The other day, I took MadamLeBlog down to our very messy allotment and made her brave the brambles to pick blackberries. Which was heaps of fun actually. We got a tubful, then I ate some the next day and they really weren’t ripe at all, which was a shame! I did my best though and found a few non bitter ones in there which were ok.
On that day, I also braved planting out my biggest melon plant. It really was too big to keep in the propogator any longer so it had to be planted into the ground. I chose a sunny spot next to the compost heap (for warmth), dug a hole and put comfrey leaves in the bottom for feed, then planted the melon, put card around it to suppress the abundant weeds that grow in our composting area, put more comfrey around the plant then put large stones around it that had been warmed in the sun so the plant would have more heat and wouldn’t have such a temperature drop come the evening. Then we watered it lots and have left it. This was Wednesday and so far I haven’t had a chance to drop by and check on it, and won’t until Monday. So fingers crossed it will be alright. At any rate I took photos just in case it died so I have my memories! At present I have a getting photos off camera onto computer issue so they will come later.
Also on Wednesday at the allotment, we put up a fence to train the rogue brambles, with a view to putting up more fencing round the edges for raspberry canes etc.
In other gardening news, I am experimenting with trying to grow a pineapple using the top of a shop bought one. I don’t think it’s looking good but I’ll keep trying. Basically you soak the top of a pineapple (having cut off all the flesh) in water for a few days until it grows some roots, then plant it. I’ve done this and put it in my propogator so it should have enough warmth. But it’s going a bit brown round the leaves so not certain it’ll be ok.
And I think my potatoes have blight! I’m not certain but they’re not looking too healthy. I need to do some more research really. More updates on that later!
July 30, 2008 at 11:07 am
Visited the allotment & was most impressed! I’m sad to hear that the blackberries we picked weren’t ripe, we had gone to great lengths to hook brambles towards us to retieve the biggest, fattest ones that twisted off with ease & they still weren’t ripe. Ho hum.