Fruits and labours

Two visits this weekend, plus a few during the week, have got the allotment to a point where I can almost feel pleased with it. All the raised bed kits are in, there is black plastic or weed suppressing fabric down everywhere, and some of it is even covered in bark chippings. The area round the six small beds actually looks quite nice.


I ran out of weed control fabric and was forced to improvise with flattened-out bark and compost bags, which did most of the rest of the site. There was much hard work scraping weeds off a patch of ground that I fear I have cleared twice already. The weeds were mainly nettles, thistles and dandelions; a couple of very unwelcome bits of bindweed; and the ubiquitous scarlet pimpernel, speedwell and the purple flower that I think is some sort of vetch.

The courgette plants are in, although they need staking, and I also planted the two tiny corn plants and the chili plant that was a birthday present. The courgette plants looked thoroughly collapsed in Sunday's heat but have reasonably good roots, so I think will be all right. I have limited hope of sweetcorn from two plants, however.

I cut some pak choi and mizuna; most of the pak choi has bolted in the hot weather. I also picked broad beans and made the unpleasant discovery of blackfly on the broad beans, so took internet advice and sprayed with soapy water. The beans are settling in well now and some are even climbing the poles, and there are lots of mange tout seedlings.
Still no flowers on the potatoes, however, and some variety of beast had been at my one ripe strawberry. The final bed is for sowing carrots and beetroot. I went mad yesterday evening on a seed website and now have lots of green leafy things I can sow for an autumn or winter harvest; there are also 24 purple sprouting broccoli seedlings at home, some of which will have to be given away if they all make it.