First week of June round up

Really quick round up, mainly in pictures of how the plot is looking as of last week.

Courgettes in the foreground, then pumpkins, then butternut squash all finally planted out

 All the flower seedlings around the pear tree are starting to grow and should hopefully cover the area in a carpet of colour.

The asparagus is looking very healthy and am looking forward to being able to harvest some next year. This year it is being allowed to 'rest' as the crowns were moved at the end of last season.

The parsnips have put out loads of top growth now so hopefully the roots are doing just as well.

First earlies are well through and main crop spuds are starting to break through. All the rain should mean some good spuds in a month or so. (My earlies went in late - so not lifting them for another few weeks at the earliest)

The swede that I germinated at home and then grew in in toilet roll tubes have been nibbled to almost nothing by flea beetle. I could spray them, but as I'm trying to do it mostly organically and without much help from anything this year will just see how they fare. Maybe next year I will let them grow on further before planting them out so there is more leaf which may make them more resilient.

Lettuce and spinach planted out

Have 4 different types of tomato this year - Moneymaker, Alicante, Gardeners Delight and Black Cherry

Carrot and beetroot are starting to come through

I started about 20 corn plants at home, and then put in several rows with 2 seeds per station which all germinated. Have moved the 2nd seed from each and now have about 80 corn plants. If they all produce a minimum of 2 cobs each there will be a good amount of corn this year.

French and runner beans are starting to climb

3 variety of peas in so far - Hurst Green Shaft, Junos and cant remember the 3rd

I've never limed before planting brassicas before so have given that a go this year to see if it makes an improvement for the cauliflower. 

The onions some set and seed are doing well so far.

The raspberries have gone bonkers!

Strawberries are all mulched now. Not expecting a huge crop as all the plants were moved last year.

The lupins are doing well and the crab apple I planted a few weeks ago is taller than the top if its protective tube.

Rhubarb is growing well and already made a batch of jam from it. Will need to split the crowns this year.

Broad beans were sowed late, so will have to pinch the tops as soon as they start flowering to deter the blackfly.

Almost everything is in the ground now. I have acquired some more currant bushes so they will need planting out if the rain ever stops. There are still some more cauliflower, brussels and purple sprouting broccoli to plant out. And then peppers and chillies and aubergine need sorting into the salad beds which I will hopefully get windbreaked this week.

peas and more

The early onward peas I'd sown a few weeks ago were large enough to move to the allotment. The reason for sowing them at home in pots was because of the huge weevil problem there is. The broad beans which are planted in the same patch have been really badly affected and this hopefully will give the plants the best chance to get going even if they do get a little nibbled.

I dont get a huge chance to water frequently at the allotment and I am counting on some rain today, but I watered each hole well before dropping the plants in and then watered them in from the top thoroughly as well.

I've got another 3 or 4 varieties of peas to get going now, which I plan on doing later today.

Also planted on the allotment yesterday were beetroot detroit 2 and cylindra, and the carrot varieties I'm doing this year which are nandor F1, chantenay red core, amsterdam forcing 3, and early nantes 5. Also planted a row of lisbon spring onion.

In the greenhouse on Saturday I sowed some more butternut squash as I think it was too cold for the first lot to germinate (though it will probably prove me wrong now and I'll have masses), all year round cauliflower, red onion (north holland blood red redmate), pumpkin, french climbing bean (blue lake), cucumber (marketmore) courgette (Dundoo F1), sweetcorn (incredible F1) and rosemary as my first sowing of that got damping off.

Good weekend's work I think