What growing on the allotment

Another good harvest from the allotment this week.  The courgettes are still putting out, I picked another four yesterday, although I think after this week that may be our lot.  

I have been eating a lot of courgettes😂, good job I like them, and now I know that I much prefer the yellow variety to the green ones.

This year rather than trying to grow everything we just planted what we know we eat, so lots and lots of onions went in, I picked a fair amount again this week but we still have two more sections of onions planted up.  That should keep us going for a while, I'll chop most of these up and freeze them. 

  I pulled a couple carrots to see how they were doing and they aren't a bad size, but could do with a little longer in the ground, again we have quite a lot and I sowed some more yesterday which will be ready around Christmas time.

We've just started picking runner beans, again these have been put in the freezer for future use.  These were a slow start and for some reason they are growing better on one side than the other and you do have to play hunt the bean as they are hard to spot!

I'm really happy with how the beetroot is looking.  I'll have another go at pickling this year, I didn't sweeten it enough last time I tried.  

If you have any tried and tested recipes then do let me know, I just used one I found online last year.

No idea what variety of squash we planted, they were from the plug plant party on the allotment, they seem to be doing ok though, as do the pumpkins.  We grew those from seed, so the kids will have their own homegrown pumpkin to carve this year 😁

I picked up a butternut squash plant by mistake when I got the yellow courgettes, Joanne got one too so hopefully this isn't the only one we'll get.

The tomato's are doing ok, not a lot of red ones yet but hopefully that will happen soon, I'm starting to think that tomato's are not my thing, I've never had a lot of luck with them.

I didn't realise when I sowed swede that I'ts classed as a brassica so should be covered.  It looked like something was eating it a while ago but now it seems to have picked up and the leaves look alright again.  We shall see if they are a success or failure in due course, It's all a learning curve isn't it?

One thing I won't be planting next year are peas, we never had enough to put on a plate, only had enough for the kids to pick and eat while they were there, they did taste nice though.

Strawberries are putting out their runners so I have lots of pots around colleting new plants, I bought I few home yesterday that had rooted and I'm considering planting up one of my raised beds at home with strawberries next year. 

My strawberries at home are in a tall salad planter and have really outgrown their space now, and it's easier to pick them at home rather than make a trip to the allotment every day.  I would have to put some netting over them though otherwise the squirrels would have a feast!

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I have Bonnie and Jacob tomorrow and Tuesday and my steroid injection on Wednesday, eeek.

Fingers crossed it works.

-X-