Announcing the 2009 Carrot Harvest

A much earlier announcement this year. You will recall that last year, the announcement was made on October 15th, the day that the DT announced that "Brown was taking over the banks". At least this year there is only news of JP's and John Cleese's divorce settlement!

Well, we have done a whole lot better this year, although the crop is distinguished by some very funny shapes. Only scant evidence of the carrot fly so far, so suggest you get down and dig some carrots.

Another odd-looking potato

Is it a heart?

Or another part of the anatomy?

Sunflowers

Irene gave me a pack of seeds on Christmas Day and these are the result.
One of the flowers has grown to around 8 feet tall!!

Does this remind you of anything?

Tunnel Vision II + other visions

Here are some photos of the allotment to see how we have progressed with the planting. There is only a very small area of bed 10 that is not under cultivation.

Masonry Bees?

One or two people have said that we have a bees nest in the new soak-away. However on closer examination it looks as if they are collecting clay for their nest and are burrowing into the clay to collect. Kathy Sweet reckons they are masonry bees. Difficult to capture on photograph, but you might be able to see a honeycomb effect at the bottom of this photo.

Tunnel Vision

Have now planted out 4 types of tomato, Golden Sunrise, Alicante, Money Maker and F1 Big Boy!, 6 plants of each. 3 Sweet Pepper Rainbow in a bag plus another 3 in pots and 3 each of 3 types of chilli peppers in bags. There are also some cucumber plants awaiting planting out. We have six tomato "grow pots" on trial this year, but apparently it is not advised to fill the outer reservoir for 2-3 weeks after planting in order for the water roots to develop properly.

MARES TAIL 2

Don't want to go on and on about this weed, but we do need to keep a careful eye on it especially on the asparagus bed as it could ruin the shallow rooted plot!

Barry Wharton told me of a good way of keeping it at bay. He says to let the weed grow a bit and then pinch the stem. Next, paint to cut part of the stem with an artists paintbrush loaded with 4% RoundUp and it will kill the weed back to the deepest part of the root.

The stem itself is waterproof, so you have to treat the cut stem

I have made up a small jar of solution and it is on the shelf in the shed

First Earlies in

Richard has put the First Earlies in the plot as specified in Geoff's diagram. Variety is 'Swift', a very early variety with excellent cooking qualities, skin white, flesh cream, tubers oval. Selected for resistance to worm! 8 remaining sets in polytunnel for anyone who wants them for home use. Have tried to get the bed looking neat and tidy in keeping with the wonderful appearance of the rest of the plot!