Tag Archives: allotment

Runner and climbing beans, Squashes

#NABLOMPOMO: Squash Sowing 2015

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squashes

I have been trying to wait, and now sow squashes. Mainly as the grow quickly, but also because we still get a frost until the end of May. So any seedlings would be fairly big by then, and would also have to be hardened off. In the past, some of the varieties that I have grown have been brilliant, others less so. I have also had the misfortune of some being eaten by slimers. This is why, I have sown a varied and large variety.

The Varieties as follows:

  • Ghost rider pumpkin
  • Marina Di Chioggia
  • Patty Pan
  • Yellow Scallop
  • Uchiki Kiri
  • Soleil
  • Sweet Dumpling
  • Astia Courgette
  • Honey Bear Squash
  • Cobnut
  • Striato Di Napoli
  • Tondo di Piacenza
  • Tiger Cross marrow
  • Bush baby marrow

There are loads, and normally, one, maybe two plants would be sufficient for a family. I have been known to give away courgettes to friends, family, colleagues, anyone who I knew didn’t mind fresh veg. There is the risk, that I will be over run. I am sure that they will be used, given to a good home, or meet their ends in a chutney of some kind.

Ghost rider pumpkins make an appearance, I have sown these previously, and also saved their seeds. Patty pan and yellow scallop were a really good variety that was sown a couple of years ago.

Yes, there are lots and lots.  I have sown one or two of each variety. Seeds have been put into the pellets-I know not all folks uses these, but I don’t like getting told of by the parents for having soil all over the house-on their edges. Apparently this stops them rotting, not so sure, so testing this. Covered with a propogator lid and left in a warm place. I have also sown some tongue of fire climbing beans. Think these are borlotti beans. As well as some experimental painted lady running beans. Ma has been champing at the bit to sow running beans directly, but I have been trying to dissuade not to sow directly as these get eaten by the clay so early.

All that remains to be seen now is whether any of these triffids germinate.

Experimental Chillies and be;;s

#NABLOPOMO: Chillies Chugging along

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The night before last, we had a horrible frost. Yesterday morning, I was cursing the elements having to scrape a thick sheet of harsh frost of the car before going to work. Naturally, my thoughts hit upon the chillies that I situated into the poly tunnel the afternoon before.

This morning, having worried about them all day, I went to see if they were alive.

And they were.

Thankfully.

I had fleeced them, in the same way that the tomatoes are covered.

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You can see in the top left corner of the photograph, the fleece is there. This was tented over the four pots as a protective measure. Having scraped off the ice on the car, I was worried that these things had been zapped to within an inch of their so far very short lives.

And then there is this

purplehaze

This is the purple haze cayenne that I bought from sea spring seeds at the edible garden show last month. That tiny little bud in the middle, that’s a flower. There a couple more tiny ones waiting to develop. That’s if the blasted Aphids don’t kill it off. Also, this is a very small plant still, I’m not too sure if it is supposed to be sending out flower buds. Perhaps it’s a bit comfortable in the 12cm pot.

Habaneros ready to be potted up
Habaneros ready to be potted up

The habaneros were sat in 7cm pots, and whilst they have started to pick up; some of them were trying to escape their pots. So they have all now been re-potted into 12cm pots. I think for all the chillies on the sills, this is probably their last temporary pot before they get their proper pots in the poly tunnel. The hope being, that they make it through the next six weeks and into the summer.

tomatoes

#NABLOPOMO: Tomato tales

tomato

We had a horrible frost the night before last, and I was worried that the babies in the 4 tier blowaway may have experienced jack frost’s kiss of death. They were however, nestled beneath two layers of fleece and had warm water bottles to keep them company. The picture above, doesn’t particularly do them justice. I was waiting for the wind to stop batting them around as a gust had come past. Most of them, are reasonably tall, but not gangly. I suspect they may actually need potting up, so that they can stretch that bit more. I might however, wait them out for the rest of the month, and then move them into the poly tunnel. That is if the Red Duke of York potatoes that currently occupy it have decided to come up and out. There are also some chillies already in there, that for now, have also survived the frost.

