Getting Ready for Winter

It's all coming on in the polytunnel.

Cosmic Carrots

Look at these beauties.

Gremlin in the Carrots

Finally and hopefully its safe to plant.

Peas, Sweet Peas, Borlotti Beans, Broad Beans & Iceberg Lettuce.

Purple Sprouting Brocolli

Cabbage & Sprouts

Garlic

Show me the way to go Gnome

Couldn't resist this little chap, now point the way to the plot.

Carrots are coming on.

So are the tomatoes and spinach beet

Fingers crossed for the rainbow chard.

Potatogate!!

Haunches for potatoes done, Pentland Javelin, Shetland Black and International Kidney Potatoes are now in.

Finally finished off new gate for the allotment too.

Purple Calabash

Look what arrived in the post today......

Its a rather sorry looking Purple Calabash tomato plant. I'm hoping its going to pick up as it was very droopy.

This is what the fruit should look like, so finger crossed. I chose it specifically for its ugliness.

Wind Damage

Not much to report other than some disappointing news. Sunday brought some high winds to the plot which brought down the staging in the polytunnel, today was inspection day. Luckily the cover wasn't ripped, but I've lost my leek seedlings and spring onions.  I don't know finally the snow and frosts pass and we're hit with gale force winds.

Potting Up

Chard was looking like it needed a bit more attention, so they have been re- are now in their new pots.

Tomatoes - Craigella, Rambling Red Stripe and Black Russian

all now planted up in greenhouse.

It's Digging Time!

Either I've been putting it off or the the grounds been too frosty. No more excuses today is the day to start defining the pathways and turning over the plot.

Before:

Defining the pathway:

Turning over:

End of digging day one and I'm cream crackered.

Wicking Irrigation System

Today was the day for laying the wicking irrigation system. Sadly I forgot to take photos but this is how I did it and I hope it works. I used 18ft of plumbers pipe, 1.25 inch thick (£12 for all the piping and joints). I sealed one end and drilled holes the full length of the tube.

I then wrapped the pipe in weed suppressant fabric to allow water out slowly and to stop soil blocking the holes. I then laid the pipe the length of the polytunnel  allowing the open end to come outside (as can be seen in the below picture). I then buried the pipe in about 2 ft of soil and planted my tomatoes on top,  adding water via the make shift funnel below.

Craigella tomatoes are planted above the wicking irrigation system and my Rambling Red Stripe tomatoes are planted in the hanging baskets below.

Nigel's Gnomes and my blue shed in the distance.

It's Sowing Time...or is it??

Tomato seedlings (Gartenpole, Brandywine and Black Russian) started before the snow descended in early March. Chitting Shetland Black potatoes, tried these last year, they were very tasty.

Gherkin, maincrop pea and rainbow chard seedlings.

 

Polytunnel Construction

Before and after photos of the polytunnel. The construction was completed in a weekend with the help of Nigel, Eddy and Brian. The tunnel was purchased from www.firsttunnels.co.uk who were very helpful and helped me get this 15'x12' kit in the back of my car. Construction was slow as the ground was sodden, knee pads are a must. 

Still happy with the final result.  Below shows construction of staging and a central raised bed. I've also used some old guttering to provide additional seed trays.  Next project will be to set up a wicking irrigation system, from old plumbing kit.