Wood Chippings Delivered

The council kindly arranged a delivery of wood chippings that we use on paths etc.

Usually gone in a jiffy but the hot weather is giving them a longer lifespan this time.

Plot 5 Sweetcorn leaping ahead

The sweetcorn is doing brilliantly and generally the plot looks good. I think the addition of pelleted chicken manure has helped bring the sweetcorn on. It is a 'greedy' crop.

Plot 5 Onions and garlic drying

Onions and garlic drying on the table with the tomatoes behind. Strange how everything is doing well this year except the tomatoes in protection and houses. Luckily my plum Roma outdoors are doing really well - touch wood -

Plot 29 Daikon (Japanese Radish)

The daikon (Japanese radish ) sown in April have all gone to seed with little root growth. My instructions to plant in March were correct for Japan but I think a later sowing like September may be the answer.

Not much to lose by trying/

Plot 29 Potatoes and some squash and marrows.

The maincrop potatoes are looking incredible - swamping the squash and marrows that were planted in a space at the end of a row.

If they are as productive underground as over, we'll not be buying potatoes again.

Brookfield Park, Nantwich

This site has 78 plots, which are split into two areas. The first area is very secluded and has houses around, the second area is basically a row of plots facing onto playing fields.

Despite the ease of access we were told there is very little vandalism. The entrance to the site is very attractive with masses of flowers - an idea for us?

Welshmans Lane

This is a new site set up when the Nixons Row site was closed with 85 plots and 5 accessibility plots. It has good facilities including large deep beds designed for wheelchair access. Unfortunately it is very windswept and suffers with rabbits, which may be the reason for quite a few abandoned plots.

We did come across one great plot with a very friendly chap in his summerhouse (equipped with kettle!)

Willaston

Our site rep has a plot here (traitor!) and when I looked at the soil I could see why. Unlike our heavy clay, this is almost pure sand. A totally different set of problems to cope with - but easy to grow fantastic potatoes and root crops.

Show Growing - Onions, Carrots, Parsnips and Leeks

On the Willaston site, Larry introduced me to Mr John Bebbington who grows for shows -

He's very knowledgeable and friendly too - explaining his growing methods, although not giving away his 'trade secrets'

The picture above is in his polytunnel where he has onions with a girth of 23". The normal onions look like spring onions in comparison.

Outside he has parsnips and carrots in deep containers, leeks under cover and even his potatoes are grown in special compost.

I understand he has won prizes in major shows and looking at his exhibits, I'm not surprised..