Allotment Vegetable Growing in September 2005

The Greenhouse

11/09/2005

At the back of our house is a small lean-to greenhouse I constructed using twin-wall polycarbonate and wood.

It's pretty robust except that one of the roof sheets blew off in a storm. That's solved with a brick!

On the right you can see six peppers in growbags. These have gone a little berserk and some of the branches have broken due to overloading.

Not a problem as they ripen up off the plant quite well, changing to brilliant reds.

At the rear is a tomato plant and you can see strung onions and garlic hanging.

Out of shot to the left are more peppers and aubergines in pots. The peppers in pots are pretty prolific but the plants are far smaller than the ones to the right.

I also have some racking that I built with removeable shelves. In the spring we have seedlings and small plants on the shelves and in the summer it gives us two levels to fit more plants in.

Green Manure

11/09/2005

The agricultural mustard green manure is growing well at the bottom of plot 5. I'll cut it down and put the haulm onto the compost heap, digging in the stubble.

This will add more organic matter to the soil, re-using nutrients that may have washed out.

Harvest Table

11/09/2005

Table on plot 5. On the table are 4 butternut squash hardening off, half a dozen marrows and a carrier bag of tomatoes waiting to go back home to be turned into tomato sauce.

Leafmould

11/09/2005

You can see the level of the leafmould in the cage at the bottom end of plot 5. Originally the leaves were heaped above the top of the cage.

It's almost ready to incorporate into the ground to condition the soil.

On the right is the, now empty, barrel where I made comfrey fertiliser. To the left you can see the 4 pint milk containers that I use as bricks for holding down fleeces etc.

Giant Pumpkin

11/09/2005

The Autumn Giant Pumpkin / Triffid had tried to take over the whole site, not just my plot.

This pumpkin developed on the salad bed, squashing a few onions on the way.

I wanted to take it to the table on plot 5 to harden up but hit a problem - I can not lift it that far!

So to deliver this to the kiddies for Halloween, I'm going to have to take the car upto the plot and get their dad to help at the other end.

See Growing Giant Pumpkins

Second Pumpkin

11/09/2005

Not quite as big as the one above but still a fair old size.

To get this out from where it developed I had to empty the water barrel and dismantle the brick stand.

Lesson - when growing pumpkins, inspect where they start and move them to somewhere sensible.

You can see the maincrop potatoes which are ready to harvest now.

View up plot 5

11/09/2005

Looking quite empty now as the sweetcorn and beans have gone. Bit weedy and forlorn.. ahhhh.

Still quite a bit to harvest in the next few weeks, tomatoes, carrots, few more squash.

The leeks and parsnips will stay in the ground.

The Grand Allotment Tour - Henry Street Allotments

16/09/2005

As well as gardening this site seems to have a communal cafe and debating society where tips are shared and the problems of the world are put to rights over a cuppa.

The Grand Allotment Tour - Henry Street Allotments

16/09/2005

One of the things I like to see is a plot being used as a leisure garden. This plot has a play house and swing on a lawn, flowers and vegetables.

I'm sure it gives a lot of pleasure to an entire family.

The Grand Allotment Tour - Hungerford Road

16/09/2005

You know this site is different from the moment you walk on. The little details give it away.

Hand painted numbers on the plots and decorated water pipe covers. Even little pots of flowers around.

The Grand Allotment Tour - Hungerford Road

16/09/2005

In the centre of the site is a community garden put together by the plot holders.

Around a large pond are woodland walks, sitting areas with tables and chairs and flower borders.

The Grand Allotment Tour - Hungerford Road

16/09/2005

The border of the community garden's border is clearly defined by an attractive flowerbed.

A special site thanks in no small part to the efforts of the site rep, Mrs J Boon.

Maincrop Potatoes

16/09/2005

Here on plot 29, you can see I've started cutting the haulm down preparatory to digging up the crop.

The haulm pile on the compost heap on the left has wilted down but there is a lot more left to go on.

Tomatoes under fleece on plot 5

18/09/2005

Since the weather decided to swop from summer to winter in mid-September, emergency protection for the ripening tomatoes was called for.

Using some chair bases (front right), bamboo poles, onion drying rack and horticultural fleece I constructed this.

Potato Harvest

18/09/2005

Despite weather and work finally managed to get the maincrop potatoes up.

Here I am with my large French potato fork. The long handle gives plenty of leverage. Behind me, the Sarpo Mira red potatoes drying on the path.

To the left you can see the haulm over the compost heap.

At this point, I'm half way through.