Ann Long

My Allotment Oracles

This picture contains two of my mentors at the Allotment,Albert (on the right of the picture )helps me with advice ,and often donates young plants, Derek (my Cousin) helps with building and other projects, as well as offering plants and advice. He has a plot adjacent to mine ,so he is close at hand

Allotment 2008 Part 2

	Shallots were over wintered to give a very early supply
	Brassicas: here we have spring greens and young cauliflower plants
	Cauliflower: netted to protect from birds and butterflies,( yes they are present already and attacking the Brassicas

	Carrot Box the seedlings are very small at the moment but now the weather is warming up they should be pushing up a little better.  the box has a fine mesh lid to deter the carrot fly.
	Some lettuces (donated by a fellow allotment holder) growing in an enclosed box.
	The strawberry bed. most of these were donated by Peggy,and there are some from a new allotment holders plot (Ann)  who needed some room for a shed.  Note the fruit trees towards the rear of the cage.
	Fruit cage cage built by my Cousin Derek who occupies the plot adjacent to mine. I attached the netting myself making sure to leave enough entrances to allow bees access.

Allotment 2008

	Broad Beans  they are in flower so the pods should be forming soon
	Peas In this bed we have peas.  have to watch out when the flowers form to spray for pea moth
	Onions & Garlic This bed contains Onions and two varieties of  garlic ,ordinary white and Elephant,this variety is much larger in size and milder in flavour.
	Potatoes this is the potato bed ,the first haulms are just showing
	Onion bed  red onions also some Shallots and white onions put in much later to give an ongoing

	Shallots were over wintered to give a very early supply
	Brassicas: here we have spring greens and young cauliflower plants
	Cauliflower: netted to protect from birds and butterflies,( yes they are present already and attacking the Brassicas

	Carrot Box the seedlings are very small at the moment but now the weather is warming up they should be pushing up a little better.  the box has a fine mesh lid to deter the carrot fly.
	Some lettuces (donated by a fellow allotment holder) growing in an enclosed box.
	The strawberry bed. most of these were donated by Peggy,and there are some from a new allotment holders plot (Ann)  who needed some room for a shed.  Note the fruit trees towards the rear of the cage.
	Fruit cage cage built by my Cousin Derek who occupies the plot adjacent to mine. I attached the netting myself making sure to leave enough entrances to allow bees access.

In the Greenhouse

Spring has arrived and activities at the allotment and in the greenhouse are getting into full swing. Here are some of the plants so far. The greenhouse, shown in the panoramic photo here, is not on the allotment. It's in the back yard of the house, about half a mile away or 3 minutes on the bike. the greenhouse has just undergone a refurbishment of the bubble insulation after a 15 year lifespan,this includes the addition of some insulation to the ridge to help with frost protection. the difference in temperature from outside to inside is 10° centigrade,so the bubbles really do help .

	Courgette and Butternut Squash seedlings in the greenhouse. have just recently discovered Butternut Squash,and am now keen to grow my own which I am sure will taste much nicer than shop bought ones
	Tomato seedlings in the greenhouse, ready to be planted outdoors once the risk of frost has gone.
	Beetroot seedlings (in the front) and cauliflower behind. I am going to try a few plants in my tiny scrap of garden which although small is very fertile
	Borecole (pronounced 'borra-cola') also known as mini kale. these plants are very dark green, I mix them with the more usual lighter cabbage which makes it more palatable for Den who is not that keen on the taste yet eats it anyway to please me.
	Broccoli (right) and Cauliflower (left). Hard to tell these apart. these two are a new project, which I have not grown before so I expect I will be seeking the help of my "Oracle " at the allotment to help with some tips on raising them to maturity
	Orange peppers (capsicum)
	Yellow peppers (capsicum)
	Sweetcorn aka maize seedlings.
	Parsnip. Normally these would be planted straight into the ground, but here we are trying out a modular method. The seedlings are each in their own cell (the white plastic). They sit on top of some capillary matting, on a water reservoir. The plants are self-watering. All that is needed is to top up the reservoir. It's been going about 3 or 4 weeks and hasn't needed topping up yet.
	Brussels Sprouts "Revenge" hybrid.
	Here's one you don't see every day. Grape vine, Hamburg red, donated by a friend. This vine is several years old now and has been severely cut back to allow light into the greenhouse.
	Very early potatoes in the black pots, King Edwards we think, and a potato barrel planted about 3 weeks later. These should be ready soon, as soon as the haulms flower.
	Late crop potatoes outside the greenhouse, planted a few days ago. Note the earth is ridged and the plants are along the middle of the ridges. This helps to protect from frost and the potatoes grow in the soft earth. Some people wait until the plants are growing before heaping up the ridges against the stem, be we find it easier just to do it straight away. These should be ready about July or August (about a 12 week cycle, depending on the weather).

Allotment part 3

Leek seedlings ready for acclimatising