Thu 1 Jul 2010
Weather : Overcast and breezy
Progress : Did some more strategic watering and weeding. Covered some of the Brassica seedlings with netting as there are signs of Pigeon pecking. Our son and his wife called in and noticed that there was a nice crop on the Cherry tree which I had intended to remove so I picked them before the birds got to them. Dug a few more Foremost Potatoes which are still nice and clean and are gaining in size. Did some infill sowing of Parsley, both Moss Curled and Plain Leaved, and Kasle. Sowed a row of Cabbage (Durham Elf) in plot 3d. A report on the radio today said that the last six months had been the driest in 80 years.

Fri 2 Jul 2010
Weather : Wet morning
Progress : No work today.

Sat 3 Jul 2010
Weather : Sunny spells
Progress : Took along another pack of 8' bean canes as I was just short of a few last time. Did some weeding to clear the few remaining weeds including some of the central paths. Watered the Currant and Gooseberry bushes. Had a good picking of Raspberries. Cut down and composted the remainder of the Spinach Beet then covered the arisings with surplus horse dung raked off the plots. Pulled the first Carrots. Cut a Cabbage.

Sun 4 Jul 2010
Weather : Sunny spells and hot.
Progress : Picked some Loganberries. Did a bit of watering and weeding. Dug a few Potatoes.

Mon 5 Jul 2010
Weather : Some sunny spells. Hot.
Progress : Sowed some Spinach (Emelia) in plot 3d. I had held off because of the continued dry spell but decided I could not wait any longer even though no rain is forecast this week. Put up netting around the Blueberries onto the framework of canes that I did earlier. Planted a few Runner Bean seedlings to augment the weaker plants. Watered the Beans then had a good picking of Broad Beans, some of which I will freeze. Had the last picking of Strawberries. Picked some Raspberries and Loganberries which I will freeze.

Tue 6 Jul 2010
Weather : Sunny spells and hot.
Progress : Did the customary watering and weeding. Dut down and composted some of the old Swiss Chard from plot 1. Picked a few Loganberries and Raspberries. Had a picking of Broad Beans and dug a few Potatoes. Also pulled a couple of small Carrots.

Wed 7 Jul 2010
Weather : Overcast and muggy
Progress : On the way to town in the morning I noticed that my shed door was open. I went to investigate and found that some contents had been tipped out but nothing appeared to have been broken or taken. Spoke to another allotment holder who said he had seen the perpetrators last night and had taken their details to pass to the police. I sent a message to the Town Clerk to advise the allotment contact persons. Went back later and picked some Loganberries and Raspberries. Also picked some Broad Beans, pulled some Beetroot and dug some Potatoes. Much of this will go to our son and his family. Did a good bit of watering whilst the sun was in.

Thu 8 Jul 2010
Weather : A drop of rain. Sunny spells and hot.
Progress : Delivered some bags of dung. Cut down and composted the remainder of the Swiss Chard. Picked the first Gooseberries. Also picked some Loganberries. Cut a Cabbage. Watered some of the soft fruit as the fruit has not developed as well as might be hoped. Had a visit from the police at home later following up on the vandalism yesterday.

Fri 9 Jul 2010
Weather : A drop of rain. Sunny spells and hot
Progress : Cut the grass and trimmed the edges as I was told yesterday that the judges will be round on Thursday next to inspect the allotments as part of the Fordingbridge in Bloom entry. Did some watering before it got too hot. Picked plenty of Raspberries and Gooseberries also a few Loganberries, the latter for our daughter-in-law's parents to try. Picked some Broad Beans and pulled a few Carrots. A new washer was put onto the pump nearest the road which will be welcome to all users. Put some sticks up for the Dwarf French Beans which seem to be growing rather high. I think I may have mixed up the plants as I was too lazy to label them. Was given some fresh Garlic by an adjacent allotmenteer in payment for watering his allotment when he was away on holiday. Cut down and composted the remainder of the Swiss Chard. Did the same for the old Parsley plants. Sprayed the weeds in the central paths.

Sat 10 Jul 2010
Weather : Sunny spells and hot
Progress : Had the regular picking of Raspberries, Loganberries, Gooseberries and Broad Beans. Did some watering then tidied some of the trimmed edges of my allotments.

Sun 11 Jul 2010
Weather : Light rain. Sunny spells and less hot
Progress : Very much a repeat of yesterdays work.

Mon 12 Jul 2010
Weather : Sunny spells
Progress : Did some watering then tidied some more of the trimmed edges of my allotments. Picked a hood lot of Broad Beans then cut down and composted the first row which had been exhausted. Picked a few Loganberries and raspberries.

Tue 13 Jul 2010
Weather : Significant rain. Overcast
Progress : A brief visit late in the day for Broad Beans and Loganberries.