The varieties we have are:

  • purple cherokee
  • cream sausage
  • marmande
  • moneymaker
  • true black brandywine
  • yellow stuffer
Experimental Chillies and be;;s

#NABLOMO: Chillies Poly Tunnel move in

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poly_pots120415

Some of the chillies have now started to develop flowers, as as well trying to escape their pots. I wouldn’t normally at this stage of the year, put them into the poly tunnel and guarantee myself a crop. It feels a little too early, but the plants are clearly communicating their happiness.

So, perhaps misunderstanding that, I have take a few of the larger plants and popped them into the poly tunnel. I have put slug tape around the pots, in the hope that they won’t get nibbled on. Plus the plants are tented with fleece, I am still wary about how well they are going to cope with being there. I have moved cayenne, Serrano and Hungarian hot wax. Some part of me feels as though they sacrificial. There are still a few left loitering at home, with flowers, that are only just into 12 cm pots.

In a bit of pickle

#NABLOPOMO: That Rhubarb jelly

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Well, yesterday, with good intentions, we extracted the juice from the rhubarb. It was left in the jelly bag over night, and we ended up with a fair bit of liquid. I awoke this morning, earlier that I would on a normal Sunday, to finish the job.

And tried to finish the job. Using sugar, weighed in relation to the liquid, and adding pectin powder, Ma and I set the pan boiling. We got it to 104 degrees C. We both watched the pan boil and the sugar thermometer hit the temperature.

That was boil one. We left it, hoping that it would set.

And we waited. We hoped.

Cue reboil two.

We thought about the pectin, perhaps we should add some more. The liquid-which tastes quite nice actually, was boiled once more. It even had the skin-like miniscus setting across the top.

But it’s gloopy. Syrupy pudding or porridge topper. A bit disappointed, but it’s still edible!

In a bit of pickle

#NABLOPOMO: Jam pan Jelly time

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At Christmas, Santa Claus delivered me a jelly bag and stand. Til now, I have not had any clear idea as what to do with it, or any fruit for that matter. However, rhubarb has started making an appearance on the plot. Whilst mine is still small and in it’s infancy, a plot neighbour has loads that he is more than happy to share.

So I asked if I could possibly scrump some for an experiment.  “Oh, sure she can take some, she came and asked like a lady,” he told my mum, who had already told me off anyway.

Harvested just over three pounds, I needed that much anyway as I also had some plums to add. All in all, I have used four pounds of fruit today.

The recipe was simple, provided to me by the lovely Preesall Preserves. Stew the rhubarb, water and ginger until the fruit was soft. Put all into a jelly bag, Then do the boil and setting point thing later with the sugar being measured in relation ot the liquid volume. I haven’t got that far yet. I am leaving this over night, and will attempt to boil and set tomorrow. I am using normal sugar, and for the first time ever, using powdered pectin. The fruits were stewed with a lemon, just to see if there was any pectin in the plums.

Hopefully, tomorrow, we might have a jelly. Or to give it it’s proper name, ‘Watson’s right hook’ zingy rhubarb and Plum  jelly. Cross your fingers!

NaBloPoMo, success, Taking stock

#NABLOPOMO: Preserving with the plot

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It’s lovely to reduce the air miles, and have homegrown produce. However, you do get to a point, where if you have another courgette, you might get a bit twitchy. Plus people start to avoid you as you are likelyt to foist squashes on them and they don’t want to see another courgette either.

Preserving presents you with an opportunity to do something else with your crops when you have an excess. A glut can be rather frustrating, when you have all this beautiful produce and you don’t want it here and now. It did take me a while to get into preserving. I just didn’t think that there was anything else to be done, bar my mum cooking with things that grew on the allotment. It was only when I stumbled across a recipe for a courgette chutney recipe that had Indian undertones, that the penny dropped. I had courgettes, Ma’s pantry, and spices. The three could go together. I had already tried to pickle garlic and shallots. Got it wrong, and the things are stil in ma’s pantry. Edible, but forgotten.

