Water butt needed

I moved a water butt from the bottom of the allotment and took a bin from home to the plot, only so we can catch as much water as possible for the summer months. Been going to move the bins for months but never did,so while it was raining last week I took them down. To get the water into the butts I pushed some drinks bottles onto the guttering, then extended them to reach the butts so now we can save water.

2nd attempt at making pickled red cabbage.

This is my second attempt at making some pickled red cabbage,I did manage to get some pickling vinegar so will see what this tastes like.

Just a little veg

I Went to the allotment just before Christmas to get myself some veg,only got a couple of thing for dinner as we had some already in freezer. All I could fetch back was some carrots and leeks,think that what I have left to dig up as well and a few cabbages (red).

Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas and New Year to you all and all the best for 2013.

Seeds I have

aubergine ophelia vs
beetroot cheltenham green top vs
brussels sprouts brilliant vs
broad beans imperial green longpod vs
carrots senior
cucumber burpless vs
cauliflower all year round vs
cucumber telegraph improved vs
carrots paris market atlas vs
cabbage primo vs
courgette green bush vs
chilli pepper cayenne vs
carrot resistafly
carrot flyaway f1 vs
courgette jemmer f1
pepper chilli long slim
chives organic herb
dwarf french beans vs
florence fennel zefa fino vs
little gem
leeks musselburgh vs
lettuce all year round vs
Marrow long green bush
ailsa craig onions vs
arther main crop
onion ishikura bunching
pea onwards vs
sweet pepper redskin
organic h hot pepper hungarian wax
parsnips tender and true
raddish mixed vs
spring onion white lisbon
suttons white lisbon suttons
swede best of all
swede ruby
sweetcorn minipop vs
squash turks turban vs
sweet pepper sweet spanish mix vs
sugar snap peas vs
swede marian
squash waltham butternut
sweetcorn kelvedon glory f1
tomato money maker
tomato garderners delight vs
tomato money maker vs
tomato garderners delight vs
turnip golden ball
tomato garden perie
rhubarb
melon canta charentais

also have some half packs




flowers

candyfuft spangles vs
alyssum carpet of snow vs
nasturtium tall single mixed vs
Blaze of fire salvia
clarkia elegans duble delight
sweetpea late spencer mix
primrose mardigras mixed

Pickled red cabbage

Thought I would try and make some
Pickled red cabbage, I had a wander around the net for some ideas. The one I went for was to use some pickling vinegar,but our supermarket I went to didn't have any in. So I had to use standard malt vinegar then try to get some pickling vinegar at a later date,I have some now so will use that next time.

I chopped up some red cabbage into small bits and put into a bowl,then I covered the cabbage with salt and left all night to let the salt take the water out of the cabbage. Then I rinsed the cabbage the next day to remove the salt,then sterilised a jar and filled the jar with cabbage and vinegar. It is quite nice but i will make some with pickling vinegar and see how that tastes.

Not enough time

Wow what a week I've only been to the allotment for about 2 hours this week,beginning of the week it was frozen and end of week a little wet. Another thing that didn't help I was on Jury Service for the full week,so by the time I got home it was to dark to go and do anything. I don't think I will get anything done this week unless we get sent home,it's another week on jury service so half of me wants a trial and other half wants to go home.

I still have a few things that need doing at the plot but will have to wait to do it,i think last year I was all sorted when it came to Christmas just don't want to start to panic.

With all this spare time I've had this week I could of done loads of blogging,I wish I could do more blogging but always find something else to do or just lazy and do nothing at all.

Weed helper

This is my little weeding helper it's half a pallet and some carpet tiles,it saves me getting muddy and spreads my weight.

Short visit

I only went to the plot for a few hours over the weekend and didn't do much, I took juke with me for treat so he can have a wander around. Only thing i have done was take up all my white cabbages / broccoli that has gone rotten, also removed some of the netting that was covering them up. I've stored the netting in the shed I say stored just thrown it in,i also removed the stakes that was holding it all up. Once i get chance Most likely be weekend i will weed what I can between the cabbages,I might even try and pickle some of the cabbages.

Mixed bag

It's been a mixed bag of weather this week we have had rain/snow/frost,so couldn't spend much time down in the plot. I did manage to pop down once during the week and do a spot of weeding,I only weeded a all section and it was so muddy I should of waited. Anyway that's another section done and out of the way,just a couple more parts to sort then I can hang my boots up for Xmas.

I got myself some new boots this week because my feet are alway wet in the others,this time I went for some wellies that i haven't had in years. Think I was a kid the last time I had some,so fingers crossed these will be ok for me. I had to get a smaller size to the normal boots I get,my feet must be shrinking as i get older.

Sprouts

Seeing that I never have done very well with sprouts this year I decided to take them all up,I did get some sprouts from them not a lot but a hand full to make tea.

Covered up and feet up

The area I covered up with leafs was around 25ft x 21ft so quite a few barrows of leafs,once I'd finished covering the ground with leafs I have to sit down. I must of moved over 30 wheel barrows full of leafs,and the section was in the middle of the allotment. So must of walked 80ft + to the leafs then the same distance back again, so i had to put feet up for a cuppa before i fell down.

Weeded and covered

Finished weeding another section this weekend and managed to get it covered up,but what I did was weed as much I could then cover with leafs then put some sheeting over it. I don't think i have the time before new year to dig it over, so hoping wetting the leafs and covering it over it will rot down a little. If not i will dig it in next year and see how it goes,I have some leaf mould from last year which I've made and will be on the soil next year,if it doesn't work I know yet year not to do it again you have to try these things.

My trusted trowel

My trusted trowel has giving up this weekend and decided to go separate ways,think I may if over used it a little but will save it and make something out Of it.