If it ain't one thing...

Well, yesterday was a complete wash out - rain from the moment I got up to the moment I went to bed. Surely clouds run out of rain after a certain time?

Weather is not my best friend at the moment - any time I get to go to the allotment is usually - no in fact always, met with equal amounts of persistent rain.

Today, LadyWayne had booked her hairdresser to come and visit us at 11 am. So I thought - I'll wait until she arrives before going to the plot, so I waited. LadyWayne suggested that Tina, her hairdresser would probably arrive early, so we expected her at around 10:30. At 11:45 LadyWayne started to doubt herself and considered she maybe had the wrong day. Guess what? Yip, we're booked in next week.

So, after getting myself together I headed on down to plot 35 with a spring in my step - well, it wasn't raining!

Weeds!!

Why is it that mother nature decided to make it so that weeds are the fastest growing plants known to man?

I set to it, hoe in hand and made inroads on the weeds formerly known as paths, but if I'm anything I'm easily distracted......

One thing I did notice was the strength of the wind on the plot. I think next year I'll grow something along the south face to try and soften the strength of the force ten gales that seem to rattle through. My 45 degree sweetcorn will thank me for it I'm sure.

Can an allotment be maintained effectively with a once a week visit? I've had my doubts - but then I saw Jow Swift on Gardeners World on Friday and he mentioned that he only gets to the plot once a week. His plot looks great - from what I saw on the telly anyway. Well, if Joe can do it....

In my quest for a low(er) maintenance plot, I think a surefire way of helping achieve it is to complete the raised beds for the entire plot. One thing it does is gives clearly defined borders, edges, seperations - call them what you will. I noticed this with one particular bed today. Weeds as we know don't take long to take hold and the lines soon became blurred between path and bed.

Anyway, that's for another time. For now, back to the plot in it's current state.

Oh, one thing before I start. I won't have any photos to show this update. Reason? Well, I forgot to take the camera but fear not, I have the trusty Swiss camera phone. You know the one that can play music, surf the interweb, make calls, send text and media messages, make a cup of tea, iron your shirts and take pictures...

Well, not mine. For a completely unknown (and hopefully not for long) reason the phone has no screen - well, none that works anyway. If someone is in the market for a Samsung U600 just stand outside my window and there should be one on it's way shortly, you just need to be able to catch.

Plot 35.

The last of my Kestrel potatoes are just about ready to pull up. I pulled up two plants today and some of the spuds are whoppers - really great baked potato size. Next to them where the 1st and 2nd early spuds perviously grew I've now planted some Falstaff and Bedford Fillbasket sprouts - nicely netted over to keep the pesky flying rats off.

I've also planted 4 pumpkin plants - they'd previously been growing in vending cups, but they do have some small flowers on them. I have a feeling that they're a bit late - well, I am not the pumpkins.

In one of the beds previously occupied by the onions and garlic is now home to some cauliflower plants and purple sprouting broccoli.

The Stephens peas have definitely seen better days - yellowing stalks and no more flowers or pods appearing. I've given up on their neighbours too - the Mange Touts that live next door. Hopefully I'll be able to let enough of the Stephens get to the stage where I can harvest seed pods for next year - just need to work out how to dry and store them...

Broad beans are also on their way out - the Aquadulce are in a worst state than the Martock - it won't be long now. I'm hopeful that the Martock will save and store too.

Pulled up a few more carrots today too - only minor slug damage. Two more beetroot too.

Courgettes are going well now too - cut 6 of varying sizes and donated some to the brother-in-law.

Squashes are starting to spread across their bed - not sure if they'll set fruit in time, but hey, we'll see I guess.

Achocha needs more support - I think I saw some flower buds starting to form - so I'll be keeping a close eye on him - and weather permitting I'll hopefully get on to the plot one night this week to put up some more supports.

Celeriac still looks good, asparagus peas are taking over and throwing out little pods like there's no tomorrow. I haven't tried any yet, but am hopeful that todays harvest will be consumed this week - maybe with some nice fish.

Bindweed has once again taken over the pile of manure - I'll have to resort to some Roundup to try and get on top of it.

Well, the battery is just about to die on the laptop, so before I lose this post - which has taken enough time for me to avoid watching most of some rubbish Jennifer Aniston film that LadyWayne is watching.

Goodbye for now.