Tales from the Plot, July 2024
Every year nature, climate and wildlife throw a curveball – there’s always something to do battle with, we’ve had what has felt like a cold and wet beginning to this year. The slug and snail populations seem to have boomed and the pigeons seem more abundant than ever before, these uninvited guests on the allotments have wreaked havoc.
This year sadly my pea plants were totally destroyed along with some cauliflower and cabbage plants that weren’t covered with mesh – however there have been some successes, my strawberry crop has been so far rather good and broad beans have done very well, see image above. I’ve given them a couple of sprays with neem oil and it seems to have kept the blackfly at bay.
July is the time when we should start to see the fruits of our labours, the first raspberries and my favourite, the first new potatoes, boiled with fresh mint and with a knob of butter, just lovely. I’m hoping for a great potato crop this year as the wet conditions should suit them. I grow the majority of my potatoes in 30 ltr tubs. The first half a dozen tubs I harvest I replace the compost and replant usually with Charlotte new potatoes. These will be ready, if all goes well and they’re kept sheltered, to harvest for the Christmas celebrations. You do not get a large crop but what you get is lovely. I promise you it is worth the effort.
There’s still plenty to be done as the weeds continue to grow so regular hoeing is still essential. Onions seem to be well so far, fingers crossed and touching wood, they’re all under netting, leeks are all in also under netting to try and dodge Alium Leaf Miner. It lays its eggs in the stem that go on to eat the inside of the onion, this pest only reached our shores a few years ago. I’m now told it has reached the highlands of Scotland. There’s no real cure, just grow on under netting, it just feels like the whole of my plot needs to be netted LOL.
I’ve planted Brussels early this year as last year they failed to make a substantial enough size for Christmas and they are looking quite good, although I have been growing them also under netting. July is normally quite dry so watering shallow rooted plants is also still necessary, mulching with old grass cuttings and leaves helps enormously plus it’s the time to start thinking of winter produce.
So many people have an allotment and tend it really well but come the end of October there is not a lot left to harvest. July is the time to plant winter crops that will see you in to the next year. My purple sprouting broccoli is already in and will not be harvested until March/April. Winter cabbage and cauliflowers can also be planted at this time, now is also a good time to plant carrots with the hope of dodging the dreadful carrot fly – there’s an awful lot going on!
Regards to all Richard Thorpe
15b Syston allotments