A cold day on the allotment

A cold day on the allotment but we managed to get some work done before the rain came on.

The main crop potatoes were planted; Desiree and Pink Fir Apple in the ground and Golden Wonder in the tub.

More flatworms were found today in the compost heap but the advice from George Anderson is to carry on as normal and to use the compost. He did have a problem with flatworm a few years ago but not any longer and he has worms in his plot so it seems that nature has balanced out. We’ll keep checking for flatworm but it is good to know we are unlikely to be building up a problem by continuing to use the compost.

Another variety of Broad Bean, Perla, was planted out as young plants. Perla is shorter growing and has a pea-green bean.

The old fruit cage area was raked over and green manure broadcast over it and raked in. Some annual flowers will be sown as well for summer colour and in the autumn, once the summer raspberries are over, these will be taken out and the whole area will be freed up for making raised beds for growing vegetables.

We had another bonfire today and got rid of all the rotten wood and old willow stems. The grass had its first cut of the season.

The Arctic chill hasn’t caused much damage to the fruit and veg but unfortunately the plum blossom which was fully out and quite splendid has been browned so we won’t be having much of a plum crop this year – no change there!

Jobs for next week
Sow beetroot, parsnip, turnip, swede
Sow salad crops in the frame