We had quite a change of routine last week.
Work on the allotment has been confined to watering – lots of watering – and harvesting. A hosepipe ban is planned for the end of the month which could actually benefit us. We water our plants using watering cans as we like to know just how much water we are giving the plants. As I’ve mentioned before, water pressure on our site is abysmal. If two people are filling a can at the same time it takes ages. If someone is using a hosepipe, the flow of water can reduce to a trickle and in some parts of the site not even a trickle is delivered. Hopefully if use of a hosepipe is banned it should mean filling watering cans will be easier.
We usually go to the allotment in the afternoon but we decided that afternoon temperatures, last week, were just too high to be working outside .
As a result we visited the allotment either in the morning or on one occasion in the evening when the temperature had dropped and most of the allotment was in shade.
It was also cool enough for Ruby to come to the plot with us and have some exercise. We filmed a video of our evening visit which is posted here. It is quite long so, if you decide to watch it, make a drink before you settle down.
We haven’t grown peppers for a while as we had little success with them. Martyn, cut down the grapevine that somewhat took over the greenhouse during summer. The result was more light and space so we tried peppers again, The plants have set lots of fruit and so we decided to remove some of the green fruits. This was for two reasons, firstly we use green peppers and secondly it will give the remaining fruit more chance of developing. The peppers were frozen.
We are prioritising our watering and give lots to the crops that need it most. It would be physically impossible to keep up with watering everything. Our garden is suffering greatly from the lack of water with some very established plants withering.
We will just have to wait and see how many plants make it through to next year.
Time has to be left for harvesting.
We have had a better plum harvest than expected but only a punnet of greengages from our two trees.
The flowers of the runner beans weren’t setting and so we have been misting them. I’m not sure whether that has done the trick but some beans are now developing.
Details of our harvests including varieties are posted here.
We also moved our visit to Nostell to the morning which puzzled, Ruby as she is a creature of habit. She wasn’t too pleased when she headed to the ball chasing field but was told, “Not today!” It was far quieter in the morning even though it is school holiday time when it is usually heaving. We’ve decided that we will stick to morning visits for a while, but hopefully Ruby will get a game on our next visit.
The swan family were preening in the sunshine. Unfortunately the fence in front of the cygnets cast unwelcome shadows across the photograph.
The ducks preferred to rest in the shade.
The work going on is more in keeping with the beginning of autumn. In the fields and meadows, hay is being cut and baled.
The grounds staff were also cutting back the grass in the parkland.
I bet using the scythe was warm work.
Before the weather heated up, we bought a cooling mat for, Ruby. To start with she treated it with some suspicion but she now seems to have got the hang of it. It’s good for cooling human feet too. Apparently some people are buying the larger ones to use themselves.
In past years we would have gone out for one of our meals, as it was our anniversary last week, but we just can’t bring ourselves to get back into the habit of eating out so it was home cooking instead.
It may seem odd that we chose to have a curry when the weather was so warm but we enjoyed it. I used our cauliflower, onion, garlic, coriander and green beans in a cauliflower and lentil curry.
I made a chicken one pot dish using our onion, green pepper, garlic, courgette and cherry tomatoes.
More courgette went into a turkey stir fry based on this recipe.
That’s all for now. As usual until next time stay safe and well.
Again I am linking to Harvest Monday on Dave’s Our Happy Acres blog.
Oh…watering is a nightmare, we’ve been bone dry too, so many plants are brown. I love that first pic of Ruby, it’s been the same with our dogs, far too hot to go out, we’ve waited until eight/nine pm and no running. They are not impressed. Good news re the peppers, lovely colourful harvest. The swan family look so serene. Happy anniversary, loving that curry.xxx
Thanks Dina. We are just about sick of all the watering but it has to be done. Thankfully there is less to water now crops are finishing.
Oh Sue I don’t envy you all that lugging about of watering cans. I usually visited the allotment in the mornings but in hot weather would leave it until evenings but even then it could still be too warm for me 😂 I used the watering can to water crops but a hose to fill up my water butts. It was sad to see how many people used sprinklers and sometimes there were incidents when they were left on all night. Such a waste 🥲 Glad to see though despite the weather that you still have a good haul of crops to reward you for all that work. I would have been envious of Ruby on that mat last week. Happy belated anniversary to both of you ❤️
Thank you, Anna, don’t envy us either.
Amazing harvests given all the adversity. California is heading into severe water restrictions unless the winter brings the much needed rain and snow. There are implications for the nation since 90% of the winter produce is grown in a warm winter area of desert that is facing unprecedented water shortages.
We have been surprised at how much we have managed to harvest, Sue.
I was wondering how the hosepipe bans would affect you, and hadn’t thought about it actually being a benefit. It looks like you are getting a lot of rewards from the garden for your efforts too.
I just wish the weather would reward us with a good downpour, Den
Ah, couldn’t find the comment box. I think they’ve waited far too long for a hosepipe ban. Ours comes into force on 19th, although I am exempt. I wonder if Ruby’s cooling mat is the same as my Cool Down towels, which I bought with little faith but do work remarkably well.
Ruby’s mat is filled with a gel that cools when pressure is placed on it, Deb.
Sue, I’m so sorry the UK heat wave has gone on too long. Watering an allotment and a garden is hard work, and you need to do it early in the morning or in the evening. I love my plum harvest, I’m waiting for mine.
Hope it rains soon.
No real rain yet Nadezda. We re really fed up of all the watering.