Planting leeks

Last weekend's important job at the allotment was to plant leeks.  I'd been waiting until all the onions had been lifted so I could plant the leeks where they had been. We took our 2 grandchildren with us so they could help us. After I had prepared the ground I went round with the dibber making the holes for the leeks.  Both  children wanted to help with this and although I let them have a go, the soil is quite heavy in places and this proved too difficult for them. The leeks which had been sown earlier in the year in a seed bed were lifted.  This was where the children could help. We got a good system going--as I made the holes with the dibber, they followed me round putting the leeks into the holes and then filling each hole with water.  They really enjoyed this. We planted 56 leeks.

Meanwhile my husband did some weeding around the raised beds.  There are some horrendous weeds on the plot and it's a difficult job trying to keep on top of the weeding. The biggest weeds are around the fenced area  and the edges of the raised beds and at this time of year Himalayan balsam takes over. In the raised beds the main problem weeds are mare's tail and bindweed, but there are also docks, dandelions, nettles, couch grass and lots more that I don't know the names of yet.  We took the childrens' garden tools with us and the 5 year old enjoyed helping Grandad to weed. I think he just liked digging holes and raking up the gravel really!

The brassica frame seems to be working to protect the cabbages against caterpillars, but of course the slugs can still get in there, so there is  slug damage on some of the cabbages. The worst affected ones are not wasted but given to Riley the rabbit, who belongs to my daughter's family.  We may have to remove the frame soon as the purple sprouting broccoli is growing too tall for the frame.  I'm  wondering at what time in the season they will be safe from the cabbage white butterflies.

This is our 2nd year with the allotment and we have really noticed how much more produce we are harvesting. This is probably thanks to soil improvement and gaining some extra growing space. The council have delivered some free manure recently so it's been a free for all with all the plot holders barrowing the stuff back to our plots.  We've bagged ours up and left it to rot down for a while as it was too fresh to use immediately.

Our next job will be weeding and more weeding, we're determined to conquer them!