Thinking forward

We are looking to create a series of fixed raised-beds at the patch with grass paths running between them. I have been trying to calculate where the beds should be, bearing in mind that we have crops that will be standing over the Winter months.

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The Uchiki Kuri squash were grown in a bed that had been filled with manure, but my initial calculations had a path running through it !  So this morning we have been recalculating the layout so that the manured area would be fully utilised.

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The area has now been weeded and dug over and we will fix boards along the edges before adding more manure to raise the bed.  We will plant garlic here in the next few weeks and plant more squash when the garlic is harvested in June next year.

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Marina di Chioggia

This wonderful squash originates from the seaside town of Chioggia near Venice. The Italians use it for many local dishes, including a rather tasty gnocchi.

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We grew two plants in a container of manure next to the compost bin and they have run riot. We have been cutting their leading tips back  to encourage the plants energy into the fruits and have been rewarded by three monsters.

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The one shown here was hanging precariously from the wire fence, so I decided to remove it for it's own safety !

 

Sunny September Sunday Morning

We've just got back from a productive morning down at the patch. Heather planted a row of daffodils which will be used for cut flowers in the Spring and I took down the enviromesh that was protecting our leeks.

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The picture shows our late-sown carrots (Autumn King) in front of squash (Uchiki Kuri). Behind these are our leeks (Bleue de Solaise and Autumn Giant), then sweetcorn with Love-Lies-Bleeding in front of the brassica cage.

Guildford In Bloom 2011

Heather & I attended the Guildford In Bloom Awards Ceremony yesterday evening and were delighted to receive a Gold in The Best Allotment category.

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Apples

Two years ago we set about creating a step cordon using 1-year-old apple 'whips'... two 'Egremont Russets' and one 'Sturmer Pippin'.

In the first year we had problems with insect damage and last year we lost nearly all of the blossom in late frost.  This year, however, all three trees are producing some fine fruit.

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September Harvest

All of our crops have given us a good yield this year.
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In June I blogged about the 'Early Crookneck'  Squashes we had grown and they are continuing to provide us with these yellow, courgette-sized fruit.  We will certainly grow more of these next year.

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This year we grew a yellow variety of courgette called 'Jemmer' and a pale green 'cousa' variety called 'Trieste', which was supposed to be one of the best flavoured... it wasn't and it looked anaemic when used in a salad.  We will be growing a dark-green variety next year.

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A 'patty pan' variety of courgette, 'Sunburst', is being grown in among the sweetcorn giving a good yield and cucumbers 'Marketmore' are being grown outside, providing us with some nice fruit.

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Our winter squashes are doing remarkably well and I will write more about them when they are harvested.

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