The Great Pick...

Popped down the allotments today to pick some stuff for this weeks meals. Plenty of courgettes, broad beans and onions amongst others. This year i've tried a heritage variety of potato called 'Shetland Black'. Having rummaged around one root a few weeks back i held very little hope of harvesting anything half decent but i was surprised when i started to lift some this morning. I picked half a basket worth and i'm looking forward to seeing what they actually taste like!

Some of you will know this is my first year of growing long carrots. Every week i've scraped away the sand from the shoulders of each carrot to check their progress and every week i've been happy up until this week! Two carrots had developed a nice crack from the top of the shoulder down. Probably caused by dry sand which, when it rained, became wet and the carrots rapidly 'sucked' the water up hence the splitting.

It was abitter-sweet situation really as i was obviously disappointed that two had split but it did give me the opportunity to pull a couple to see the length and condition of the carrots.

I would not be ashamed to exhibit three long carrots like this at Shrewsbury NVS midland branch championships next week!

The celery bed got another good soaking this morning. All plants looking fine and dandy. Be sure to uncollar them at least once a week so you can pull off any split sticks and check for slug damage. I have put down to enter two heads of celery at the Midland championships so i shall be measuring up next week to find a matching pair.

Finally, a last check on the xanths before i leave the allotment. They are producing very strong buds now and should expect to see colour in the bud very soon.