First Strawberries Of The Season

Yesterday I picked my first crop of strawberries off the allotment, they're late this year due to the weather, it was very cold through May and June.

Yet again it's the plants planted through black plastic that are well ahead of the others.

The older row are three years old this year, so it's their last. As I did before, I'll root runners, grow them on in pots back at the house and then plant them out afresh in the autumn.

Tattie planting time

It's tatie planting time again, good job my allotment is now completely dug over. 

We had some dry warm weather last week so I ran my tiller machine over the bottom half of my plot and planted my potatoes.

I use the method I've used for years now as it seems successful and saves all that messing about with earthing up.

I dig a trench about 2-3" deep, put my seed potatoes along it and then pile the earth up over the potatoes to a depth of about 9" high digging another trench as I go. 

I've planted 5 rows this year, 1 row of first earlier, Foremost, and 4 rows of main crop Desire, I've selected both of these varieties because they are slug resistant, a big problem on my plot.

Don't forget if you're planting reasonably large seed potatoe you can cut them in two so that each piece is about the size of a golf ball, as long as they both have a growing eye on them. A great way to increase the number of plants, so increase the yeald. 

Start Of Pricking Out

Lovely sunny day here today, so I've been in the greenhouse pricking seedlings out.

Onions, cabbage and leeks are starting to sprout. Been pricking out Statice Blue and Dwarf Stocks, some for the garden and some for the allotment for cut flowers.

Digging All Done

Started digging my plot at the begining of January, with the aim of completing by the end of Feb. Finished the slade spade full this week, it's all ready for planting out as soon as the weather warms up, certainly not this week.

Not many allotments with a view like this.

Clearing out the greenhouse

Spent yesterday and today getting the greenhouse ready for this years seeds.

Started off my sweet peas (mammoth mix and mammoth scarlet) as they don't need the heater on. Had a great harvest of flowers from them last year, so thought I'd try a very red variety as well as the mixed. 

Itching to get more seeds started but it's expensive to have the greenhouse heater on so I'll give it a couple more weeks.

Seed Potatoes

I was in the local garden centre today and the seed potatoes were on sale, it's early to be thinking about planting them however in previous years I've been caught out, when I've been back to buy them later in the season many have sold out and what they have have gone soft from sitting in the warm shop for weeks on end.

Not going to get caught out this year, I've bought the following today.

Desiree - Main crop, 3 x 2kg bags. This should be enough for 3 rows, maybe 4.

Foremost - First Earlies 1 x 2kg bag, This will give me 1 row.


Slugs are a constant problem on my allotment so I've chosen both of these varieties because of their slug resistance.

I don't usually bother with chitting, but since I have the seed potatoes already I will start them off.

A New Begininng

There may be snow on the ground but it was a beautiful sunny day so I started my winter digging.

My aim is to dig the entire plot by mid February, so it's all ready for planting as soon as the weather warms up.

I'm not a great one for excessive weeding, so my aim is to turn the soil over so the weeds are buried and upside down.

I'll try and dig a section every 2-3 days.