Some problems on the Allotment
Thursday was a fine day for harvesting. The first of the sweetcorn is ready early because of the hot weather – a nice treat.
Some crops, like the peas and broad beans, are over. The stalks were cut off at ground level, leaving the roots with their nitrogen nodules in the soil. The onions have had two weeks drying in the sun and have now been lifted and in the shed.
First of the sweetcorn
Both these beds were raked over and a green manure sown with a winter mix to protect the soil over winter and help the fertility.
The autumn raspberries have been dying off and were diagnosed as having the fungus Phytophthora. A few canes are still looking healthy but most are dying. These were dug out and will be burned in due course. Up to now the autumn raspberries have given excellent crops and been absolutely no trouble but the dry weather this summer, even though they were given a good soak each week, must have stressed the plants and made them vulnerable to disease. New healthy stock will need to be bought and a different site found for them.
More disease was on the canes of the boysenberry – cane blight, again probably due to the stress caused by lack of rain and high temperatures. These were cut off at ground level and will be burned too. The new canes are looking fine so hopefully all will be well.
Grenadier cooking apples
The apples are ripening fast and the birds are beginning to find them – time for netting.
Jobs for next week
- Check the apples for ripeness
- Continue pruning the soft fruit
- Keep the courgettes watered
- Attempt to put a net round the damson tree
- Continue digging out the alkanet
- Remove any strawberry runners
- Picking!
