Initially we'll post a monthly update with details and pictures about what we've planted up at Muriel Jones and what we've started to bring on at home. We use the kitchen table to do that, or a sunny window sill. As the growing season starts to really get going we'll provide more regular updates!
We'd love to say that the partially glazed greenhouse was now completely glazed. And heated. But it's neither. We're thinking that this year we might start again and build something bespoke that fits the space exactly but for now the table will once again become laden with seeds and seedlings. And we'll be eating on our laps...........
Sunday 24th January 2021.
It's snowed overnight - the Met Office with their Yellow Warning were right. We're waking up to about 3 inches. Will it last? Will it thaw? Will it rain? Will the girls - who are still in bed - see it? Who knows!
What's in the plot.
Well yesterday me and the girls walked to the allotment - neither were totally enthused by the idea - one wanted to drive and the other wanted to go for a longer walk. The lure of a hot chocolate heated up there on the stove did the trick and all was going well. Until I realised I'd left the milk at home..........
Anyway we followed the article we posted yesterday - here From Plot to Plate - Garlic - they've arrived! (trugandlettuce.co.uk) and planted the Solent Wight into the Somerset soil. Does that make them Somerset Wight? Who knows.
Anyway this is what we did:
The part of the plot that this year is hosting roots and onions. Our 4 year crop rotation. It's been sufficiently well manured, and raked.
Here are those Solent Wight bulbs - looking ready and excited!
And here they are released from the netting they came in and having been gently teased apart to form the individual cloves that we're about to plant.
New growth already starting to show on a few of the cloves.
Everything we don't need? On the compost heap.
We've set up a line - ok it's a cane - as we like to try and keep things tidy! Each clove is planted 6in apart - the length of the knife.
Which way up? Pointy end up! Gently pushed about an inch below the surface of the soil.
All 27 cloves are in. 12in between the two rows.
Protection - for now - from the birds and rabbits. Neither will get through that. We'll get some horticultural fleece over them shortly.
That's it for now. We'll keep an eye on them - especially when they start to show their tips - and make sure that we do all we can to protect them from the birds. Then it'll be some gentle hand weeding and watering when needed, ready for what we hope will be a bumper harvest in about July!
What's on the table?
Well a week or so ago we started chitting our potatoes - From Plot to Plate - Potatoes - it's time to chit! (trugandlettuce.co.uk)
Since then not an awful lot has happened - as you can see from this picture.
The one in the foreground is one of the new seed potatoes and you can see the eyes starting to develop. The one to the right of it is one of our own International Kidneys from last year that started to sprout in the kitchen.
As we said we wouldn't normally use our own saved seed potatoes but this year - and as a trial - we're going to see how we get on by growing one of our own alongside a new seed potato. But we'll be doing that in two separate containers - just in case the "certified disease free" that seed suppliers claim is correct (not that we doubt it).
We'll be keeping our own eyes on the potatoes eyes and hopefully we'll see some more growth over the next week or so!
What's up next? Well in the plot we're hoping to get our Red Baron onions in - once they arrive. On the table we're hoping to get our sweet peas and possibly broad beans underway. Once the girls are up........
Comments or questions? We'd love to hear from you! Get in touch through our facebook page or email us at hello@thetrugandlettuce.co.uk
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