Down on the Allotment

Matron grows vegetables and fruit in a Hampshire garden. I've been growing veggies since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Some traditional varieties and old favourites as well as new ideas. I share my garden with my allotment assistant Daisy the Labrador. On Twitter as @MatronsVeggies

Thursday, May 03, 2012

Warmth and Wet

 
 Well the rain has eased a little bit, but the soil is still completely sodden.  I grow my veggies on London Clay, so any digging or even walking on soil is an extremely sticky and muddy affair.  Still, some of my veggies are just loving it.  (I've just discovered the photo size button on this new look Blogger!)

 These Broad Beans Aquadulce Claudia have been shooting up given all this warmth and rain in the last few weeks.  They certainly need tying up as soon as I can manage it, but treading all over this wet, London clay soil might do more damage than good.
 
 Meanwhile back to the Purple Sprouting Broccoli, this is in full production at the moment.  The stems are tender and lovely.  In a couple of weeks the stems might be a bit more woody and quite spindly.  When you pick the main stem, then smaller side shoots emerge from the plant and just get smaller and smaller.
 
 The pesky Wood Pigeons have been walking around my patch and nibbling the PSB leaves.  I wish Leo would do something about it, but until he has his stitches out I am loathe to send him out on a 'hunt to kill' mission.
 Anyway, it's not all bad out there.  Raindrops on fresh garden veggies are stunning.
 You don't get to see this if you buy your veggies in a sweaty plastic bag!
And even more excitement! I took a trip to Ealing Riding Stables yesterday where you can load up with as much hot, fresh horse manure as you like!  It has to mature and compost down for a while, but this stuff is steaming!  It goes like a rocket if you mix it with freshly mown grass clippings! Light the blue touchpaper and stand well back!

15 Comments:

At 10:20 PM, Blogger Martin and Amy said...

Those broad beans and PSB look great!

The weather is a bit of a pain at the moment. But sunshine is coming... I think...

 
At 12:06 AM, Blogger LindaG said...

Your garden looks great!

 
At 2:59 PM, Blogger Shaheen said...

I've just planted my broad beans out. Yours are well in advance, mine are still only a few inches of the ground and hardly any sign of flowers. I have to admit the weather is a bit of a nuisance at the moment.

 
At 7:56 PM, Blogger Peggy said...

Hi matron, you are experiencing the same unpredictable weather as we are, your clay soil is holding the water ours is just to wet to walk on.You did not elaborate on how you got the 'steaming' manure home?!
Glad to see Leo is on the mend

 
At 9:02 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

isn't horse manure the most amazing thing...just think of the gardens back in the days of old when most everyone had some kind of 4 legged beast of burden or lovely thoroughbred?!!! you and the Pacific Northwest, both having copious amounts of rain...IF ONLY it could be packaged up and sent to dry areas...but then some of your lovely veggies might not be quite so happy!
Hope Leo stitches out soon!

 
At 9:17 PM, Blogger BrittanyGirl said...

I started half my broad beans in the polytunnel and just planted them out today. They are about 30-36" tall with flowers. The ones I planted outside at the same time are about 12" high. I used to be on clay too, but here in Brittany I have reasonable soil which drains well and I add lots of homemade compost too. Great manure source!

Sandra
http://livingin22.blogspot.com

 
At 12:11 AM, Blogger Petunia's Gardener said...

Raining here all week. There is hope for improvement tomorrow. Your tomato seeds are sprouting!

Your garden is looking very productive for all the rain you've had.

I, too, want to know if you brought the manure home in your new car. Have fun with it.

 
At 6:54 AM, Blogger Matron said...

Petunia's Gardener and Peggy - The new car isn't so new any more! What with Leo taking up residence in the back and my need to transport my gazebo and point of sale equipment to shows every weekend. A plastic sheet in the back did the trick. The smell is gradually fading!

 
At 9:39 AM, Blogger Ben Scoble said...

Good work...got the same broads, are doing well too. Although yours are bigger, bit cooler here tup North!

 
At 11:00 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

No broad beans here.. but I so agree about the raindrops on the fresh veg you are growing...

 
At 5:58 PM, Anonymous Beep pocock said...

I'm so jealous of the purple sprouting broccoli. And your broad beans are way a head of my Cornish vegetable garden!

 
At 12:38 PM, Anonymous Emma said...

Your PSB looks amazing, such large heads. We didn't have much luck this year at all. Ours was just coming out as the snow landed and it never really recovered. Still it was all the more special for not having much of it.

 
At 1:48 PM, Blogger Lrong Lim said...

My fava beans are also getting big... and yes, the birds do come pecking on the leaves of my broccoli...

 
At 10:49 AM, Blogger anonymous said...

Do you know if Ealing Riding school manure is pesticide free?

 
At 8:08 AM, Blogger Matron said...

I don't know that, but they have started selling manure in BIG bags instead of shovveling your own.

 

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