Rusty Leeks

Rust!

After germinating in abundance, being potted-on and then lovingly planted on the plot my poor leeks suffered from the driest spring and summer we've had for some time. They survived with watering and finally as autumn progressed, seemed to be recovering - only to develop rust! 

Reading various forum posts there are a number of suggestions including spraying with gin...

Royal Horticultural Society

BBC Gardening

Cooking Potatoes - Quick and Easy

A favourite way with our allotment Desiree potatoes.

Prick skin and microwave until almost cooked through.

Cut in half, put onto grill pan and score the cut surfaces in a criss-cross pattern.

Smear a little butter over the scored surfaces.

Grill until golden.

Yum, Yum!!

Potato for Supper

It's so nice to go out into the garage and choose a potato for my supper from the crop harvested at the allotment. So satisfying - why did I wait so long for this experience? I should  have done it years ago!

Planning

Possible planning programme at Suttons Seeds

Rats

Rats!

The birds in our garden have been deprived of food ever since I saw a rat skipping along under the hedge this spring. The photo is from last spring and led to us paying vast sums to a pest controller. He did the job but Ratty was back this spring.

I love to feed the birds and want to help them through the winter so I've moved the feeders closer to the house - but will this bring Ratty closer? Maybe I should put them down the garden...

Allotment Planning

I've been looking at websites with reference to planning the allotment for next year. Is it worth buying a bit of software? It would certainly save several sheets of crossings out....


I might do worse than follow this plan from the 1940s Dig For Victory

Paid My Dues

Am just back from the Annual Allotment Holders' Meeting having settled my bill for the past year. The meeting was well attended, the allotments are clearly valued by their holders.