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Ceramics

The Allotment, 2013 - 2014
This is an updated record of what is going on on my allotment, starting in January 2013

I also have a channel on You Tube with some short video sequences from the allotments, this link will take you there.

2013, another wierd year for weather, an exceptionally long cold spring making the season around 6 to 8 weeks
behind normal, then at the end of June it went very hot, helping us out a bit.

hilltop view
21 January 2013, pretty chilly this winter, just like last year, I think I was the only person on site that day.

borage
Borage, this had sat most of the winter waiting for the sun, essential for pollinators.

sunflowers
Sunflowers up by the shed, not the 7ft giants we were hoping for!

yellowbug
A little beetle on one of the sunflowers. Probably Oedemera nobilis.

larvae
Ladybird larvae on the broad beans, very late appearing this year, this is taken in July.

ladybirds
Adult ladybirds, same day as the previous picture, the cold weather has held them back this year, along with a lot of the pollinators.

view
A general view of the middle part of the plot, squash, courgette, chard and rhubarb, mid July.

crops
Some cousa courgettes, chard and rocket, the cousas are short and fat this year. The chard is delicious.

greenbug
A little beetle on a strawberry flower.

blackcurrants
Blackcurrants, still on the bush on 4th August, to be picked this week.
We had a bumper crop of redcurrants, most of which I turned into ice cream.

zucchini
Two cousas, 2 striatos and a mini striato that will not be getting any bigger.
As of 4th august loads of courgettes and chard, some very nice cucumbers, broad beans rather disappointing, french beans just beginning, but look like the will not come to much.

squash
Sweet potato squash, about 17cm long and still growing 16th August
More in a few weeks time.


2014
here are some ladybirds doing their thing in the war against blackfly, of which there are a lot around this year, thanks to a warm winter.
ladybirds

A hoverfly on mullein, at the top of the plot.
hoverfly

Chard, this is the late sown crop picture 6 Aug 2014
chard

Climbing beans, purple french and Bangladeshi beans, the long green ones, these get to about a foot long.
Very tasty.
beans

Hubbard squash, presently about 7 inches diameter
squash


oaks

A pair of old oaks just inside the cemetary, March 2015

Updated 23 March 2015