Friday 29 July 2011

Little and large

This made me chuckle, I had to share


Now I know that neither is enormous but the large one is about the width of a coke can!  This was supposed to be a Long green ridge... the one on the left is a cucino a mini variety which is cropping fairly well!  Better than any of my other cukes.... I've only had the fat one above and my other cuke is the crystal lemon featured below.  LOL

Apart from that I've had and eaten my first beef tomato, well the first one that I;ve grown myself,  I HAVE eaten other grown beef tomato's...  I ate it so quickly I didn't photograph it!  I also had my first yellow tomato from the allotment YUM really tomatoey!  sorry ate that one fast too!  In the next week I should start getting a regular supply as I have a few that are blushing through to red!  YAY.

I seem to remember posting that I had just picked my first courgette a week or so ago... I picked eight on Tuesday... Five fairly good sized green ones and three small yellows.... PHEW  then another at home last night... God knows whats in store at the allotment tomorrow!

I have caved... In the slight panic of what to put in the ground next... I have ordered plants from the tinternet webbamy bob.  I ordered an autumn winter brassica collection (Kale, broccoli and cabbages) a winter salad collection and an autumn winter oriental veg selection.  I now think that was too much at 64 plantlets per collection (sweating slightly) one has turned up already!  Others not due till end of August!  So tomorrow Mum and I are digging up the onions and we ARE going to plant all 64! 

I have also had a brainwave....  coffee grounds are good for the garden no??? I work in an office with its own costa NO???? YES and for the past coupla days I've been taking a bucket of grounds home!  Get in... I have also taken loads of cardboard.  I plan to weed and plant through this in an attempt to  keep the weeds down....  I would have taken more than one pallet too but I couldn't lift them on my own... I will get them though!  FREEBIES are great aren't they! 

I have to finish at the Lottie tomorrow by three as I'm having my hair done at 5.  I also need my eyebrows doing....I will need to de-allotment myself too (hose down) so the hairdresser doesn't take three paces back on sight!  I then need to make sausage rolls for 50 for a christening on Sunday... Phew  then I think I will collapse (pastry IS a good way of cleaning out finger nails tho....)  I'M KIDDING!  :o) 

Anyway things should start to be really busy at work from next week too  EEEEK!  Wish me luck!  :o)




Thursday 21 July 2011

Is it Chilli in here?

Well as mentioned in some of my earlier posts, I have a few chilli plants on the go .... (okay 20) and as I haven't really done anything at all plant wise due to all the rain, I thought I would share some pics as they are all starting to fruit!

 This one is labelled Hot Rainbow.... But

So is this one and as you can see they are completely different!

This is facing heaven schezuan



And this is a Hot Chilli Shake!  Kindly given to me by a friend!  :o)



  If you can see them, these are Ring of Fire :oX

 and on a completely different note this is my Crystal lemon cucumber!  Whoever said I was growing tooooo many cukes was clearly mad as I've had about four "Mini" ones and I have this and one ordinary one on the way!  This plant is over 6ft tall so this cucumber had better be DAZZLING!

 And this is my one indoor Aubergine, you can't see on this but despite being ignored, in the smallest pot possible etc etc, there are two YES TWO fruit coming on it!  The outdoor ones are doing nothing, its far too cold and wet.

I do hope the weather will dry up a little so I can get to the allotment and so some work, and that things will start to ripen too.  In the meantime I hope you've enjoyed my indoor show and tell!

I'm off to put the heating on (YES it IS July) cos it IS a little chilly round here after all

Chat soon X

Friday 15 July 2011

Evicted!

Hi All

I hope that you've not given up on me!  I've been terrifically busy in my new job and trying to work at the lottie on my days off and keep the level of dirt at home down to non plague proportions.... :0)

Anyway it was with great relief that I went into my mums yesterday as we were babysitting for littley, and my brother dolefully said he has had a call from the allotment committee who said they are taking half of the allotment back and are going to give it to someone else!  "YIPEE" says I!  "What!"  Says he...

YIP bloody PEEEEEE... I've lost sleep over the state of the bloomin' (literally) place!  Never mind the veg, the weeds are as high as an elephants eye!  I shall be sad as I have planted some Jerusalem Artichoke in that area but that was all - I shall hope that the new person will agree to share!  I will move a few strawberry plants down to my end but I think that's all!  I may even take the hedgetrimmer down and have a little tidy round for them!  So brother dear  You can be as sad as you like but no work means no lottie!

The bottom half is nearly all in use (nearly!) and in production but it really is all I can manage by myself and I've said so for AGES!  In fact every time I go I'm embarrassed so YAY someone else will now benefit from having an allotment which is always good!

I went for a quick look yesterday to see if there were any courgettes worth picking (not really but did anyway) - So impatient I was to pick my first courgette!  I also picked a little gem, peas, some oregano and TWO sticks of rhubarb!... I had to balance it all in a pouch made in the front of my Tshirt by folding it up as I hadn't taken a bag!  LOL I must have made a sight.

Anyway the home garden is coming along - nearly some courgettes here, squash are growing apace (inches daily) with some fruit showing... we will hope they are fertilized.  I have a "proper" cuke growing at last!  AND a red tomato!  I may ACTUALLY get a whole salad!  Chilli's are coming along well too and seem to have decided to fruit all at once.

So all is going well at the moment...

No Not a bit ashamed at being evicted WOOO HOOOOOO :o)