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

Thursday, July 05, 2018

Codling Moth Pheromone Trap

  I am pleased that over the last several weeks the pheromone trap in my apple trees appears to be working well.  The scented rubber thing only works for a limited period of time before it runs out.
 So yesterday I opened a new scented lure and a new sticky card.  This will continue to trap the moths before they have a chance to lay eggs inside my apples.
 Apples on the two standard trees are developing well.  We are coming to the end of the 'June drop' when small apples fall naturally to the ground, but I am thinning out groups of apples to just two or even just one apple so they develop into a smaller number of larger apples instead of lots of little ones.
 A momentous moment on the plot! My first harvest in my new garden.  Yesterday I enjoyed these Romanesco courgettes for lunch.  It really is important to pick them while they are still small because it encourages more to develop.
 The Rhubarb crowns I brought with me are doing well.  To start with, you can see the older leaves started to become unhealthy and 'nibbled at' - but eventually all that lovely horse manure compost has enabled them to have a really good, healthy growth spurt.  I will NOT take any stalks of rhubarb this year, I will leave it all to develop a healthy crown below the soil.  Taking stalks will weaken the plant at this stage.
 The raspberry canes I brought with me to the new garden have also enjoyed the thick layer of horse manure compost.  Really I shouldn't allow them to fruit in the first year because they are still putting energy into developing healthy roots, but as you can see I let a couple develop fruit.  This growth will fruit next year.
 So I started a veg patch by removing turf on the lawn.  All is going really well, but due to the heat over the past few weeks it is impossible to dig any more turf, the ground is too hard.  Happy with this little patch for a start.


2 Comments:

At 12:42 PM, Blogger Carrie said...

What a lush garden this is becoming! I'm very impressed and see that I have missed your post on your new greenhouse - off to read that now..it's all very exciting :)

 
At 5:10 PM, Blogger Shaheen said...

So pleased your rhubarb is doing well. I moved into this house four years ago and this year its been the best in relation to rhubarb - worth waiting.

 

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