Down on the Allotment

Matron grows vegetables and fruit in a Hampshire garden. I've been growing veggies since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Some traditional varieties and old favourites as well as new ideas. I share my garden with my allotment assistant Daisy the Labrador. On Twitter as @MatronsVeggies

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Success in 2014


There have been a couple of firsts Down on the Allotment in 2014. I grew Oca this year, it is pretty easy to grow in that it just looks after itself.  Another big bonus is that the tubers seem to be quite hardy under the soil in Winter - so anything at this time of year under frost and snow is worth growing.
 But the thing I am most proud about is growing carrots!  My heavy London clay has always meant that carrots grown in the soil were always forked and mis-shapen.   This time I took the time and effort to sieve a couple of square meters of soil and add lots of sand and grit.  Didn't thin them out for fear of attracting carrot root flies - just left them where I sowed the seed.
So on Christmas Day (with the help of my furry kitchen assistant) we had home grown carrots for the first time!   Wishing all my blog readers a Happy New Year!

5 Comments:

At 10:52 AM, Blogger Chicken lover said...

Happy new year 🎉
Your carrots are great, one of the veggies that I struggle with too
Jane

 
At 5:13 PM, Blogger Mark Willis said...

Bravo! Success is sweet, eh? I had a major breakthrough with Carrots during 2014 too, having belatedly discovered the merits of Enviromesh.

 
At 9:56 PM, Blogger Kelli said...

Happy new year! I recall you've had a pretty good year in the garden. Hope 2015 is another productive year for you.

 
At 5:51 AM, Anonymous Claire andrews said...

I too had my first crop of oca this year, and put some in my chineese pickles for Christmas and pickled some on thier own, the small ones (broad bean sized) whole and others I sliced on a mandolin. They went down a storm and went great with the cold meats.

P.s. Love this blog

 
At 11:17 AM, Blogger Captain Shagrat said...

Just thinking about my allotment and the thought I don't do flowers sprang into my head and I wondered how you and Leo were getting along. yes carrots are very difficult

 

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