The point being, that you didn’t have to wander around trying to give your crops away. You can keep them, just change the form that they take.

Just like growing, I have found the process of preserving to be experimental. There are lots recipes out there to help, from jams, jellies, chutneys and relishes. You only have to take a quick look into a search engine, and also share with other allotment neighbours and folks who GYO.  Recipes are good starting points, and open to a spot of deviation when you work out what you do and don’t like.

It is wonderfully rewarding,  if and when the jams set, and you don’t burn the bottom of your pan. Then there is the jam thermometre that you might bash a little too much.

There there is cordials and homebrews. I have yet to embark of wine making. But infusions are rather interesting to do. Relatively low maintenance too, once you put all the ingredients in, the jars of alcohol and fruit can be left and you come back later to check.

 

Psychology Sunflower Challenge, Soft fruit

#NABLOPOMO: Strawbs and Sunflowers

Have spent the best part of today, pottering around, potting up chillies. Some of them even have flowers. Sunflowers were also potted up as some of them were starting to keel over. As were the last of the tomatoes.

I did take a wander down to the plot, Ma wanted to dig for England again so I had to keep her company whilst nursing a thermo mug of tea. Was really quite bright, and I thought I looked a bit cool with the sunglasses. I had just planned to supervise ma, but then I got a call from a plot neighbour who was actually working hard.

A lovely plot neighbour had an excess of strawberries, and I had already re-homed some their donations. I’ve taken in another half a dozen or so additional plants. Quite healthy looking too. These were then plugged in around autumnal raspberry canes. I have hoping that these will grow, send out runners and cover the ground. Also means I get two types of soft foot from one bed.

tomatoes

#NABLOPOMO: Tomatos in the 4TB

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Today has been a rather sunny Easter Monday Bank Holiday. As it was rather warm, I had a check of the tomatoes. As you can see, there is fleece, black trays and recycled milk bottles filled with water. The tomatoes are still there, looking a bit purple stemmed, but still there. Whilst it was lovely and warm during the day, there sun has disappeared and there is a chill with thee being no clouds. I think I have another half a dozen tomatoes sat inside that would benefit from being potted up. Then I will have a full complement of tomatoes to be pampered in the 4TB, They are going to be in there a while, I don’t plant to stick them in the poly tunnel any time soon. Even then, the chillies and tomatoes are likely to be sent out together. That’s if they both survive. There was a spot of chilli drama today, with the cayennes nearly dying through intense heat. These had to retrieved and hydrated pretty quickly. I think they are still soaking as there was very near crispiness for a couple of plants.

aubergine analogue 2015, Preparation

#NABLOPOMO: My Aubergine is your Eggplant 2015

I wasn’t going to sow aubergines this year. After last years mixed results, I was feeling a little put off, However, I am going to use my previous growing experience, as a learning experience and take away the key findings and conclusions. This year, rather than putting them directly them into the ground, I will keep them in pots in the same way as the chillies. They will once more be in the poly tunnel.

The varieties:

  • Diamond
  • Dancer
  • Tres Hative De Barbentane
  • Black Beauty

Last year, there were some mixed results. All of the varieties were planted into the ground. Some of these grew into lovely luscious plants, with rather pretty purple flowers. There were also some rescued aubergine plants, from a garden centre, that did actually manage to produce some rather interesting fruit. The plants grew well, they were tall, and rather robust. I think the key however, was the restriction of the roots. So this is what I will be doing this year. I know it’s a little late, I should have perhaps sown them about a month ago. There are four varieties, and about four of each have been sown. I’m hoping that they will germinate, and then we shall see exactly how many we get. I don’t expect to be keeping all 16 would be plants. That would be a lot of aubergines, I might have to share the seedlings if they manage to grow.

NaBloPoMo_GROW_april