Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
This year's crops
I am happy to report that the corona virus lock-down has had no discernible effect on the garden - except perhaps to mean that I have been in it even more than usual. We have not yet had a huge amount of freshly harvested food but we have twice eaten sprouting broccoli, also twice curly kale and spring greens, three days ago I picked the forced rhubarb (and have been eating rhubarb crumble) and today we tasted the first four spears of asparagus.
Looking to this year's crops, main crop potatoes have been planted and the ground prepared for a load of onion sets.
I have a couple of dozen seed potatoes left over if anyone would like some. They are main crop Picasso which have served us very well the last four years or so.
The plums and pears have been in full blossom and the apples and quince are just beginning to bloom. The raspberry canes have been tidied up and seem to have plenty of buds.
Beans have been planted indoors and we shall soon have to set up the bean poles ready for when the seedlings go outside.
I have high hopes for improved crops this year as several intrusive trees that were growing on railway land and hanging miles over our fence were removed in February. This should greatly increase the amount of light falling on our vegetable beds and also reduce the competition for water from intruding tree roots.
Let's hope that the emergency will be over well before the summer gets going. Wimbledon might have been cancelled but there will still be strawberries to eat.
Picture shows pear tree in bloom in early morning light.
Tags for Forum Posts: crops, gardening
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Permalink Reply by maggie on
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Dick that tree is so beautiful, lovey photo too.
I realise that am so lucky to have an allotment particularly at the moment. I have been busy putting everything in the ground earlier than usual in a 'just in case' mentality so spuds are in, Charlottes and Desiree, even though they hardly chitted. Onion sets and garlic are in as are broad beans and some peas and sweet peas with many seedlings getting ready to harden off and they will have to take their chances with the frost. Tough love too with my purple sprouting seedlings as at only 1/2 inch high they have been planted out and are thriving in this mild weather. I may use some straw to help the little ones if it turns cold.
Like you I had the first asparagus last night, what a treat but I am already rhubarb-ed out. I take no credit for my enormous decades old patch of rhubarb, apart from an annual dose of manure, it provides enough for several families. At Christmas I put an upturned water butt over part of a crown and by the end of February its ready to eat.
Chard of various colours has seen me through the winter as have purple sprouting, the remains of last years spuds, Jerusalem artichokes, carrots and parsnips, which I have now cleared for the new season to take off.
I get much joy from seeing my little tomatoes plants peeping through the soil in pots on my window sill or from fresh shoots from my indoor plants so I hope that many will find some consolation in growing something at this time.
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I'm so relieved that I bought my runner bean seeds before this all started.
I tried to buy some sungold tomato plants (which I grow every year) or even seeds, but they are like gold dust. Trying to order them online I was told that I was 1559 in the queue. On another website I got to the point of paying and it cut out.
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