New allotments Autumn 2010 Chat

dogstarheaven

in mine, i think i'll put in some late salad stuff like carrots, lettuce and spring onions (altho' i didn't get any this yr from a different bed). the soil should be ideal for carrots as they love it really fine and stone/lump-free. just make sure you re-dig the soil to ensure that all the little potatoes aren't left in there as these will come up next yr...

the onion bed has now been replanted with phacelia so hopefully that'll flower in time whilst the bees and other insects are still active (are they?)

loucroft

Get some runners in your old potato bed x

wen3

Thanks for the suggestions:)

dogstarheaven

just got back from the lotti and harvested (yet again!) more yellow crookneck summer knobbly squash x 3 big ones, one courgette-come-marrow! and two big and heavy cylindrical v. pale green/white squash (variety anyone?); 4lbs of runners and french beans. most of the runners now are being given away as i've decided not to grow these anymore. french ones are much nicer, methinks...

saying that, the 2nd batch of runners i've sown last month are just started to come up... at least we'll have some kind of bean to eat sept/oct time when there'll be little else.

also, picked the last of my summer cabbages 'greyhound'. these were well ready about 2/3weeks ago, but left them and now they're getting badly damaged by slugs... that'll teach me for being complacent!

loucroft

Fantastic to hear you've harvested lots, am going tomorrow to weed and water but I think we have a few its that are ready. Not sure whether we should be pulling out the white turnip (swede?) as they are a good size, or to wait

L

dogstarheaven

i would of loved to have find the time and energy to have started swede off earlier as i love it in stews and for mashing with carrots for our sunday roasts... i think they're meant to be cropped in the winter like nov onwards... if they're big enough why not? i think if you wait till the frosts come, that'll help to get them taste sweeter.. well, i think that's what i've read about them before, i think!???

loucroft

dogstarheaven wrote: »

and two big and heavy cylindrical v. pale green/white squash (variety anyone?);

Sweet Dumpling

dogstarheaven

it's actually a Spaghetti Summer Summer Squash as i discovered on an Open Day at some allotments i went to yesterday...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Spaghetti_Squash_700.jpg

loucroft

Fab, welldone. I actually saw one yesterday and it was much paler in colour than sweet dumpling. How does it taste?

timmmers

loucroft wrote: »

I wish we could grow eggs and bread too!

Someone does "grow eggs" on our allotments, has chickens on there lol It's allowed as long as you look after them well which means daily visits AFAIK. They look awfully happy, wish I had time.