Barry Cuff takes a look at what’s happening, as the allotment enjoyed July’s damp weather
The weather remained unusual for the time of year – we had many dull days through July, and more than three inches of rain. Most crops have benefitted, with only a few a little later than usual:
Autumn salad and stir fry veg – Radicchio and Chinese cabbage have been sown in plugs. The remainder will be sown direct in August and September.
Beetroot – Pulling as required for salads, and have sown a mixture of varieties (Perfect 3, Crimson King and Cylindra) in three more part- rows.
Brassicas – All now doing well under the net, with good growth after recovering from pigeon and slug damage. Very few Cabbage White Butterflies spotted this year, and no sign of Swede Midge.
Waiting to be planted out from plug trays are Medallion and Snow March spring cauliflowers, plus Romanesco and Savoy cabbages.
Broad bean – The plants have finished cropping and have been put on the compost heap.
Carrot – Pulling as required now, and more sowings have been made (Early Nantes).
Celeriac – Putting on good growth and fed regularly with liquid seaweed.
Celery – The Golden Self-Blanching are doing well, like the celeriac. Both are baited with slug pellets.
Chicory – Growing well despite suffering a little slug damage.
Courgette – two varieties growing (Defender and Astia), and both are cropping well: we are picking every two to three days.
Dwarf French bean – We had the first picking of Safari mid-July, and the Nautica is currently flowering, will start cropping by early August.
Leek – We do not need leeks until December. They have been planted out on the ground following the early potatoes and the broad beans. Thanks to the wet weather, they are establishing well.
Lettuce – A new batch is sown each month to ensure a constant supply (Little Gem).
Mangetout – First pickings of Carouby De Massaune, but we’ll wait a little longer for the Purple Magnolia which will crop in August.
Onion – The new variety Bonus is looking well (this variety replaced Golden Bear which we grew
for many years). Some white rot which we live with as there is no cure except for an eight-year
gap in the rotation. We manage six years and expect to lose about five to ten per cent to the disease
Parsnip – Looking exceptionally well!
Peas – A total disaster this year! Poor establishment due to weevil and soil conditions. We hope to do better in 2025.
Potatoes – These have loved the wet conditions! So far we have dug Maris Bard, Charlotte, Jazzy, Caledonian Pearl and a few Sagitta. We have cut the haulms off Sagitta and Desiree. The Picasso and Caledonian Rose are still green, and these will have to be checked every day now as our plot neighbour has blight on her outdoor tomatoes
Runner beans – Both varieties (Moonlight and Scarlet Emperor) are right at the top of the eightfoot canes and covered in flowers.
Squash – From mid month we saw them put on a lot of growth.
Sweetcorn – Slightly later than usual. Tassels are appearing, but now they need some sunshine. Sweet pepper and Tomatoes (in the greenhouse) – both are doing well and starting to crop, though there is a little blossom rot on a few of the tomatoes.
Weeds – What a year so far for weed growth! Hand weeding and hoeing at each visit to the plot, and we always allow a few Weasel Snout, Thornapple and Moth Mullein to survive. Hopefully August will be sunnier, especially for the sweetcorn and squashes.
