Cucumbers: I tried two types of cucumbers; gherkin and crystal lemon. None of the gherkins made it but one of my crystal lemon plants managed to survive somehow. I found it nestled in amongst the weeds at the edge of my plot. This straggler delivered 6 perfect golf ball-shaped fruits, which looked like tiny melons.Continue reading “The begrudged harvest 2023”
Category Archives: Harvesting
Acorn Squash Ravioli
Last year I grew “Mashed Potato” Squash aka Acorn Squash for the first time and it resulted in a delicious surprise. These green ones that I grew actually tasted more like a sweet potato which I definitely wasn’t mad about. I’m gutted that after the hard work of preparing this meal, I forgot to takeContinue reading “Acorn Squash Ravioli”
Autumn 2022: Final Harvests
I’m back and miraculously my little plot is still alive! It seems that the drought broke not long after we left and there has been a fair bit of rainfall. I was fully expecting most of my crops to have perished through neglect but it seems Nature had other ideas. I couldn’t quite believe howContinue reading “Autumn 2022: Final Harvests”
August 2022: Parting is such sweet sorrow
4th of August I just visited the plot for the last time before we were about to go to Italy for 5 weeks, leaving the allotment in the hands of my plot partner. I still managed to plant a last few things before I went as there were some things in the little grow houseContinue reading “August 2022: Parting is such sweet sorrow”
July/August 2022: Everything’s coming up
The first lesson I learned about container planting is that watering can be so deceptive. I’ve been happily watering my containers thinking I’m doing well. then I began to wonder why my 2nd set of carrots wasn’t appearing. Even though I thought I’d really saturated it, I tucked my finger into the soil and justContinue reading “July/August 2022: Everything’s coming up”
The end of 2021 Report
For a first year, I think this wasn’t too bad, I planted stuff and I harvested stuff. I lost a fair bit to weather critters and absence but that was to be expected. Notably, my absences didn’t seem as terminal as I’d feared. a lot of stuff got on with it without me – cucumbers,Continue reading “The end of 2021 Report”
August/September 2021: Conflict of interests
I have learned over time to manage my expectations in certain scenarios and this allotment game was one of them. I said yes to my friend’s offer of a share of this plot primarily for a legitimate reason to get out of the house during the pandemic lockdown. I was not thinking I was goingContinue reading “August/September 2021: Conflict of interests”
June/July 2021: My first allotment harvests
In the middle of June, I had my first triumphs. Between the garden at home and the plot, we were actually getting some produce. My allotment partners got the first yield as their potatoes started to give up some bounty. I can’t claim any credit for them as I did none of the Herculean diggingContinue reading “June/July 2021: My first allotment harvests”
It’s an allotment-let
As of March, I’m an allotmenteer. My very good friends acquired a plot last year at the beginning of lockdown and they have offered me a share of it. I said yes instantly. It was a bit late in the year to get started last year so I didn’t get off the ground straight awayContinue reading “It’s an allotment-let”
To the roots of it 