Friday 11 October 2013

First season's harvest

Today I just had to remind myself that although the allotment looks quite empty and overgrown in places and frankly a little neglected, I have achieved quite a bit in the first six months. 



Not everything worked as well as I had hoped; quite a few crops were attacked by slugs, squirrels and birds but at least I did not get any carrot fly. 



My onions were really quite small but hopefully next year when I know what to do with the soil they might look a bit more presentable.


And although most of my bean plants were eaten by slugs, the two that survived produced plenty of french beans and broad beans. Enough to keep the kids happy, more would have been too much. I can honestly say I did not suffer from glut. 



I think I got about one and a half courgettes even though the plants looked fabulous and had lots of flowers on it. I will do a bit of reading up on this and hope for better next year.



Rhubarb, blackberries and raspberries were had in abundance, this had nothing to do with me, they were there already. Having just read the article about splitting rhubarb clumps in the latest issue of Grow Your Own magazine I know what to do next and they might even survive another couple of years.


Last weekend though I think I picked the last of the beans, carrots, spring onions and blackberries. But there's plenty of apples on the trees (pears have disappeared somehow) and they are great for eating and apple sauce. Jam season might be well and truly over but chutney and piccalilly  might be on it's way with lots of green tomatoes and plenty of cabbages still growing. 


Lots to learn but I should be pleased with these first crops.