THE PLOT 14

June seems to be THE month for crops - so far. Here is the first shot of a haul after a plot trot one day. Except for the mint, which came from the garden, everything came back home with me from the allotment the second week of June.

The middle of the month provided me with a couple of days when I could spend a couple of hours working the plot on two consecutive days. The above shot shows the mess-patch up front. Sited between the weed bin and compost bins/shed, this area contains this and that all thrown in together. You will find tomatoes, peas, 2 types of bean, cabbage, turnip, corn, and even one brussel sprout!

Here we see the main strawberry bed which has so far given me 4-5 bowls of fruit - YUM! Behind it are several healthy nasturtium plants, which I will use the leaves and flowers of in salads when my tomatoes and onions are ready to munch. Alas, there should be a dozen melon, squash, zuchini...but every single seedling that grew got munched up by something. Past that, is my artichoke and onion bed, partially weeded, with the former broad bean site fulled weeded, composted, and ready to go - except I have a few garlic still in situ.

Here is a shot of today's work - my former broad bean and garlic patch fully weeded, edged, and tidied up. I still have several garlic to pull once there is room on the kitchen windowsill to dry them. I have also popped in a dozen or so tomato plants. Behind to the left are my first earlies - almost ready - potatoes, and behind right is my fruit area - where the gooseberries are getting fatter, blackcurrants begining to ripen, and raspberries galore - still looking somewhat brown and dry. (Never mind, it is raining as I type)

My final shot from mid-June shows the second 'new' strawberry bed with the onions behind and it is surrounded by the salad spuds with the main crop behind. All looking nice and healthy at the moment...

THE PLOT 13

The first Saturday in June arrived and as well as spending a half hour then 2 hours down the plot watering, weeding, and attending compost and horse muck, I brought home a large shopping bag filled with crops.

I had harvested 8 stalks rhubarb, my first 4 spuds of the 2016 season, more than 165 broad bean pods, and my first bulb of garlic. the very next day I brought back another 4 large stalks of rhubarb and 20 broad bean pods...

June continued to be extremely prolific in the way of crops, especially broad beans. The second weekend arrived and here we go -

- two more bags filled with crops arrived back home. Exciting as it was, it still meant much time standing at the kitchen table shelling almost 1000 broad bean pods...

...which took me around 3 hours total. I was begining to wonder if I would ever get through them all, despite being able to store 3 large freezer bags filled in the freezer for use over the upcoming months, as I stood there shelling bean after bean after bean...

I have now cleared the two broad bean patches - one was getting its first few blackfly and the other a spotty leaf problem - and I was already with plenty of beans, so not in need of letting the plants crop a second time after picking.

SUMMER SLOSHING 15

Here you can see how I planted a couple of the left over birthday flowers. Below you can see how my phone table in the entryway is currently looking - along with the geraniums on the lower hallway windowsill.

Above is my kitchen windowsill - showing my carrot tops grown for greenery in winter and my last birthday flower planted 'in case'.

Next up, we are back to the toilet painting - it does not look good enough after 2 coats on the walls, definitely calling for a third coat to be applied. Going downstairs to the lower hallway and my trailing geranium is budding - then flowering - adding some pretty color to the lower hallway entryway.

And here it is after 3 coats all round - hmm.... it is going to take 4! Never mind, I have half a pot left!

Finally for today - mid-June gave my kitchen windowsill a rather occupied look - as varying plot crops dried out - from garlic to broad beans!

SPRING CLEANING 46

The ceiling was finished - it took just two coats of the yellow paint my friend Liz gave to me. It covered the murky dirty-white ceiling easily and looks lovely. 

I did the ceiling on Thursday in the daytime, and then painted the undercoat on the walls that evening after work. I waited til I got home, as my son had by then gone to work his nightshift. I figured it would be easier to have the paint dry by the time he returned in the morning than have him not bump wet paint.

As you can see, the undercoat barely covers the old orange-mushroom coloring. It is going to take 3 coats on the wall, whereas it only took two for the ceiling.

On Friday, I polyfilled a line of small holes running down the wall seam. I had not bothered before as it was behind the door - but I had polyfilla over and thought I would make a nice job of it - even if it is only the toilet!

It is surprising how easy real polyfilla is compared to the cheap brands, despite being able to get huge tubs for around the same price instead of just a tube. Liz was worrying I might not sand it down prior to painting - lol - but it barely needs it when you use the real thing, as it sets smoothly and doesn't go lumpy and stick out.

My birthday flowers have finally almost ended - though mostly I have planted the stalks 'just in case'. I did toy with putting the left overs down on the hall table....but gave up the idea and planted them instead!

THE PLOT 12

Here are photos of my two clumps of broad beans. The first were sown into the ground and ignored til they surfaced, then watered. The second bunch were likewise treated but began life under the poly of the former cold frame. As I write, it is the final week of May and I took my first 10 pods home!

The rhubarb continues to astound me. I do not recall dad's ever being so productive at home as I grew up when he grew a plant in the back yard. This is what it looks like AFTER three dozen stalks have been removed for consumption!

Here is my artichoke and onion bed. As you can see, after wondering if they would or would not appear, the artichokes have surfaced! The onions are doing well - mostly. They are growing well in green stalk and also building the bulbs.

As May began to crawl to its close, I had a lovely surprise one bleary-eyes (before 6am) Tuesday morning as I sipped my coffee. I blinked my way through my emails then opened Facebook - to find out that I was the winner of a contest! You can see the video HERE.

https://www.facebook.com/billagardener/posts/1784106828479353?pnref=story

(I am still awaiting the prize arrival...)

The final week of May arrived and here is my cropping for the last Saturday of the month ... a dozen broad bean pods.

(As I post this blog I am just done with the broad beans having pulled both clumps this past weekend - and have cropped almost a 1000 just this weekend!)