Brambles, and rubbish and newts oh my!

Good few hours spent at the plot this afternoon chopping through a forest of brambles! They were right the way across and approx 5ft tall!

But well worth the effort, a huge pile of rubbish cleared, can't believe what other people leave behind on plots, junk- 

But I also found allotment treasure, a shell, crock carrots and 2 fork heads 😆

just need to decide what to do with my new bed now 👍😎

Oh and found this little fella whilst declutterjng the brambles - I'm told it's a female smooth newt

Chilli jam

Just made some yummy chilli jam - made with a mix of chillies grown at the plot - ring'o'fire and birds eye.
Lovely with pate, cheese, cheese on toast - and a glass of red on the side 👍😎🌶🌶🌶

Recipe from the BBC
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/8257/sweet-chilli-jam

My autumn greenhouse - the big move around

So at this time of year the weather is getting colder, wetter and the crops are dying back - this especially goes for the tomatoes, mine were even showing signs of blight - so off with their heads! Here's a before picture...

Looked a little crowded, and the cape gooseberries self seeded in there, but unfortunately a bit to late to develop any fruit. The chillies cropped well but I've picked them to ripen on the window at home.

It took nearly an hour to chop it all down, bag it and rake it - here it is, my naked greenhouse....

 

Next I added 3 bags of compost to replenish the nutrients for my winter crops - can't quite believe the colour difference, not sure why the big difference, maybe something to look in to?

 

So after raking the fresh compost I applied a fine layer of blood, fish and bone, there were a few chicken manure pellets mixed in the bucket too.

Firstly I planted 2 purple sprouting broccoli - these I bought as plug plants.  I actually bought a package online which included psb, mixed brassicas and leeks - I've decided to sow half in the greenhouse and half outside....

Next I made holes with the dibber and dropped a leek in to each one - these were then watered, not tucked in though as the earth will gradually fall in or the leek will grow to fill the hole - or a bit of both, but this method usually works well and produces a good crop.

These spring onions I sowed from seed 3 weeks ago, they're now big enough to  come out of the modules so I've planted these in the greenhouse and will plant more seeds for the next crop.

So heres the left side done - back to front, psb, an experimental planting of dwarf French beans, spring onions, lettuce and a courgette that I felt sorry for...

In the middle at the back I've planted 2 cavolo nero kale - first time growing these, and I'm also going to plant some outside.

And that's it - it rained the whole time I was there so its a good job all the work was indoors today.  Still have the other half of the brassicas to plant out tomorrow, but the forecast is a lot brighter - lets hope Mr Weatherman has it right.

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