Allotment Views

I just couldn't look at the compost bin anymore so I spent the best part of 4 hours on Sunday clearing the bind weed from around the compost bin and weeding some of the beds. It was a dirty job but my God it needed doing!
Looks much better now but I'm going to have to clear some more around the bottom as it's near impossible to reach some areas. (I just know there is a nest of bind weed down there plotting revenge!)
I thought that I would take some more general photos of the plot as most of my pics are close ups and it looks rather nice and green at the moment. :)
NEWSFLASH: We can't get any slug pellets as there are restrictions on buying it in bulk. (Phospahates and Nitrates restriction from recent attempted bombings in the UK) The allotment shop has none in stock until further notice. We are now using bran??!

Tidy compost bin!

Towards the back of the greenhouse

I weeded the sunflowers and courgettes as they were getting approached by mares tail!

Weeded the front beds too as this was just a bit messy. Unfortunately we lost the Kohl Rabi!

Bran?

No, we haven't started making breakfast at the plot but apparently slugs eat bran and it dries them up like a stick so we're giving it a try as there are NO slug pellets at the shop!!

I managed to make a collage of the front of the plot. Must make a panoramic view!

Produce popping up!

It's all looking really, really good at the plot except that we have both neglected the weed situation so everything is growing on top of each other! Bind weed has made a come back and is suffocating the strawberries, fennel and the compost bin. The turnips have been severely nibbled which is very annoying but the fennel is doing really well. Broad beans have been massacred again and we have various squashes growing out the back that will hopefully surprise us when they grow their produce. We have pumpkins, courgettes, marrows, butternuts and Karl's favourite 'pink banana'!
Apparently the carrots are at baby stage if we want tiddly tasty ones but otherwise we can pick later on for big ones! Probably an idea to pick a few now to start thinning them out. Must make mental note to pick carrots in the evening else the carrot fly will smell them!
Onions are brilliant although I'm sure we planted more than I can see. Shallots look very tasty already! Runner beans are shooting up and seem to be clear of blackfly (Hurrah!)

Nibbled Turnips

Probably the last of the rhubarb but what is eating the poisonous leaves? Weevil?

I give up with broad beans... :(

Pumpkin? Butternut? Pink banana? Courgette? Marrow???

Strawberries are running again. Need to keep them off the path this year!

Fluffy carrot tops and marigolds!!

Fat sunflower leaves - these are (hopefully) going to be mighty tall!

Yellow Courgette!! Fabulous looking produce!

French bean

Big onions

Shallots

Sweetcorn

Runner beans running high

Fennel hearts

Fennel Tops

Bind Weed Flowers

Compost bin under attack...

Blackfly, Beans, Bottles and Booty

It's all growing but being attacked at the moment! Climbing french beans aren't climbing much, blackfly has invaded the broad beans again, turnips are being nibbled by something but the carrots are doing brilliantly!
Runner beans are also getting a fair amount of blackfly but I'm getting myself up the allotment as much as I can spray the buggers off with washing up liquid mixed with water. Broad beans have been hit hard and you can see the damage they cause in a week. Hate them!!
We stuck all the beer bottles and cans from the BBQ on top of the bean frame to keep the birds off - they poop on the leaves! Onions, courgettes, sunflowers and tomatoes are also doing rather well. Will have to stake the tomatoes before they get heavy with fruit and flop over. (One thing that annoys me about tomatoes is that they are a bit flawed - top heavy with thin stalks - daft really!)
The back of the plot is gradually being dug up and progress is starting to happen. Now that I have my booties I can squelch in the muddy bits and get all that couch grass out!
Both myself and Karl have picked all the strawberries (bucket loads!) and Karl is now making Strawberry Wine in his demi-john pot thing.

Climbing french beans...errr?

Nibbled Turnips

Prize winning carrots maybe?

Ill looking broad beans

The perils of blackfly - blackened stems and leaves

Runners gradually climbing

More carrots!

Onions & Shallotts

Sunflowers!!!

Yellow fruiting courgette - should be interesting?!

Bottles and cans keeping the birds off with their 'reflecting' qualities

Cherry tomato plant

Looking green and plentiful!

Strawberries Galore!

Strawberries which Karl is making wine with!

Get a welly on!

I've had to take a brave step and buy some plain old green wellies. No flowers or purple stripes, just plain old wellies. With so much rain going on at the mo I need something waterproof on my feet! I'm going to have to decorate them somehow tho!
Karl and Dave are off to Glastonbury so of course they're wellied out too! :D

Allotted Time

I've started reading this book called "Allotted Time" which I picked up in the Fopp DVD/CD Shop on Queen Street. It's actually a refreshing read as you can sympathise with the two guys desperately clearing land to grow veg.
They build a shed with the conditions that it cost no more than £10 and be able to house both of them to drink tea and talk bollocks. Their quest to define the difference between a shrub and a tree as well as their discovery of God who is in fact, Bob Flowerdew!
Recommended!!