Tue 1 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny spells and showers
Progress : A picking session for ourselves and our son and his family. Picked a Sweetcorn for myself this evening - it was delicious - as were the runner beans. Did the weeding and path edge along plot 2.

Wed 2 Sep 2009
Weather : Mostly wet with strong winds
Progress : Just a quick picking session today. Also had another purge on the caterpillars. On arrival I noticed that someone had opened my shed door but nothing seemed to have been disturbed inside.

Thu 3 Sep 2009
Weather : Showers and very windy
Progress : Delivered five bags of fresh horse dung. Arrived to find that the Runner Beans had collapsed in the wind, rather as expected. I was tidying them up when one of the other allotmenteers came by and said what a pity it was that they had fallen over. I told him that they were a new prostrate variety that didn't need sticks! I don't think he believed me. Plenty more caterpillars to destroy - especially hard to find in the Curly Kale. I had to take the entire crop of Desirée Potatoes to the tip today as they were blighted and rotting fast.

Fri 4 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny spells. Still windy.
Progress : No work today as we were looking after our grandson. However, we did take him to the allotment to let him pick some Apples and a bit of veg.

Sat 5 Sep 2009
Weather : Some sunny spells.
Progress : Did a bit of picking and a lot of talking today. Someone has finally taken over the second half of my adjacent allotment after it has been unattended for months. The new occupier is quite chatty and obviously knowledgeable and compenent. Started to cut up my collapsed Runner Beans. Found a few Raspberries to pick. Back at home I had to discard nearly all of the Catriona, Kestral and King Edward Potatoes which have all succumbed to the blight in storage.

Sun 6 Sep 2009
Weather : Some sunny spells.
Progress : Did the caterpillar round first of all. Cut up some more of the fallen Runner Beans then topped up the compost with fresh horse dung. Used the Onion Hoe a bit to grub up some stray weeds. Pulled some really good sized Carrots.

Mon 7 Sep 2009
Weather : Some sunny spells
Progress : It looks as if someone has been into my shed since I was last there but closed the door up again. Did the caterpillar round again. Cut up some more of the fallen Runner Beans and composted them. Did a bit of weeding alongside the centre path between plots 1 and 2. Picked off the remainder of the Apples. Took some Coloured Swiss Chard to a near neighbour who has given us some magazines.

Tue 8 Sep 2009
Weather : Warm sunny spells
Progress : Did some weeding around the gourds and tidied stray foliage. Picked a dozen Cucumbers so I will put the surplus at the front of the house for passers-by to take. Dut up some more Runner Bean foliage then topped up the compost with fresh horse dung. Still plenty of caterpillars to squash.

Wed 9 Sep 2009
Weather : Cooler with sunny spells and showers
Progress : Delivered some more bags of fresh horse dung. Did some selective weeding along the top of plot 3 and around the compost areas. Finished off cutting up the Runner Bean stems and managed to salvage a few more bean pods. Attacked the caterpillars again. Watered the Peppers and Aubergines.

Thu 10 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny spells
Progress : Mowed the grass paths and trimmed some of the edges. Went on the caterpillar hunt again. Picked quite a few Lettuce and Cucumber as they are prolific at present.

Fri 11 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny spells
Progress : A flying visit to get some Courgettes and Curly Kale. Squashed a few caterpillars whilst I was there. Put out some Cucumbers and Lettuce at the front of the house today. Some kind soul left 40p! Later, a man called at the house to thank me for leaving the vegetables out but wanted to enquire what they were and how to cook them - he was refering to the Cucumbers.

Sat 12 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny
Progress : Started with a bit of selective weeding also tidying a few path edges. An allotmenteer asked to borrow a watering can for which I obliged. I also managed to unload some Lettuce and Cucumbers on them. Watered the Asparagus, Aubergines and Sweet Peppers. Cut the first of the Sweet Peppers. Had what is probably the last picking of the Climbing French Beans, the remainder being left to dry as Haricots. Had a very nice sandwich of our fresh salads for lunch.

Sun 13 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny
Progress : Tidied the centre path on plot 3 and did a bit of selective weeding. Tied back the loose Loganberry runners. Pulled the first of the Leeks. Sorted through the few remaining caterpillars. Topped up the water tank in area 1. We got more than our 'five a day' off the allotment today - 5 salad items for lunch then 7 vegetables for dinner!

Mon 14 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny and windy
Progress : Went along basically just to pick some veg for dinner. Whilst there I chivvied up the caterpillars then watered the Aubergines and Peppers.

Tue 15 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny start then rain later. Wind
Progress : Watered the Dwarf French Beans, Aubergines and Peppers. Attended to the caterpillars. Picked a nice selection of veg for dinner.

Wed 16 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny spells. Still windy
Progress : Attended to the caterpillars. Did a bit of picking. Allotment holders meeting this evening.

Thu 17 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny spells
Progress : Delivered some bags of fresh horse manure. Watered the Dwarf French Beans, Aubergines and Peppers. Found some butterfly eggs on my green watering-can so presume the butterfly thought it was a giant cabbage. Attended to the caterpillars. Picked a nice selection of veg for dinner. Used the Onion Hoe around plot 2.

Fri 18 Sep 2009
Weather : Overcast
Progress : Attended to the caterpillars. Did a bit of picking plus a bit extre for our son and his family who return from holiday today. Used the onion hoe through plots 3a & 3b.

Sat 19 Sep 2009
Weather : Some sunny spells
Progress : A short picking session. Watered the Asparagus.

Sun 20 Sep 2009
Weather : Some sunny spells
Progress : No work today as we went out for a long lunch.

Mon 21 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny spells
Progress : A harvesting trip. Did a bit of watering whilst there.

Tue 22 Sep 2009
Weather : Some sunny spells
Progress : Topped up the compost enclosures with liquid waste. Mowed the grass paths then lent my mower to another allotmenteer. Was stopped by a novice allotmenteer wanting to chat and seek advice (we've all got plenty of that. I always say that what I don't know I make up!). Watered the Asparagus then watered the Blueberries with tea dregs. Did a good bit of harvesting for us and our sons family.

Wed 23 Sep 2009
Weather : Damp morning
Progress : Hand weeded part of plot 3d. Watered the Aubergines, Peppers and Cucumbers. Picked a good variety of veg for dinner.

Thu 24 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny spells
Progress : Did the regular daily picking of veg for dinner. Watered the Asparagus, Cucumbers, Aubergines, Peppers, Blueberries, Raspberies and Loganberries. Sprayed weedkiller on the central paths also the bindweed where possible. Also applied some weedkiller to some of the larger Dandelions in the paths.

Fri 25 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny
Progress : No work today as we went on a trip to Liverpool.

Sat 26 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny
Progress : No work today as we were in Liverpool.

Sun 27 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny spells
Progress : No work today as we were in Liverpool.

Mon 28 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny
Progress : No work today as we were returning from Liverpool.

Tue 29 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny spells
Progress : Caught up with the watering. Pulled up ther roots of the Climbing Beans to hasten the ripening of the pods. Had a general harvest which included the first of the Squashes.

Wed 30 Sep 2009
Weather : Sunny spells
Progress : Started by Pulling up the Dwarf French Bean plants and cutting them up for compost. Harvested the large pods to dry for Haricot beans. Topped up the compost enclosure in area 2 with fresh horse dung. Used the onion hoe to weed some areas. Had a good varied haul today including Courgette, Squash, Carrots, Leeks, Cabbage, French Beans and Lettuce (a nice Cos variety given to me on the allotment in return for the loan of my mower recently).