Made new 'friends' down on the allotment...

My Favourite garden centre opened this week, with the winter vegetables all ready for me and my trolley, however I needed somewhere to put them once I got them...

I had a section of the lottie where my dad had put some lettuce and cabbage, but there was loads of room there and it seemed perfect so I started to get it cleared (between coffee's on the neighbouring plot and much idle gossip about the 3 new tenants on the plots this month). The lettuce and cabbage that had gone over I decided to put into bags for Les to take to the tip for the council's recycling as my compost heap is overflowing at the minute. It was during one of my chats that Kevin, one of my neighbours noticed the bags, he told me I'd make friends for life if I tipped them over the fence that runs along both his and my allotment.....

so I did....look who came running.....




And I do mean RUNNING! From the first thud, the heads shot up and they ran at my fence, I half jumped and hoped and prayed that they'd stop in time..

I've got to say, I'm over the moon with my new recyclers, they seem to be quite happy too :)



Although one of them seems to be a little over friendly, My phone got a lovely lick as I took pictures... you can imagine the noise they made too as I walked away.



Apparently I should look forward to a visit each time I'm down from now on, waiting for an old cabbage or cauliflower. Well it could be worse I suppose. And I have a lovely clear plot ready for my winter vegetables. :)

We have progress...

Thought I'd do a progress blog post tonight.... Didn't think there'd be much to update with the way the weather has been, dry, windy and dryer again.... however....


I HAVE PEA PODS!! woohoo, I have never been able to grow a pea plant that has established and actually flowered let alone pod :D Noticed this morning and it turned my grey morning right around again.

So I thought if I was updating that then I might as well take a few pictures of the other things that are taking shape on the lottie.... here goes....


My flowers that I put in to attract the bees etc are looking pretty now :) I thought my Dad was mad when he mentioned putting plants in that 'I couldn't eat?!!?' hehe...


The bees were out in force this morning too, I caught this one on one of the raspberry canes..bzzzz

The Veg in the mini-greenhouse is shooting off too, it's waiting until June for the last frosts to go before I can get it out, I cant wait!!



My potatoes have shown thier heads, and here's me thinking that there wouldnt be much happening!!


The farmer was nice enough to leave some marure for everyone so that was my first glamourous job this morning!


Cut and come again lettuce, yum yum!


Jessie's patch is shooting up, she'll be over the moon at the weekend when she see's her red sunflower plants.


Jalepeno chilli plants got a bit wind battered so they have been rescued and potted on.


Rhubarb is HUGE! You can see the size of it compared to my spade in the background which is a standard size.


My red/white onions and shallots.


Brussel sprout plants...


Cabbages are awesome!!


Dad's desert is looking good too :)


Yay I have apples on my tree, I dont know which kind yet because this is the first year on the plot, I'm hoping they'll be edible.


I've started to pick my lettuce and take one at a time up for my lunch, I've sown some more so will hopefully have a nice crop all summer round.


Blackcurrants, I've never grown these and I'm not sure when they are ready to harvest...will have to ask my dad....again lol.


Looks like I'm in for some cherry tomatoes soon...


Had to put some netting on some of the brassicas, the wood pidgeons took an interest in the purple cabbages...grrr...


Well, phew, considering I didn't think there was going to be much to update I certainly made the most of this blog post lol.

My new bike and random radishes.....

My greener future just got a little greener today.... I bought myself a push bike, nothing flashy, just a ladies 15 gear Raleigh but for £20 it couldn't be sniffed at really. I'm over the moon with it, it's a little weird getting onto it after 10yrs, but as they say, you never forget. Its going to be ideal for getting me the mile or so to the Lottie.

Also I bought my new copy of GYO magazine (I love that magazine) and got some new radish seeds, Cant wait to get them in, I've never seen any like this before....random radishes...


I've not been down the Lottie much this week, I'll be there a while tomorrow (weather permitting) My dad was down on Friday night putting some of his lettuce and cabbage into his 'desert' (the patch of land on the Lottie that I said he could use this year, was originally the burning area by the look of it lol) He says for a first year allotment it's looking really good, (especially, I think, as I haven't had it 6weeks yet.) and he took this picture for me.... I have to agree, it's looking fab... :)