Plot Update - May to June

I've pasted pictures from my post of  2nd May: "Brown is a Colour Too" and added pictures taken this weekend for comparison:

The view from the end:

Potato Patch:

Alliums:

Legumes with the fruit cage beyond:

Fruit:

Fruit Cage - reverse view.  Black is a colour too - now that's stretching it!

Add to this my newly planted out Brassicas and carrot tent:

Dwarf French Beans and Sweetcorn beyond:

And it's just about full house at the plot!

It Must be Wimbledon

One of the things about having an allotment is that it can be some distance from your home. Our's is 3 or 4 miles from home. We rarely visit the allotment during the week.  As a result things can change a lot from one visit to the next.  Usually there are a lot more weeds. But sometimes there is a nice surprise. And here's this week's:

These are Marshmello.  We bought them as seedlings a year ago and transplanted them from a raised bed to the allotment this spring. They seem to have responded, but we were still cautious until our first taste today...

 They live up to their reputation. They are delicious.  Perfect for Wimbledon.


C'mon Andy!

Rain Rain Rain

In the last 24 hours we got our wish: Rain!!!

Pretty much the first for a month. See the following link to the wonderful weather station at RBGE "Royal Botanical Gardens Edinburgh"

Edinburgh's Weather May

Watch the blue filled bars

We got 2cm on 18th May 1/2cm on 20th May and then... pretty much nothing until now! (June's graphic not available until the end of the month, but I can assure you we got nothing)

Even better I'd just about finished weeding so the rain is benefiting the veg not the weeds.

It's been so busy lately (watering, weeding, netting, creosoting (don't ask)) that I have not taken any pictures.  All I have to show is the late brassica sowing.  3 cases of very poor germination. Probably my fault for assuming that brassica seed remains viable for years.  Interestingly two of the poor performers were treated seed. It seems possible that once the seal has been broken the treatment may be counter productive in successive years. The most flourishing pot is Hungry Gap Kale. Subsequently I have read that this particular brassica HATES being transplanted - so that was a waste. Fortunately there's half a packet of seed left so all is not lost.

Late Brassicas

I'm big on kale this year - Cavelo Nero, Hungry Gap, Sutherland Kale. Next spring could be interesting!

Next time - lots of pictures!

Mal's Big Bonanza

Cue the music: (Steve Goodman - At the Barnyard Dance)

We got tomatas:

We got salads:

We got raspberries:

Carrats:

We got peas:

and potatas:

Currants:

and beans:

and celeriac???

Aww,  let's call the whole thing off

Summer's Late Arrival

It's become a tradition with us to monitor the brood of the single pair of swans on our local pond.  They usually arrive in May but hung on until June this year.  Six is the same number as last year, when they all survived.  Unusually two of last years brood are still hanging around, although they are now fended off by their parents.

Today we had our first significant rain for a couple of weeks. It's been sunny on some days in Edinburgh too - other days the sea influence has allowed the sun through by 4 in the afternoon. So whatever comes we got some summer in 2013!  The sweetcorn are planted out, so I'm ready.

Allium Alliah

I mentioned my flowering alliums in my last post, and here they are

They're putting the "black" tulips in the shade

They are "Purple Sensation" which burst on the scene about 5 years ago.

You may suspect that the allotment has been neglected of late with thee flower posts.  But fear not,  the courgettes and the sweetcorn (remember them) have been planted out under fleece.  The runner bean wigwam is up and 20 bean plants have been planted today (along with 18 Sungold French Bean plants)

Here they are before they went out:

Meanwhile the crab apple tree is putting on a spectacular: