot-and a pen. Scribbling ensued, and it’s hard to read my writing anyway. So when it’s all in very hurried, that doesn’t help with typing.

What I ended up with was ‘Playing with Plant Pots: Tales from the allotment’. Plus it was well before Christmas!

paperback
ebook

 

With a bright yellow front cover, you cannot miss it!

I am going to be naturally very biased, and say that I like my book. However, that is genuine. I like to share it, because I do honestly believe in my book. You might, for example, have writers out there, who will promote their books; but not necessarily believe in their own work. You know if you don’t blow your own trumpet, it’s difficult to get others to do the same.

Standing in the kitchen, leafing through my own book was rather surreal. My name was on a book, that I had crafted. Then there was the few hours that it was at number one. A fellow independent writer informed me of that happening, and that made my day, I tell you! I am determined to get back to the slot.

Then there was the swag. The merchandise. Again, this sounds likes trumpeting! Petal, the horticultural Obbit, has always been the online avatar of the blog. A registered trademark, she’s face (other than mine!) of the blog and social media presence.

Microfibre Petal Tea Towel £4.50
Petal Mug £7
Petal Canvas Bag £4.50
Petal Apron £13
Thompson and Morgan’s Michael Perry, the illustrious planthunter

 

As you will have read, this year may have been different to others; but it has not been quiet. So much has gone one, it’s no wonder that the tail end of the year is slower and more reflective. If it had all been plain sailing, there would have been very little learned, very little documented in the blog, and very little left to reflect upon.

For now, my only plan is try and sow chillies at some point, and plant my fruit trees when they arrive. I haven’t really thought about anyhing beyond that.

I thank you, for having accompanied me on the 2015 journey; and look forward to the one starting in the new year.

Happy new year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

chillies, Experimental Chillies and be;;s, Taking stock, Uncategorized

Tail end of 2015

As 2015 draws to a close, I guess it’s time to take stock of how the year is ending. I will save the proper review of the year for another post; but having visited yesterday; it struck me just how different the plot looks now compared to the height of summer.

From the back, towards the front
from the front, from the right
front straight down towards the back
slightly gothic looking sunflwers

Above, we have a view of the plot from yesterday. Something of a dreary and really very drab landscape. I did a spot of pottering yesterday, as there were a few things that needed tidying. Sadly, I had to take up two threes. The rochester peach and the sylvia cherry trees have both died a death. In the case of the peach tree, it had not even formed a root system, and didn’t take much digging out. I have yet to consider my victoria plum tree. Looking in a rather sad state, this is a tree that has rather confused me. The tree flowered, having formed foliage in the spring. There was lovely blossom. However, as time went on; the foliage turned copper; much like it was all aflame and started to die off. The one or two fruit on the tree didn’t last very long either. My plan was to dig it up as it is most likely diseased; I just didn’t get that far yesterday. Glad tidings however, a belated santa claus session means that I will be replacing both the peach and cherry tree, and looking at another Victoria Plum.

Another cause for much sadness were the full season raspberries. These have had little or no success this year. The raspberries that I did manage to harvest were actually from slightly confused autumn canes. The full season canes are going to be replaced, thankfully the supplier was very understanding. This will happen next year now, as I have pulled up the cane that again were very twiggy and no bigger than they had been when they were first planted. I am not going to blame my clay soil as this doesn’t appear to bother the other things on the plot.

avenues of roses #2
avenue of roses
scar;et emperor runner beans
sunflowers!

You can see between the two galleries the difference that a few months can make. Only yesterday did I finally take down the bean frames and tidy up the now very much ex-sunflowers. I say tidy up the sunflowers, as I haven’t taken them down. I have left them in situ, least of all because they will naturally bio-degrade. They are probably still helping support the wildlife, if not being eaten; the now very skeletal flowers are probably playing host and home to critters. Tidying up was necessary, as it was all looking a bit post-apocalyptic and very mad max and the thunderdome.

