Mashed Potato

The hut re-opened today, and with it the arrival of the seed potatoes. Flo and I arranged to arrive at bang on 10 for the opening, however we couldn't get in for the mad crush of people. It was like the first proper feed after a long winter - elbows flying, teeth barred; it was a war zone. However, we managed to fight our way in a buy ourselves this years supply of seeds and potatoes:

Beetroot - Boltardy
Cabbage:
Red Drumhead
Savoy - Ormskirk
F1 Stonehead
Calabrese - F1 Marathon
Carrot:
St. Valery
Autumn King 2
Early Nantes
Courgette - F1 Jemmer
French Beans (Climbing) - Blue Lake
Leek - Argenta
Parsnip - Tender and True
potato:
Arron Pilot
Pink Fir Apple
Sante
Pumpkin - Hundredweight
Radish - Cherry Belle
Rocket
Swede - Best of All
Sweet Corn - F1 Kelvedon Glory

We then headed over the road to sort out the potatoes. We made a workbench out of the runner-bean canes and placed the potatoes in their egg-trays for chitting, leaving them in the sunlight. There they will stay for the next couple of months till mid-April when we plant them out.



We finished harvesting the Jerusalem Artichokes and found that there were a few more than we had expected! Re-planted 14 back into the same bed.





We also finished harvesting the broccoli as well as pulling a few leeks.

We still need to finish removing the path.

Be gone, that wretched path!

Work started this morning on removing the left hand path that runs along Doug's plot. Nasty nasty work. It is nothing but grass, most of it the nasty 'spear' grass AKA Couch grass (see left). It was a 3-man effort - The first man did basic top turf removal with a fork. The next man then raked and removed any overt rhizomes and blades with the third man following in the rear, on hands and knees scrabbling through the soil looking for any lurking remnants of the grass or its horid, pale roots. Hopefully, with such an effort, the grass will no longer be an issue and the extra 60-80cm of space can be used efficiently.
Work was also done on the strawberry bed, weeding and adding 4 new plantlets from runners in the new space retrieved from the path.

Still harvesting: Parsnips (The last of them today), Jerusalem Artichokes (still LOADS to go), Swedes, Cabbage (almost gone), and Broccoli.

First signs of life!

Hurrah! The first little signs of the new year. A few of the Broad Beans have started to emerge. However, I noticed that quite a few were just sitting on the surface, as if they had been pulled up by a bird etc. So, I sunk them back into the ground, only hoping more are not victim to the unknown digger.






Also looks like the Rye Grass lain as green manure has started to show. Still lots of work to be done, but i havn't the time to do it just yet. Looking at the 21/22nd of January for a big couple of days of Allotment preparation. Still no sign of the garlic.

Still harvesting:
Parsnips, Jerusalem Artichokes, Swede, Cabbage and purple cabbage. The Purple Sprouting Broccoli should start to produce flowers soon.... yum yum