Tuesday 25 May 2021

Allotment Growing - May 2021


This month has been wetter and cooler than usual for the time of year. This is partly due to the jet stream in the high atmosphere moving south and trapping the UK into cold air streams from Greenland and the North Atlantic. However - we've had some nice days and sunshine. I've got a fair bit done on the plot, although I am a bit behind due to the weather.


My Elephant Garlic - planted back in December, is growing really well. I'm looking forward to a good harvest and I'll start in June. As the saying goes with garlic "Sow on the shortest day, harvest on the longest day."


I've been sowing and growing Peas back at home, using cardboard tubes. This means that they can be planted straight into the ground without disturbing the roots. I'm now planting these out onto a prepared bed, with support from some wire fencing for them to grow up.


I'm pleased with my new compost bins, constructed from old pallets. I'm now moving compost from the old bins. Once they are emptied I'll have space for some new growing beds. I'll then close out the left hand bin, so that the compost can continue to rot down for use in Spring 2022. The right hand bin will be my "live bin" and I'll continue to fill it through the rest of the year.


In my "wild area" the Comfrey is flowering beautifully. Its full of bees, exactly what I wanted. In due course I'll harvest some of the leaves to make liquid fertiliser.


I've had some lovely days and evenings on the plot, with more to come and hopefully better weather as the season moves into June.