Gardening Blog
Allotment Diary
July 9: where has summer gone?
Terry Walton wonders whatever happened to all those drought-resistant plants we were being advised to plant a few years back when the sun still shone in summer
Welcome to the paddy fields of Wales! When will this rain ever stop? Thank heavens for the slopes of my hillside allotment which stops the flooding and takes the downpours swiftly away to the river in the base of the valley.
Unfortunately it takes some of my precious nutrients with it too and those trout must be feasting on this super feed.
Never mind, we can soon replace these nutrients and I am fortunate that on my little piece of land that I have incorporated copious amounts of compost and manures which has helped to maintain soil structure and have the ability to hang on to that precious plant food. A little treat with blood/ fish/ bone and dried manure will be a treat for those rapidly growing plants.
During these horrendous downpours I think in amazement of the number of articles written in recent times in various gardening publications of the changing climate and the need to adapt and diversify to drought tolerant plants. It seems an age ago back in the super summer of 2006! These days I seem to have the need to adapt to rice growing and to teach my cabbages the art of keeping afloat.
Still what would farmers and gardeners have to discuss and complain about if there was not the weather!
Surprisingly, when you stand back and take a good look at the plot it doesn’t seem half bad and judging by the numerous carrier bags of produce I seem to collect on my every visit the plot and plants are doing rather nicely, thank you.
It is a sad time at this time of year on the plot. The strawberries, that provided our tasty desserts over the last few weeks, have finished cropping. So it is ‘off with their heads’!
It seems a harsh reward for giving me and my family such pleasurable eating and also filling my larder with pots of tasty jam. But it must be done.
I cut back all the green growth and bag it up for disposal. It may look healthy, but I take no chances and will not add it to my compost heap for fear of spreading disease. I also remove the straw from between the rows and as a form of compensation I give them a good top dressing of well-rotted manure and blood/fish/bone.
They look bare and sorry for themselves at the end of this drastic exercise but in a few weeks a fresh amount of new growth will swathe the plants and who knows an Indian summer may reward us with an early autumn second crop of plump red berries. But only Mother Nature knows that secret!
With one crop ending I have to find an alternative substitute to nibble with my mid-morning coffee break as I sit and study the ever-changing plot.
A carrot, radish or my real favourite, a handful of peas acts as my main course but what about the dessert without the strawberries? Well fortunately, during the long summer days, the plot always yields another reward. Yes, the gooseberries are now sweet enough and fill that need.
So you see, my mid-morning break brings new things to my life as I taste my fill of truly scrumptious offerings.
Where else on this great earth can you have the opportunity to experience such simple pleasures for free?
Oh! The simple joys of the garden!
More from Terry Walton
My Life on a Hillside Allotment
Terry Walton is a regular contributor to The Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2 and has written a book called, My Life on a Hillside Allotment, published by Bantam Press. The book is available from Amazon
Reader comments
Terry is a great gardener and a great character too!! It was listening to him on the Jeremy Vine programme on Radio 2, and co-responding by email with Terry that encouraged me to take on an allotment and I haven't looked back. He's still willing and able to give me advice whenever I ask. Thanks Terry.
Posted by: Paul Bellamy | 11/07/2008 19:00:26
