Mellow yellow

These are the latest pickings from the allotment. Our first and only yellow courgette (thanks Chris) and the cauliflowers have actually worked! Can we have some sunshine now please? We have had enough rain. It is the summer holidays after all and I have actually bought some summer dresses. Yes me, in a dress. Come on sun don't be shy, you know you want to shine!

The Lakes

We've been camping in the Lake District this weekend. The first few days were lovely.

Then we got a severe weather warning which turned out to be quite interesting whilst sleeping under canvas. Back home now it is a bit rainy but I won't be complaining about the rain now that I can run inside, get some dry clothes on and settle down on my comfy sofa. I recommend a bad weather camping to everyone, it helps you appreciate your nice warm house and hot shower. Good old British weather, you can't beat it.

grumps

I was happily taking this photo the other day when some bloke came over complaining about my parking. He proceeded to lecture me on where to park so that I didn't block people in. I knew that when I parked the car no one else was there and that I had parked miles away from the car park. I resisted the urge to hit him hard over the head with my spade and apologised instead. When I got to my car realised he was the blocker inner and not me. He had squeezed himself in between 3 cars and couldn't get out without me moving. What an old prune. Is it wrong to tell your fellow allotmenteers to go dig off? I felt like it was but then afterwards I wasn't so sure. At least I have kept the peace between us I suppose... Sour grapes to him. Anyway, can you see the little buzzy fly going past in the sky? Breathe and relax....

Garden pest.

Look at these lovely blueberries so juicy and almost ready. No wonder they have been spotted by a garden pest. Although I have had some problems with this particular pest usually I can keep it under control. This week however it has been targeting my blueberries and alpine strawberries. Instead of eating it or burrowing into it what this pest does is much worse. It picks the blueberry, throws it on the floor and then treads on it with its little feet. Luckily the pest was easy to deal with using organic methods. It was told to stop picking my blueberries or else it would have to go inside. Kids eh?

War on White Fly

Planted up some radish, carrot, spring onion, parsely and corriander seeds today. I finally got round to weeding my cabbage bed and as I lifted the net a nice cloud of white fly fluttered up into the air. The rotten things have been happily munching away and turning my cauliflower leaves all yellow and full of holes. The beasts.

I planted some nasturtiums around them as bait. Unfortunately the ones round the cabbages haven't flowered yet while the ones on their own have done. They look pretty though. After all my dedicated work getting some sprouts to grow I will not be beaten.

They are covered with special fly proof netting that is supposed to stop them getting in. That was worth the money, (well actually I got it for free so what am I bothered about). I didn't put any collars around them though. Next year I will be more vigilant. War is declared. I will grow a cauliflower and at least one sprout this year.

Mangey tout

These flowers are nearly as tall as me. They look great, I think that they are perennial sunflowers but not sure. I think when they've finished I'm going to divide them and bring a few home to our garden.

Not quite sure what has happened to my mange touts here. Doesn't look too promising. Not sure whether to get rid of them or just leave them. The plant in the other bed is cropping like crazy.

Put my leeks in their final place today now that the earlies have been all taken out. A few of them had rust so I just put the ones in that looked to be healthy. In the picture it looks massive but really it is just a tiny little thing. Come on get growing.

Bird woman

I have had to rescue another bird. This time it was a starling caught in the netting of the plot next to ours. This seems to be becoming a regular occurrence and strangely seems linked to the fact that we joined the RSPB the other day. Since we have joined the birds seem to know that we have signed up to help them and are flinging themselves at my feet. Whatever it is I don't like it. Stay away birds, no more in nearby netting please. Or I will have to withdraw my membership from the RSPB. What next a passing pelican? An albatross? No more please!

I have been weeding so I don't have to feel guilty anymore.

Lovely rain

Finally our plants are getting a good soaking. They were promising it all weekend but it never came. I sent up tentatively to the allotment today still in shock from my bird incident. Luckily the area was clear. As I walked down to our plot I must have startled at least 30 fat pigeons. I thought this did not bode well but our plot looks great. We got our first little courgettes today and mange tout which will do well in the stir fry tonight. I have been a bit lazy the last week or so with a cold so I haven't done anything but watering. We have managed to grow quite an impressive array of weeds during the sunny weather so I will have to get down there and do some proper work another day. I tell myself that this increases biodiversity, at least until I get round to digging them up.

Flash has been enjoying the rain too. He sat out in the showers and got a good soaking for a few hours. All the markings on his shell come out really nicely in the rain. This year he gets top marks, although he has squashed all my flower seedlings (as usual) he has managed to restrain himself from climbing over the growbags in the greenhouse.

Catch the pigeon

Got more than we bargained for when we went to visit the allotment yesterday. Auntie Rachel if you are reading this look away now, it is your worst ever nightmare. A trapped bird in the netting. A bird with great ugly wings and grabbing claws. Big fat flapping pigeon gasping away on its back in the heat twitching and looking at me with its beady eye. I thought it was dead but when I got close it started flapping about like a maniac. Managed to release it by cutting the netting with the scissors whilst running about squealing like a girl every time it started flapping again. Oh dear. It flew off into the sky. That will teach it to try to get my strawberries.