one of my last reports stated that I would be moving and giving up my allotment but after 3 months of commuting from eastbourne to london and finding that is not all that bad we have decided to stay put for the time being and have got back into the allotment with a new purpose. This year is proving to be a lot easier than last year which was our first. This year we can concentrate on the weeding and planting as most of the laying paths and building of the shed is now done.
I spent a sunday with my son weeding half of the beds and then this weekend just gone we all went to the allotment to finish the weeding and to plant some broccoli and broad beans.
I am feeling quite excited about the plot this year, more so than last year because we have seen what can be done in a whole year and returned in the spring to find everything in pretty good shape.
The spring has bought us a good supply of purple sprouting broccoli and rhubarb and the chery tree is already blossoming.
I still have a few building jobs to do this year. One of which is to sort out the path all the way down through the centre of the plot – we just have to wait til l the people sprouting is finished then I can pull them out and edge the final stretch of the path. It got quite annoying last year to run down a central path for three quarters of the plot and then have to edge around the bean and broccoli beds to get to the shed.
I have already started a sketch of this years planting plan so will post it up here soon.

Anyway, just wanted to announce my return. More posts and pictures to come.

Spotted some really big Magpie Inkcaps the other day whilst walking up to the top of the south downs near Firle. They were about a foot tall some of them and were all over the place – looking very mysterious.

Here are some pictures.

Sorry to report that I am probably going to let go of my Allotment. I have taken a new job which will mean moving away from Eastbourne.
It’s quite a shame as we waited 4 years to get an allotment, we spent quite a lot of time and effort in getting the plot in shape for our uses and now we are having to let it go.

I have all of my seeds from the recent post out – so I am going to give them to a friend that has just been given an allotment.

I may post a few more things here – but I think it is actually the end of the allotment blog – once I move house I will come back with news about my new garden – or next allotment.

I love courgettes – I really do – I just wish they would produce one fruit per week and not try to squeeze one out every day.
I came back from 2 weeks away to 6 huge ones (nearly 2 feet long) about 6 medium sized ones (about 1 foot long) and about 10 normal sized ones (about 8 inches long) and I only have 4 plants.
I know that 4 plants is too many – but last year I grew only one plant (which should have been perfect) but the main stem snapped under the weight as it tried to twist and grow its way out of the bed that I had planted it into.
So this year I grew 4 – and germinated them 2 weeks apart from each other, and staggered the timings that I planted them outside too – but alas – the last week of July and the first week of August has produced a massive glut – and they are still coming.
I have already made about 25 jars of pickled courgette and 4 jars of pickled roasted courgette which look very much the superior product (can’t wait to try these in a month or so).
Next year I will be planting a few plants only – and may try the yellow ones or the summer squash type – that look like flying saucers.

Anyway – here is a picture of the stem of my largest monster – after a few large ones had been removed – it’s truly monsterous….

My purple Kohl Rabi are growing well – and have so far escaped the slugs, butterflies and local rabbits – despite the fact that I have not netted them.

Looking forward to seeing the balls swell up – although again I have made the mistake of planting way too many in one go – I should have staggered the sowings – that’s a lesson to remember next year.

The Rhubarb have suddenly started to thrive too – now that it’s too late to really pick any stalks – looking forward to a bumper harvest of the Rhubarb next year instead.

Whilst weeding in the evening yesterday I disturbed a young frog.
Glad to see that I am not the only one tackling the slug problem.

I am loving the characterful flower heads that have emerged from our Sunflower plants. Each one has its own twisty-ness and withered-ness.
I had always assumed that sunflower heads were big and yellow – but the yellow bit is actually quite small on the varieties we have on our plot.

had a BBQ on-site on Sunday. I thought it was a good idea to buy a pack of sausages and to take a tiny BBQ that I was given as a freebie last year. It took about 90 mins till the all coals were white – and then about another 30 mins to cook the 8 sausages. In this time my 4 year old asked me when lunch was going to be ready about 90 times.
Not sure I’ll be repeating this – although the sausages were pretty good once they were cooked – although I would have eaten a scabby horse by 2pm that day.

Just been chopping up some pallets to make a beehive style composter. I’m planning on making three of these. I’m quite happy with the results so far – although it has taken up 3 1/2 pallets and I still haven’t done a lid.

I think they might need a bit of grey/dark green or black paint.