Xref: kermit uk.rec.gardening:209033

Here's a discussion for those of you with allotments. Everything this
year seems to be weeks behind last year. At our annual inspection last
time, my summer onions had leaves big enough to flop over the paths
(and get trodden on!) whereas this year they look hardly bigger than
they did a month ago. Ditto my cabbages. I lost my sprouting broccoli
in the dry patch (as I wasn't around to water them). Discussion with
other plotholders seems to agree on incredible dryness for the last
month being responsible as we all have madly bolting autumn onions too
(it was that thread which inspired this one!)

Anyone else finding this? I think we are more prone than most since
the soil is light and very well draining, so unless it's full of
manure it doesn't hang onto moisture easily. (Farmers do well out of
us each year as we dig in enormous quantities of organic matter!)


--
jane

Don't part with your illusions. When they are gone,
you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
Mark Twain

Please remove onmaps from replies, thanks!

"jane" wrote in message
...
: Here's a discussion for those of you with allotments. Everything this
: year seems to be weeks behind last year. At our annual inspection last
: time, my summer onions had leaves big enough to flop over the paths
: (and get trodden on!) whereas this year they look hardly bigger than
: they did a month ago. Ditto my cabbages. I lost my sprouting broccoli
: in the dry patch (as I wasn't around to water them). Discussion with
: other plotholders seems to agree on incredible dryness for the last
: month being responsible as we all have madly bolting autumn onions too
: (it was that thread which inspired this one!)
:
: Anyone else finding this? I think we are more prone than most since
: the soil is light and very well draining, so unless it's full of
: manure it doesn't hang onto moisture easily. (Farmers do well out of
: us each year as we dig in enormous quantities of organic matter!)

Can't say I've noticed that here in Plymouth. I mean I don't know exactly
what it was like at this time last year but can't see a lot that I would say
is unusual. The alderman peas are nearly at the top of the trellis, the
runner beans are half way up and the onions are flopping for treading on
(sorry lol). The parsnips I would say are in advance and all in all it's a
very good year so far touch wood etc etc. We have water laid on though, so
if there is an extended dry spell we are able to water as required although
of course, nothing waters like a decent drop of rain

"Robert" wrote in reply to

"jane" who wrote in message

: Here's a discussion for those of you with allotments. Everything this
: year seems to be weeks behind last year. At our annual inspection last
: time, my summer onions had leaves big enough to flop over the paths
: (and get trodden on!) whereas this year they look hardly bigger than
: they did a month ago. Ditto my cabbages. I lost my sprouting broccoli
: in the dry patch (as I wasn't around to water them). Discussion with
: other plotholders seems to agree on incredible dryness for the last
: month being responsible as we all have madly bolting autumn onions too
: (it was that thread which inspired this one!)
:
: Anyone else finding this? I think we are more prone than most since
: the soil is light and very well draining, so unless it's full of
: manure it doesn't hang onto moisture easily. (Farmers do well out of
: us each year as we dig in enormous quantities of organic matter!)

Can't say I've noticed that here in Plymouth. I mean I don't know exactly
what it was like at this time last year but can't see a lot that I would
say
is unusual. The alderman peas are nearly at the top of the trellis, the
runner beans are half way up and the onions are flopping for treading on
(sorry lol). The parsnips I would say are in advance and all in all it's a
very good year so far touch wood etc etc. We have water laid on though, so
if there is an extended dry spell we are able to water as required
although
of course, nothing waters like a decent drop of rain

We have Jane's problem here too, this seems a dry spot anyway, but the last
month or so has been very dry and hot recently too. Our Alderman peas are
only 9inches high and not looking at all well despite being watered,
strangely the Feltham First and Lincoln next to them look good.
Some of our Onions have flopped and one jumped out of the ground, but that's
all due to someone letting their dog onto the site to run through our onion
bed a few times!!!
Parsnips, well we still await the germination of most of them despite them
being watered every few days.
Wonderful crop of Strawberries though and the early spuds (Concorde) are
good too.
--
Regards
Bob

Some photos of my plants at.....

jane wrote:

Here's a discussion for those of you with allotments. Everything this
year seems to be weeks behind last year. At our annual inspection last

Hi Jane,

I'm certainly later this year than last. We had a very cold February / March
so I didn't do my seeds until early April.

My strawberries aren't ripening yet! Well - one single berry is half pale
red this evening! I'll expect they'll ripen in the next week or so - but
one or 2 weeks later than last year.

Garlic is there or thereabouts normal - perhaps a bit on the weany side.

Peas are only 3ft tall, sweetcorn about 6-8 inches and only planted last
weekend, along with summer/autumn cropping cauli / broccili.

Looks like we have a bumper loganberry crop to come - its covered in fruit!

Sarah (N. Wales)