A breezy, cloudy start to July!

Allotment Tales 03-07-2025

A breezy, cloudy start to July but at least we missed yesterday’s deluge, which has done wonders for the weeds and soft fruit!

Pam and Richard (from Caley Saughton) delivered our new noticeboards. No more prizing the disintegrating cover open, balancing it on your head whilst attempting to write up the day’s activities and getting your fingers jammed whilst trying to secure it back into place. But 20yrs service is pretty good going!

We pulled out spent foxgloves – which have been lovely but are about to scatter seed everywhere. Today’s weeding was concentrated in the areas under the plum tree and along the rhubarb border, with its mix of pollinating flowers, Couch grass and alkanet are expert at quietly spreading themselves amongst these, so need to be kept in check.

We cut more comfrey for the compost bins and made a fresh batch of tea, watering a brew from last year over our young crops.

Mowing took longer today as “the apprentices” were in charge – Master Mower being on holiday. Following a few rookie errors, the task was completed, though lines were possibly a bit squinter than usual.

The willow windbreak has shot up so got a short back and sides. The longer-term plan is to pass the baton onto slower growing shrubs, as they become more established and able to provide shelter from prevailing winds.

The berry harvest gathers pace, with blackcurrants, brambles and loganberries suddenly ripe for the picking, Carrots were thinned, and radishes pulled, along with more tender young broad beans. We picked another bucker of sweet peas – such a precious summertime treat for their scent, colour and form.

Jobs for next week: Tie in peas and beans; thin the beetroot (and possibly more apple thinning) remove rose bay willow herb before it has a chance to flower and seed; weed the Communal Bed; harvest and water as necessary