Been busy paving at the allotment

Last night I promised myself a day of rest after a fairly busy time so what did I end up doing?  Laying paving stones at the allotment and planting out the peas!

My tall peas supported by an excellent purpose built runner bean frame. 

I bought a bean frame for the peas.  It is a purpose built frame with hinges on the top and bulldog style clips to hold the netting on.  It was very easy to put together and if it holds up to the wind I will recommend it.  Around it I planted Turners Spring, Table top and purple podded peas which I sowed in 1/4 seed trays and then hardened off in the cold frame at home.

I then planted the first thing in the raised beds. some Hatif d'Annonay peas which form sturdy plants and need no support.

Hatif d'Annonay Peas.  Apparently these need no support. We shall see.

I then stopped for lunch in my shed which gave me some time to admire the view and enjoy all my hard work over the last year.

After lunch I then started on laying some more of the paving stones around my shed.

These will give good access to the shed and compost bins.

I just need to add another row at the front of the shed to enable us to sit out and to easily get by the shed doors when they are open and I'll be done.

All the plants are doing really well.

The rhubarb has gone mad!

The radishes will need thinning soon.

The potatoes are growing fast.

The leeks are getting really tall and beginning to thicken up 

and the spring cabbage is beginning to make heads after their disastrous start.

All in all a very pleasant day down the allotment even if I didn't get my day of rest.  Who needs rest anyway if there's interesting stuff to do instead!

My allotment progress 17 June 2013

I managed to dig up another patch of weeds left over from the previous holder and have got my courgette plants in.  After I dug out the weeds I dug a large hole for each and filled them with nettle tops. I have plenty of those growing round the old compost heap!  I then topped them up with compost and planted a plant in each hole.  I have also made a wall around each to stop the water running away when I water them as they like plenty of food and tons of water.  The dull humid air today should be just right to get them started.

The iceburg lettuces were all growing in clumps so after weeding I carefully dug some up and transplanted some.  I hope they continue to grow.

The beetroot is doing well and the radishes have gone mad!

I have got loads to take home.  Radish is one of my favourite veg but I have never been successful growing it in my garden.  It's supposed to be easy to grow too!

This one is the daddy of all radish!  It had gone woody unfortunately but it is still the biggest radish I have ever seen.

The onion sets are really liking the open ground of the allotment and are growing nicely.  Next week, when the days start to shorten is when the bulbs start to form.  Hopefully I will get more than the pickled onion sized onions I get from growing them in my garden.

The broccoli is growing well too.  It is protected from the pesky pigeons that hover around the allotment sight in the evening waiting for everyone to go home so they can munch on the cabbages and broccoli. 

 Growing out the side of the old compost heap is a comfrey plant.  As you can see the bees are loving it.  Even when I brushed into it they refused to move!