Vinny's Allotment Plot

Interesting, do the local birds not pull some of them out when you plant them like that?

Yes they do now and again. The bed with glass over it next to most recently planted sets also has onion sets in it. The glass stops predation but also gievs a modicum of warmth which will hopefully help me to stagger maturity times.

My microwave blew up on me today so straight away I ordered a new one and picked it up frm my local Argos . My allotment site is on the route home with it inthe car so I thought I would call in and check on things.
I thought my main job would be replacing onion sets that had been pulled out by birds. This was not the case though and all was as I had left it as can be seen by the piccie.
I did a bit of hand weeding in another Jap onion bed I had planted earlier. These onions were a lot further on than the others but weeds had started to creep in. The soil was very 'claggy' though and my hands soon became loaded with claggy cold soil.
Some of the 'weeds' were self sown poached egg plants which were worth keeping. I spent some time digging these up and re-planting them in the border. Still a lot  more to dig up yet, but that will be at a laer date. It was too cold and claggy to work on today so I gave up and left it for another day!

Ist time at plot in 2023! Happy New Year everyone.  Had a bit of a natter with a couple of plot holders who had also been drawn out by the sunshine.

It was bright today but frosty so decided to do a bit of weeding. The diagonal paths looked the worst so I planned to weed one path, then call it a day. I finished up weeding two paths eventually.
I also cleared up some of the dead foliage on the parsnips and beetroot.
I like to kneel when i hand weed (easier on the back) and I had a plastic bag full of semi rotted grass cuttings which when folded made a comfortable kneeling platform with the sun on my back
I came away with some leeks and beetroot which were surprisingly firm. Leek & potato soup tomorrow! .

Called in at allotment on way home from gym. I only had my shortsand tee shirt so didn't stop long. One of the cold frames I had covered with a sheet of glass was now devoid of glass and the cold frame behind it was full of broken glass. I can only surmise that the strong winds last night had flipped the glass and broken it!  Greenhouse didn't appear to have any more battle scars I was pleased to note.

My PSB are starting to head up? I didn't expect this, this early in the season, but they are one of my favourite veg so will be a welcome addition at any time of year!

In the short time I was ther I decided to dig a few parsnips. Rather stumpy but once peeled and chopped into chunks they will also be a welcome addition.

Piccies of the parsnips I dug and PSB starting to head up below!

Called in at plot today because I was walking Kato in that vicinity,

 Nothig much to report other than I replaced quite a few japanese onion sets which were lying on the surface. The PSB is still not quite ready for harvesting but I am looking forward to when it is.
I was goinfg to grab a few leeks when I was there but didn't have a bag to put them in.Must come better prepared next time.

You need some pannier bags for Kato - then he can carry them home for you.

You need some pannier bags for Kato - then he can carry them home for you.

The weather we have had lately a sled would have been appropriate!

Took Kato for a walk with some flowers in a plastic bag for Helen's grave. As the allotment site is quite cose to the graveyard I always call in.I harvested some leeks from two different types,one has dark green leaves and the other light green. I used the bag I had for the flowers to hold the leeks.

One thing I noticed was that the onion sets I had planted in a bed covered with sheets of glass were a lot further on than the sets I had planted uncoveed at the same time. The ones under glass are showing greenery, whereas the others are not.

I think I will make some leek pudding and possibly some leek and potato soup with harvest?

Can't believe it's been that long since I posted on this thread!  I have been visiting te plot now and again but didn't do anything noteworthy.

Today that changed! I had a good couple of hours in the sunshine then got home and it snowed.

I noticed my elephat garlic was showing above ground with no misses in the rows from what I could see. The autumn onion sets I planted late under glass are romping away.The sets I planted early are romping away  without cover. The sets I planted LATE without cover are not doing well at all!
My other garlic iis showing above ground as well.
Today I planted all my broad beans,aquadaulce and my dearly departed dads favourite Bunyards exhibition.The first lot I have covered with a large pane of glsss so I will be abale to make comparisons with the uncovers beans. I would have taken photographs of achievement but I had forgotten my phone.
The bed of The Sutton planted in the Autum were a failure with only two beans left growing. All had germinated but succumbed to the frost. This bed I tidied and oversowed with Bunyards then covered with glass.
I took up the remains of useable beetroot and un-usable turnips and after hand weeding the bed raked it level.I them planted 25 Bunyards and 10 Aquadulce beans which wit hte other bed of 25 Bunyards should be enough broadies for me!
The kale and PSB have been decimated by the pigeons who not only ate the leaves but the florets as well.  On a happier note the Austurian tree cabbage which I have grown because of pigeon predation (a friend of mine grew it with no bother from pigeons) has flourished and there are lots of useable leaves available!  I have no idea why pigeons dont like it as the leaves are more like a lettuce than a brassica.
I gathered some of my stored onions from the greenhouse and was very surprised to see the white onions grown from sets have lasted the longest in good condition? I must try and get some more of these sets for spring planting.
It was nice to make a start and get my first outdoor sown seeds in the ground. Next job is to set up a brassica nursery bed and get the brassicas sown but that's for another day!

Short and sweet visit to the plot today as I was passing that way anyway.
 All the garlic I planted is now showing and looks very regimented (take note veggie!) in the bed!

The Dozen or so elephant garlic planted at a decent spacing are also up and I have high hopes for these. The onion sets planted under glass are also looking good.
The Austurian Tree cabbage is starting to throw up some tasty looking seed heads so I harvest ed a few of thee along with some leaves. I also harvested three leeks of one type with light foliage and three leeks of another type with blueish foliage.
Only one of the broad beans I sowed under glass recently have poked its head up and no sign in the other uncovered bed.

We have a General meeting at the local community centre on Tuesday evening which I hope to attend. I have a fancy the Council are wanting to take over the running of all sites after employing two permanent positions they need to justify, so it should be an interesting meeting.