Having a space between Christmas and New Years is good opportunity to reflect and sort through your seed stash. In the past, just after Boxing day; I would sow my chillies. I haven’t got that far yet! I have however, sorted the seeds from one seed box to the work in progress seedbox. Can’t remember what I did with my Cayenne seeds- I bought a fresh packet!-but I do have something of  a vast and diverse range anyway. Have yet to get any compost though, I was going positively twitchy at not having any; so will remedy that in the coming week or so. In my experience, I have used an electric propagator and also used an unheated windowsill one. I think I am now leaning towards the latter, not just because of how mild it is. That method has produced healthier, more robust seedlings in the past and been effective for cultivation.

The floral seed box from Loldeantimber
The current stash in the box

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

petal'spottedpreserve, Uncategorized

#12days of Christmas #petalspottedpreserve

Microfibre Petal Tea Towel £4.50
Petal Apron £13
Petal Mug £7
Petal Canvas Bag £4.50

With the 12 days of Christmas now underway, remember you can still can get lots of Petal’s Potted Preserve goodies. Whilst they may not be delivered by Santa Claus, the goodies are still available. 12 days of Christmas does go up to and including the 6th of January. The day that the three wise men got to deliver their own special gifts.

You can find full details on the page titled “petal’s merchandise’.

There is also a competition being carried out by the lovely Michael Perry; Petal will be participating. More details to follow!

 

Taking stock, Uncategorized

The autumn/winter slump

avenue of roses
the arch

Summer feels really far away. both looking back on the growing season and the next growing season. So much so,  my current feeling is as though I have somewhat hit a slump. The weather has not helped, it has been wet, windy and wild; but this is not unusual as we arrive at the tail end of the year.  This has been compounded somewhat by real life being wonderfully busy. School work, Petal, and training on a Saturday for a helpline, have all meant that the allotment has been somewhat on the back burner. Attending a Christmas Fair last week with a whole host of Petal goodies (see the merchandise page) was also an interesting experience. Interesting in that there were a lot of learning points! Overall, the last twelve weeks have been incredibly busy, and now is the time to take a moment and slow down a little. It was harder this year, to write the NABLOPOMO posts as well. I have always enjoyed writing these, but this year this was a little more difficult than I had anticipated.

I guess what I really need to do, is to stop. Pause, and take stock of what is going on with my universe. Don’t worry, I am not about to abandon the plot and blog. No plans to that all. What I need is a rest, and to be honest, the plot is usually part of that process. I have in the past, taken a moment during school work Sunday or marking coursework; to take a walk down to the plot and potter.

The pottering would then involve doing  a few things here and there and refreshing that way. The frequency of doing that, has be somewhat reduced lately. And I can feel it, in being slight zoned out and tired. Though colouring has helped!  I have a number of gardening themed colouring books that I have been using and they have somewhat reduced the allotment withdrawal symptoms. You do find yourself looking at the pictures and thinking about what the drawings might look like if they were really on your allotment plot.

Here we are in the Advent period. The garlic is all in, the poly tunnel has been tidied in a fashion. The grapevines could probably benefit from some structural engineering, and be defoliate. The roses and raspberries will also need pruning. I have yet to window shop trees. My peach and cherry trees failed to do anything on the plot, and I would like to replace them so that they sit alongside the other trees on the plot. There are certainly jobs to do, there is a maze of strawberry runners to untangle!

Having miserable weather really does make going to the allotment harder. As I leave, I am told to not bring in any mud, for one. It will take small steps to get back into the swing of things. Christmas and the festive period is the optimum time to relax, take stock and try to refocus with the new year.

This also means that with the days after Christmas, I shall sow chillies. This is the pattern that I have had for a couple of years now. So I will select the seeds that I want, and make a decision about next years experiments. The new growing season will arrive very quickly.

Here’s to getting back to the plot, and making the most of the down time.