New raspberry plants on the Allotment

Posted March 7, 2023

In Allotment, Blog, Fruit trees, Veg Growing

Last autumn, the autumn raspberry Joan J succumbed to raspberry phytophthora and all the plants were removed. More bare-rooted plants were bought, this time the variety is Polka, and these were planted on Thursday in a bed which has never had raspberries growing in it before. The plants had good roots and were already budding so we may have some fruit this year from them.

After the fruit pruning workshop on Sunday 26th February, we finished the pruning on all the fruit and next week will start on the usual feeding programme – firstly using chicken manure pellets which are high in nitrogen to stimulate leaf growth and then the standard organic fertiliser fish blood and bone, which is high in potash and phosphates, spread every six weeks.

The bed for the early potatoes had manure spread on it and a plastic cover put over it to help warm up the soil and kill off the weeds. Round about the middle of March we plant out this year’s onion and shallots setts, so time to prepare the bed for these.

This is a good time to sow broad beans. An autumn sowing of these doesn’t work with the exposed site but starting them off in pots now will give an earlier crop and there will be a direct sowing later to extend the season.

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