4/5/25 - The Cold Snap

 Evening all, and thanks for dropping by.  A busy few days on the allotment, and a cute reminder that we haven't quite got rid of the cold temperatures yet.  But things are certainly growing and desperate to get moved out.  So, lets get a round up of the last few days.

Polytunnel Harvest

The strawberries are turning red and we're in harvest mode, a full 6 weeks earlier than I thought we would be.  Out of the two varieties we have planted, the Elsanta seem to be the larger and juicier out of the two.  Feeding has started with a bit of a mix of blood, fish and bone and some tomorite tomato food.

Movers and Shakers

Since I created more room in the mini polytunnel, I have managed to remove everything off the suspended staging in the larger polytunnel, so this weekend, I took that down and stored it away in the roof section of the polytunnel.  This should allow additional light to get to the pepper and aubergine plants in their quadgrows underneath it.

Out of the trays of seedlings moved into the small polytunnel, I've pricked out more all year round cauli plants for the next succession, and planted out two of the larger plants that have been waiting to be planted out for the last week or two.  

Also, when pricking out the latest succession of cauli, I also pricked out and potted on the water melon seedlings.  Out of the 4 seeds planted, all 4 germinated with a plan for 2 to be grown on undercover.  Providing they survive the pricking out and potting on, I should be able to get these in their final positions towards the end of the month.  Out of the same tray, I've also pricked out and potted on around 10 cosmos plants which if survive, I plan to plant out on the allotment and at home.

Sticking with the smaller polytunnel, the succession sowing of the carrots made a few weeks ago are continue to grow well as it the pak choi.  

Further Sowings

The change in month also means that the next wave of sowing can start.  This year, we are growing climbing French beans, but I also have many dwarf French bean seeds left from last year.  I've sown 1 tray (28 plants) of Dwarf Bean Annabel today, although in the coming days, I will sow more of this variety, and also another purple variety.

The other half of the bath tub has also been sowing with Berlicum 2 main crop carrots.  The first sowing has started to grow at pace since the warmer weather has arrived, so hopefully, these new sowings will continue in a similar way and give us a meaningful harvest through the summer.  Of course, we also have the sowings in the mini polytunnel too.

Another succession of cut and come again lettuce has also been sown and left undercover.  This should be ready in around a month or two's time.  It's sharing a shelf space with a chilli pepper plant kindly given to us by an allotment neighbour.  The variety is 'Jazz' and is a miniature variety, growing to only around 25cm tall.

Cold Snap and Polytunnel Temps

Over the next 48 hours, night time temperatures are forecast to drop to 2 to 3 degrees.  Since putting 10 tomato plants out into their final bed, they have been coping OK with the cooler evening temperatures, but I must be honest and say that I still don't hold high hopes for them.  However, in an effort to protect them from potential frost over the next couple of days, I've wrapped the whole bed up in fleece to try and keep the worst of the cold off them.

On the subject of temperatures, things have eased off slightly over the last few days, but still seeing maximum temperatures up around 40 degrees at the moment.  Two plants that have been enjoying the heat of recent weeks have been the aubergine plants.  At first, once put into their quadgrows, they didn't seem to grow much, but the last few weeks have seen them come on very well.  I'm also pretty sure that their roots have also found the capillary matting as the amount of water in the reservoir drops every couple of days and needs topping up.

And the rest...

There is still so much to do on the plot.  Every day I see more and more things to add to the list.  Other jobs done over the last few days worthy of honourable mentions are:

• Sowing a trough of red spring onions call North Holland Bloodred Redmate
• Sowing two rows of swede Mariene.  These are in the other half of the bed currently occupied by parsnips.
• 3 Cauli plants harvested with one for the plate and two blanched and frozen.
• Additional peas sown in between the gaps of the rest of the peas that have germinated and grown on well.
• 1 Yellow Golden courgette planted into place in the mini polytunnel.  The second plant was left on the sharing bench, along with an unwanted Kale plant and two other cauli plants.
• The bean structures have now been built.  Rope was added to the tall bean tower. and the other half of the bed is taken up with a more traditional bamboo cane 'A' frame.  Though the plants are ready to be planted out, I'm going to hold off until the cold snap passes.
• Beer traps have been re-set.
• Strimming, mowing and weeding around the plot.