Tuesday 24 March 2020

Allotments are safe (for now)

We awoke to an email from our council telling us that our Allotments were closed after the news from the Prime Minister last night. SHOCK! But I had just seen that Michael Gove MP had clarified that allotments can stay open as a source of exercise. It's simple - just practise social distancing!

allotments are safe - a stubborn optimist blog - C Gault 2020

Andrew was on the case in a flash and tweeted our council twice about the discrepancy and within a couple of hours it was all sorted out and things are fine again. Our little haven and extra food source is safe and open - phew! - big sigh of relief = Aahhhhh-llotment. Let's just hope it stays that way!

Sunday felt like a proper summers day but sadly I felt too mentally ill to go to the allotment. Andrew ventured forth however and got the first harvest of forced rhubarb (Glaskins Perpetual). Joy! - we hopefully will eat it tonight in a crumble. He also got more purple sprouting broccoli- oh it was delicious in our tagine :)
forced rhubarb - yum - a stubborn optimist blog - C Gault 2020


Andrew also bought in lots of grow bags and compost to the house so we can grow extra food on the
patio this year. The idea being we can help out family and friends with fresh veggies when needed. So
far we've had 100% germination on everything so we have a lot of seedlings.

compost and grow bags - a stubborn optimist blog - C Gault 2020

We've got Broad Beans (The Sutton), Spinach (Amazon F1), Radish (Scarlet Globe) and Turnip (Purple Topped Milan) hardening off in the wee makeshift cold frame at the minute and they look great.
cold frames outside- a stubborn optimist blog - C Gault 2020

 More stuff is in the greenhouse, with candles lit if its going to get near freezing:

  • Beetroot (Boltardy)
  • Leek (Musselburgh)
  • Spring Onions (White Lisbon)
  • Cabbage (Greyhound)
  • Mangetout (Oregon Sugar Pod)
seedlings in lean to greenhouse- a stubborn optimist blog - C Gault 2020

And lastly we have celery and celeriac in a heated propagator, they are slowly coming up.
seedlings in heated propagator - a stubborn optimist blog - C Gault 2020

Yesterday saw Andrew bring the big potato pots up home and one wasn't emptied! Surprise spuds and
they look and feel beautiful - we'll take any happiness we can get
surprise spuds - a stubborn optimist blog - C Gault 2020

In the coming days there will be lots more sowing done. Plus the newly chitted potatoes (Pentland
Javelin) need planted.
We usually do this on St Patrick's day but the weather was awful this year.

That's enough for now I think,
Be safe, be kind, look after yourselves
Hugs
Carrie

8 comments:

  1. Growing on the patio - means you can get to it more easily.

    Going shopping tomorrow as we go into lockdown midnight Thursday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, we're quite excited to have 2 plots :) Planning where to plant things on the patio and think it's going to be good.
      Good luck and best wishes with your lockdown xx

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  2. I was so relieved to see that we could all continue plotting. That rhubarb looks good as so do those potatoes, enjoy both. Goodness you've been busy and done well with all those seedlings. I'm growing the same broad beans but sowing mine direct. Take care. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We were devastated to be told the allotments were going to be closed, all is well now. It's more important than ever these months. We have been busy and continue to be so. we will be doing succession plantings of things so many thing will be direst sown too. It's quite fab to have two spaces this year to do more :)

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  3. The problem is getting the stuff to other people as you can't visit.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think it will be too bad - a simple text or phone call and leaving things on the doorstep. No hugs though :(

      Delete
  4. Hello sweetie ! I am so glad you have this outlet still .. not only for the wonderful veggies .. but that amazing link to growing plants with such a bounty ! but nature itself .. that means so much to us.
    We are still rather cold and gray here .. but compost and a new barrow are on my list .. it is just a case of when we can go purchase my treasures ? LOL
    Kingston is very quiet .. and rather locked down ... so it will be a relief to get in the garden when we can .. enjoy all your goodies !

    ReplyDelete
  5. it is weird all this lockdown stuff but if it helps then I don't mind! We were lucky and thought of our local garden centre needs before lockdown, she's only up the road a minute so we have all the gardening stuff we need :) Loving these seedlings more than ever this year - I really am. And to have food growing outside the kitchen window will be fun - it's amazing what you can grow in containers and grow bags!
    hugs and love xxx

    ReplyDelete

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