Hello from our Spring Allotment

Some readers asked me how we were getting on with the allotment since I last posted about our 13/14 plan. I thought I'd best give you some photo evidence! The plot is far from pristine. However, amongst all the weeds and such like, a lot of new life is beginning to show. We've been far behind on our allotment work this year; the weather and our social calendar are partly to blame. Nevertheless, we chose to take it one step ( a.k.a. bed) at a time.  We've been trying to get some short focused sessions on the allotment when possible just to clear the beds and make space for my little seedlings.

Our fruit trees are in full bloom as I'm really hoping we get some peaches this year. They were destroyed by late frosts for the last couple of years despite being covered in warm fleece. I need to start using up all the fruit in my freezer to make space for all fresh fruit this year. Our grape vine is growing well and so are our figs and  I'm thinking of new and inventive  recipes for them both. For the first time ever, my elephant garlic is doing really well too. Pods that I sowed a couple of years ago are now growing magnificently, much to my surprise.

My seeds are all sprouting nicely and I'm hoping to get more of them planted outdoors soon. I'm hoping we have lots of fresh courgettes and beans over the summer. My potatoes are also growing well and I'm hoping they help break down the cement like soil where they have been planted.  Ed did some great work rescuing our strawberry patch which was getting suffocated by couch grass. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they don't get drowned out like they did last year.

Our spring onions are growing nicely and the resilient globe artichokes have resurfaced again. Talking about resilience, our bronze fennel is behaving in a weed-like fashion and multiplying rather robustly. However, we love the flavour of fennel so really don't mind it that much. And of course I've told you about our Rhubarb! I'm trying to cook every imaginable recipe with this vegetable. More recently, my Finnish friend mentioned eating Rhubarb raw (with the ends dipped in sugar) as a child. I found that fascinating although I'm not adventurous enough (!) to try it myself.

What have you been growing this month? I'd love to hear all about it. Ann x

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Hello from our Spring Allotment
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