A Voyage Round My Parterre

It is time for my warts and all annual review.  Viewed from the East it is not very photogenic.

The view from the East End

In the foreground you have rows of brassicas (turnips, kohlrabi and swede) which I have as catch crops between the asparagus.  Very few asparagus fronds came up after the last winter.  I will be filling in the gaps next spring.  Beyond the "asparagus bed" are next year's strawberries (Malwena) and a row of cucurbits. Aside from the Romanesco Courgette bush there is little to show.  Beyond that is:

Sweetcorn

Sweetcorn.  Really just an exercise in thumbing the nose at the naysayers who don't think it could possibly be grown in Scotland. It can - just!

Beets and Fennel

Beyond that we are on safer territory with beetroot, fennel, Swiss chard and lettuces.  The beetroot this year has been very boistrous and I am hopeful that some of the bigger "roots" will survive well into the winter. Once they get gnawed though they won't keep, so some will be coming home for home storage in the coal cellar. Next is the remnants of the allium patch.  Just a few shallots from seed left aside from the stalwart leeks. Beyond that is...

Allium Patch 

The carrot temple.  Looks rubbish but is the key to keeping the crop free from the tunnelling root fly maggot.

Carrot Temple

On past a row of scorzonera I am growing for a laugh, there is a solitary parsnip and 4 half haearted  celeriacs. Then 3 rows of winter spinach (Amazon/Medina/Winter Giant) Only sown recently I want to see if any can survive rhe ravages of winter.

Spinach + Parsnip + Cleriac

Finally, to complete the run from end to end, we arrive at the potato patch.  The main crop is still showing impressive folliage, I think you will agree?

Main Crop Potatoes

Earlies + Artechoke

The earlies have been harvested but there has been an unplanned  reemergence of last year's Jerusalem artichokes smothering one corner of the patch.  Turning through 180 degrees here is the single tubor I purposely planted in order to establish a new patch for the future:

Next Year's Artechoke

Moving to the Northwest corner to start the return sweep here is my fruit cage.  The first of the three bays has goosberries redcurrants and  new jostaberry and gojoberry bushes.  The current cropper is....

Fruit Cage

Blackberries:

Blackberries

The middle bay is chocka with raspberries (Joan J producing Glen Ample and Glen Moy finnished but not yet cut back).  Then the third bay was Marshmello strawberries but these have been grubbed up after a poor showing.  To use the netted space I have planted out some spare brassicas in the hope of overwintering them. Already I have some casualties but the Daikon Radish is looking happy - and needing to be thinned.

Late/Early Brassicas

Also squeezed in are some very late sown peas.  Hopefully I will be as happy as Monty Don in a few weeks if these come good.  In the background is a fill in row of flowers where the early peas were!

Very Late Peas

Beyond them is a patch of green manure (clover) where the later peas were, and then there is a riot of runner and French beans.

Beans and Green Manure

The last "room" is the brassica patch proper.  Not particularly pretty but a stalwart of any allotment.

Brassicas

Brassicas reverse view.

After the photos some harvesting:

I hope you enjoyed your tour of Mal's Edinburgh Allotment.