A little surprise!

Popped to the plot this morning and was shocked to see some bulbs sprouting!
I have this little bed that I planted some (past their best) bulbs last year - they did nothing so assumed they'd rotted. The bed was then neglected and had a wonderful crop of weeds.

So.... inspired by the works of Charles Dowding I set about making a no dig bed. I strummed the weeds, layer cardboard and topped with a layer of compost and manure - that was at the beginning of September. Today - 9th December, there are pretty much no weeds still but the bulbs are growing! Hoorah! All is not lost! Or is it? It's only December, too early for them to grow maybe? Who knows?!

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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Grow your own gardens and allotments UK

Just popped to the plot for a quick half hour....

I popped to the plot today with the intention of doing a bit of sowing, and leaving when I'd had enough, but 5 hours later....!

The tomatoes are still ripening - these are some lovely flavorita - will 100% be growing these again next year, they are so sweet!

These ring o fire chillies are also starting to ripen - just hope theres enough sunshine left to turn the rest red.

2  weeks ago I tied my courgettes up a support, spread seaweed around and fed with tomato feed - and guess what? They've all started flowering again, yey!

Out of 8 pumpkin plants, only 1 survived, and on this one grew 3 pumpkins, and only 2 made it! So well done to these two survivors.  Not quite orange yet, but last year I found putting them in the greenhouse for a few weeks soon turned them orange - so fingers crossed.

And heres my tamarillo tree (tree tomato), we had these when we were in New Zealand - they're fruit that my husbands aunty sliced up, sprinkled sugar on and left in the fridge over night, and we had them for breakfast and very tasty they were too.  So I bought one to see if they'll grow in Cornwall, its now doubled in size since a bought it, but it does have a very pungent smell... I'm going to keep it in the greenhouse over winter and my use bubble wrap or fleece as extra protection as I'm not sure how hardy they are (although they survive snow fall in New Zealand!)

I also planted a few things in modules and left on shelving in the greenhouse - spring onions, cavolo nero, peas (for pea shoots), broccoli, dwarf French beans (I've been told there is time for a winter crop - not convinced but giving it a go), chard - rainbow mix and mixed lettuce saladbowl.

And if that wasn't enough for one day - I emptied 2 compost bins and spread the lovely compost over a couple of beds with some horse manure, then covered over the winter.  Compost bins resited for the next year.  Pulled up what was left of the leeks, and tidied the shed!  Very pleased with my productive day.

A quick bolognese sauce

I guess like a lot of people - I have a LOT of tomatoes ripening. I couldn't bare not to use them, so whipped up a quick sauce, here's the recipe - it's absolutely gorgeous 👍

Ingredients

Butter

1 large chopped onion

1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs

All your spare lovely allotment tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

Dash of balsamic vinegar 

Large bunch chopped basil

Method

Soften onions in butter without browning. Add dried herbs and warm through for a minute.

Tomatoes - I blitz mine up before adding but you could chop, skins optional. 

Add crushed garlic, stir through

Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10mins. 

Add balsamic vinegar and basil, stir through and simmer for another 5 mins. 

Let cool for 10 minutes and pour in to sterilised jars, pop the lids on tight, leave to cool and label. 

I've made these before and they've kept well for up to 4 months.