This has been a difficult week, because the weather is so changeable that it may or maynot be raining when you can get to your plot. That is why I have outstanding work from this week to complete. The time spent on the allotment must allow you to get the importent jobs done.
At this time of year, in my case, the tunnels must be watered every day and the crops picked as they are ready. Some days this is all that gets done, and as we get further into the picking season then it takes more time.

The weather governs how things grow and different conditions help different crops to thrive. The rain is obviously important, but not in the quantities we are having at the moment, the temperature also has an important contribution to growing conditions. The cooler periods we have had have kept crops standing still, then we get some warmer spells and crops jump overnight.
These are the constant problems that we love to fight so that we can produce the food we want. Most things are growing well but there are a few that are not getting on as fast as they should be, most of my root crops and leafy crops are very slow at the moment but brassicas and potatoes are doing well. The the tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet corn, peppers,chillies and aubergines are all doing well, in fact it is the earliest that I have had flowers on the peppers and aubergines.

I read in a magazine recently that one way to stop pigeons eating brassicas was to plant them in cut off plastic bottles – three days so far and no leaves eaten. It is so easy at this time of year to forget about regular sowing of salad crops. my new grape vine is growing well at its firdt bunch of grapes is forming.

JOBS FOR THIS WEEK
1.Remove old compost heap.
2.Thin carrot bed.
3.Tie in outdoor cucumbers. Done
4.Fix supports for asparagus.Done
5.Plant out rest of leeks.Done
6. Pot up melons into final pots. Done

WORK DONE THIS WEEK
Sunday
Tidy old peas and beans in tunnel 1
Prepare soil in tunnel 1 for next crop
Water
Pick
Monday
Water
Pick
Tuesday
Water
Wednesday
Tie grape vine leaders
Weed
Water
Plant melons in the final pots.
Pick off potato stems with blight on.
Thursday
Water
Friday
Water
Saturday
Pick.
Water.
Plant out leeks.
Erect canes and string up asparagus.
Prune step over apples.
Dig up second lot of garlic.

Crops picked this week
New potatoes
Cucumbers
Beans
Strawberries
Courgettes
Lettuce
Cauliflower
Garlic