Super Aquadolce are Go!

It has taken me a bit longer then planned to get some broad beans in the ground. Although I had the bed ready well over a week ago, I have been too busy to plant the beans. But I snuck down to the allotment for an hour today. I also delivered my new incinerator which I have to admit I'm overly keen to use and burn all those weed roots up. 

I have planted two double rows of Super Aquadolce broad beans in the raised bed which I previously dug out all the weed roots and forked in a bag of well rotted manure. I have taken a bit of a risk by planting the two double rows  closer than recommended about 50cm (70cm centres) - this will be another experiment then! the recommended distance is 1m. I have put some enviromesh over the beans as I had some sitting in the shed and thought it would keep in the heat and may help the germination.

I also happened to check the soil pH and it was exactly on the line between 6 and 7 - I'm not sure exactly what that means but I think it's good!

Next to go in are the garlic cloves but I need a new bed dug; not to mention the paths that I want to mulch, the raspberry bed preparing and compost bin locating... Where are those helpful elves when you need them? 

Speed Seeding

Carrot seeds are in the ground.

So here we have the 1st bed I have dug. 

With 3 lines of carrot seed with my recycled wooden spoon labels.

Since I had misplaced my camera cable and I was unable to upload my photos therefore I have neglected my blog for a bit. Oh and I had a weeks jolies in Cornwall too. To be honest I think the blog can be neglected whereas carrot seed shouldn't be.

Actually, to date my carrot seeds have been in the ground for nearly 3 weeks - and I haven't seen anything that looks like it might be a carrot showing yet. I fear that my trip to Cornwall meant they missed some very important watering. I am not sure what to do yet - I may just sow another couple of rows in the same bed just in case.

So let me rewind....

After the big chop and the shed build, I finally finished digging my first bed; clearing it of weeds, roots and stones then turning a bag of compost into it that I had left over from home. 

I made some natty seed tapes at home using flour and water to glue seeds in their correct spacings onto strips of newspaper. I thought this would mean I wouldn't have to worry about the thinning stage, especially after all I read about the carrot fly. Actually the way the tape really helped was the it meant I could lay the paper strips into the drills and cover them up before little one ran across the bed!! Speed seeding!

Sunday 6th July. The weather had been very changeable and unpredictable. But I managed one afternoon to go down with little one and finally get the seed into the ground. Black clouds appeared so I ran home satisfied with my work and even more grateful for the divinely timed downpour that ensued.... and it continued to rain for days - perfect.

I had stroke of genius with my labels. In keeping with allotmenteers ways of recycling I have used wooden spoons as labels, the ones found in nice coffee shops, National Trust and RHS cafe's - that kind of establishment. They look brilliant and I shall use forks as well, they will look fabulous too.

The day before I left for Cornwall I popped down in the rain with some enviromesh and covered them up safe and sound from the nasty carrot fly. 

But now it seems things are growing like grass and weeds but no sign of fluffy carrot tops...how long do they take to show? 

Staying optimistic, back soon x