Summer may have begun...

The potatoes are forming flowers. I had a rummage today and there are some marble sized potatoes forming. 

Potatoes are monsters taking over their bed!

The broccoli and calabrese equally monstrous!

The greenhouse is also growing a treat with first tomatoes setting nicely, cucumbers growing and peppers popping!

Runner Beans

Runner beans have started to run!

The potatoes are growing well...

Tomatoes are setting first fruits...

The raised beds...

Herb Garden...

Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. With mint planted in a large pot and buried to stop it running wild!

Before...

After...

First May Bank Holiday Weekend

The Veggies...

As I predicted, no serious rain now for over a month!  Had I have planted or sown at the allotment it would have meant evening watering sessions.  A real chore being able to only use butts and watering cans!  However look at my raised beds...

 

The potatoes (first early) have shot up in two weeks!  I keep a second sowing of seed potatoes (first early) in the fridge for a second crop after the first.  I've successfully done this at the allotment for five years.  Onion sets are taking off.  Pak choi bolted (I've researched this, apparently they are day neutral plants and require equal day and night time so too early to have planted will sow more later in year), broccoli doing well and seedling beetroot, carrot and radish appearing!

 

 

I heard on Radio 2 today (Monday Bank Holiday) that we are a month behind with regard to the weather, and not to plant runner beans out for another three weeks!  It's Location, Location, Location!  In my little sheltered site mine are doing really well!  I may well have to eat sour grapes, but it was 22 Centigrade today!  Broad beans popping up!

 

 

Potatoes and onions mixed together, I wonder who will do best!  Bet on potatoes!

The Greenhouse

With the last few weeks of sun The Greenhouse has taken off...

 

Tomatoes obviously enjoying their sunny aspect!

 

 

 

The cucumber was also a grafted 'Mini' variety.  Grows to about the same size as a gherkin.  First fruits already set and it's only May 6th!  The Greenhouse is unheated by the way!

 

 

Getting Started...

February Half Term

Having decided last Autumn to scale back the allotment and hopefully run a quarter plot, I began planning my new 'Small Veggie Patch'.  Here's what I started with...

 

Just a tad neglected!  Last year the greenhouse stood here, but with plans afoot, it was moved to the other side of the garden and rotated by 90 degrees.

February was horrid, cold and freezing.  So I waited until April and the Easter Holiday.

 

The Easter Holiday

More snow!  Nothing achieved!

Late April...

Things speeded up this month, and on one very cool but sunny weekend things started to change...

 

The raised beds were less than half price at the local garden centre with a reduction for buying four!  I haggled!  Each are a metre square and took six bags of compost to fill...  I multi-purchased so had to share out as best as I could!
It took two weekends to get to this stage...

 

By the end of April the beds were planted up.  The plants are probably a little close, but my theory is that I can monitor them more closely and water more regularly than Mother Nature is at the moment!

The Greenhouse

The same weekend I also planted up The Greenhouse...

 

The green pots with water reservoirs are fantastic!  I used them last year and whilst away for a week over May Half Term, I arrived home to find tomatoes in excellent health!

 

The peppers in the large pots were grafted plants, a little expensive at £3.99 each but supposed to give more fruit that normal plants, we'll see!

The Garden

Spurred on by gradually warming weather, I tidied up the rest of my garden clearing beds etc...

 

I live in Hertfordshire at the north end of the M25.  The garden about 75ft long and this is the north side of my house, so the veggies are bathed in sunshine all day long and protected from frost by the neighbour's large conifers at the end.  This photo was taken looking south.