Wed 14 Jul 2010
Weather : More rain. Sunny spells. Windy
Progress : Finished tidying up the edges - looks quite smart now ready for the inspection tomorrow. Picked Raspberries, Loganberries, Blueberries and Broad Beans. The Raspberries are finishing now.

Thu 15 Jul 2010
Weather : Some showers. Sunny spells
Progress : Picked the majority of the remaining Broad Beans. Got a few Loganberries, some Beetroot and Spinach. Took some of the produce to our sons house and kept the remainder to take to my sister-in-law which will be swapped for fresh lobsters caught by her husband.

Fri 16 Jul 2010
Weather : Sunny spells and light showers.
Progress : No work today.

Sat 17 Jul 2010
Weather : Sunny and hot.
Progress : No work today.

Sun 18 Jul 2010
Weather : Sunny and hot.
Progress : No work today.

Mon 19 Jul 2010
Weather : Sunny and hot.
Progress : Filled an old ice-cream container with Gooseberries, more or less finishing them. Then filled three more containers with the Red Currants from one bush. Pulled a couple of Beetroot and Carrots. I have solved the mystery of the dwarf beans which seemed to be climbing. I have mixed up the seeds that I sowed to infill poor germination so that the Runner Beans, Climbing French Beans and Dwarf French Beans are muddled. I am going to have to leave them in position at this late stage and manager as best I can.

Tue 20 Jul 2010
Weather : Sunny spells and muggy.
Progress : Watered as necessary. Picked some Blueberries then also found some Loganberries and raspberries. Planted some additional bean seedlings to augment the selection that is already growing. Pulled a Beetroot and some carrots. I will use the Beetroot foliage as Spinach for dinner tonight. It looks as if the Onions have contracted blight so I cut of all the foliage for disposal then lifted all the Onions to take home and dry. Cut off all the foliage to the Shallots also.

Wed 21 Jul 2010
Weather : Sunny and warm
Progress : Did a bit of seed sowing - Beetroot (Boltardy) and Carrot (Resistafly) in plot 3a; a second row of Cabbage (Durham Elf) in plot 3d; additional Lettuce (Winter Density) in the existing row in plot 3c and Swiss Chard (Bright Lights) in the existing row in plot 3a. Picked a containerful of Black Currants from the spare bush. Watered where necessary which included the Wilja Potatoes in plot 1. Loosened the Shallots to stop them growing. Dug a few Arran Pilot Potatoes which have scab. Picked the last of the Broad Beans. Picked the first of the Swiss Chard. Also lifted some Carrots (Nantes 2).

Thu 22 Jul 2010
Weather : Overnight rain. Sunny spells
Progress : Delivered some bags of fresh horse dung. Watered the Peas and Beans. Picked another containerful of Black Currants. Pulled some Carrots. Cut down and composted a row of Broad Bean stems. Was given a couple of Chilli seedlings. Took a couple of the pallets off my allotment to use at home to make a den for our grandson.

Fri 23 Jul 2010
Weather : Dull with sunny spells later
Progress : No work today.

Sat 24 Jul 2010
Weather : Dull with sunny spells later
Progress : Watered the Blueberries and Beans. Picked another containerful of Black Currants. Harvested some Swiss Chard and Carrots. Went back later as I had forgotten to get any Potatoes and also the Blueberries. Whilst there our son and grandson called in which was good as I wanted grandson to dig some of the Potatoes that he had help me plant. He also ate a few Blueberries.

Sun 25 Jul 2010
Weather : Dull with sunny spells later
Progress : No work today.

Mon 26 Jul 2010
Weather : Sunny spells. Very warm
Progress : Can't remember what I did today.

Tue 27 Jul 2010
Weather : Sunny spells. Humid
Progress : Did some watering. Dug the remainder of the Arran Pilot Potatoes. Cropped some Carrots and Beetroot. Picked another containerful of Black Currants which I will make in a cordial. Went back later for the Blueberies which I had forgotten.

Wed 28 Jul 2010
Weather : Sunny spells
Progress : Delivered some bags of horse dung. Watered the Beans. Picked a containerful of Red Currants. Got the usual Carrots plus a Lettuce. My sister called in so I gave her a Beetroot and a Lettuce. Ran the hoe through the entire allotment. Back at home I made some Blackcurrant cordial.

Thu 29 Jul 2010
Weather : Dull with sunny spells later
Progress : Watered generally. Cropped a Cabbage, a Courgette and some Carrots. Picked a containerful of Black Currants from a bush which seems to be dying so I watered it in case that is the problem. The lack of rain this year is probably going to make it very poor for crops of all sort. I can't get any of my Brassicas to grow. Lined the top of the compost enclosure in area 1.

Fri 30 Jul 2010
Weather : Overcast
Progress : Watered and trimmed the Beans. Picked Red Currants. Went back later for a Courgette and some Blueberries which I had forgotten.

Sat 31 Jul 2010
Weather : Light rain to start
Progress : No work today.