Hello again! 👋
Welcome to the this “spring” edition of The Anaesthetist’s Allotment. I hope you enjoy it.
Please feel free to follow, like or comment and I look forward to getting some of your feedback.
Disclaimer: I’m a professional anaesthetist, not a professional gardener. I do a bit of gardening and cycling in my spare time. I have grown veggies for many years and have learnt what works for me (sometimes!). These are my ramblings! I would be honoured to be corrected / advised by those with more knowledge than me!
General:
This is the 9th post of 2024 in this year’s series of “The Anaesthetist’s Allotment”. It has only been one week since my last posting, but things are starting to move along quite quickly now in “The Anaesthetists Allotment”. Lots has been happening over the last week.
The days continue to lengthen. The sun sets today at about 2109 (15 minutes later than last week!), and the evenings stay light until about 2300 dependant on the presence, absence, or thickness of the cloud cover. However, the weather remains very changeable and moody.
Last week, the “weather-man” told us that it was going to warm up. Well they were right, to an extent! The very low sub-zero temperatures have indeed gone, for the moment, anyway! It has warmed up, but to a highest temperature of 15’C – I can hear those of you outside Scotland shivering and putting on extra jerseys at that temperature 🤭 . The first couple of days it rained, heavily! Then the sun came out, but it was accompanied by quite a strong wind, which kinda took the “feels like” temperature down a peg or two. For the last day or two we have descended under a cloud, literally. The “haar” (a lovely Scottish term for a cold sea-fog) has arrived and it certainly no longer feels like spring / summer, although it remains 15’C! There is still the chance that we may get another proper cold snap, with further sub-zero temperatures. Obviously, as gardeners, that is one of our biggest fears at this time of year as it is lethal to the tender wee plants we have just grown and planted out.
Enough about the weather……….
Let’s get on with it then……….
In the greenhouse:
Two weeks ago, I had a terrible disaster in the propagator in the garage. This was where I had successfully germinated and grown all of my “squash” plants for this coming year. Unknowingly I had committed genocide by allowing too much moisture to build up inside the propagator. This led to rotting of the stems and fungus growth which killed the majority of my wee plants. 😢
Yes, I am still sulking!
But…….
There have been no more fatalities 🥳
The four Butternut survivors are looking good (left). 3 more plants have grown from the second sowing in the garage, so that should be plenty for us this year.
The four surviving pumpkins are also looking good (right) – well, apart from one of them, which still looks a bit dodgy but seems to have put out a new leaf this week. Will keep an eye on it!
Only one more pumpkin has germinated from the second sowing in the garage, so…..
I have been to the local garden centre, who had nothing. Ended up at the B&Q, who at least had a great range of veggie plants. I managed to get a couple of pumpkins and a chilli there (right) to bolster our harvests.
Only one Cucumber (Mini Munch) survived. But fortunately, 3 new plants have sprouted in the garage, so again we should be ok for cucumbers this year. The survivor looks really good and will be able to head into the grow bag soon.
The three Courgette Goldmine (yellow courgettes) which survived are also now starting to look quite good.
Fortunately the Courgette Zucchini (green courgettes) have sprouted well in the garage from the second sowing and we now have 4 seedlings coming along.
So, we should be ok for both green and yellow courgettes this year.
The six surviving Gemsquash look great and are also growing away, just fine. We have only had one more Gemsquash germinate from the second sowing in the garage. But, fortunately this should be enough for our needs this year.
In the Garage:
The second sowing of squashes in the garage is showing signs of life! At last something good is happening 😊.
There is not a hint of excess moisture and the seedlings are now starting to form their true leaves. It will not be long until they can get potted up and moved up to the greenhouse.
Those of you with very keen eyesight will have noticed that several of the planted cells have not germinated at all. This could have been a major disaster for us. But, fortunately, a higher power seems to have been smiling on us, and the seeds which germinated were those that we desperately needed. So, all will be well in the Anaesthetists Allotment this year.
Back to the greenhouse:
Potatoes (Winston)
I had planted some of these seed potatoes into grow bags in the greenhouse to give us an early potato crop. They have grown well, been topped-up with compost, and continue to look great. They have been outside the greenhouse day and night for the last week and are looking amazing.
The Celery plants have been potted up into their own individual cells and are looking amazing. They will soon be ready to plant out into the Veggie Garden / Allotment
The outdoor tomatoes, leeks, Cabbage, Kale, Brussels Sprouts, Beetroot and Chard were moved into a cold frame outside the greenhouse last weekend.
The ideas behind this is to acclimatise the plants to the cooler temperatures outside before they get planted out into the Veggie Garden / Allotment. This gives them less of a shock 😳 and apparently they do better!
The roof of the cold frame is closed at night in case the temperatures drop too much!
These plants will be planted out into their final positions in the Veggie Garden / Allotment next week.
The cold frame contains Summer Cabbage (Hispi and Caraflex); Kale (Nero di Toscana); Winter Cabbage (Tundra); Beetroot (Detroit Globe); Brussels Sprout (Maximus and Brodie); Turnip (Golden Ball); Chard (Rhubarb Leaf and Rainbow Mix); Beetroot (Burpee’s Golden and Boltardy).
The Leeks are looking really good. They continue to grow on nicely. I am trying 3 varieties this year: Below Zero; Oarsman; and Autumn Mammoth
The three lots of tomato seeds which I received in my Christmas Advent Calendar are looking good 😊. I will plant them outside in the next week or so.
The Second mini-greenhouse has been removed from the greenhouse. As has the mini-greenhouse in which the bonsais were successfully over-wintered. This gives a lot more space in the greenhouse.
The seed trays (right) planted in February are looking amazing now. The lettuce is ready for munching and the carrots will not be too much longer.
I have planted the next lot of salad leaves. They have started to sprout. (Left)
Bonsai
My bonsai have all decided that spring is here and had started growing quite vigorously. They look quite good despite their spring haircut a week ago!
They are loving being out of their cramped winter home.
My two Jacaranda Bonsai (far right) are both looking really good. They have now survived two Scottish winters! Amazing! I never would have believed it.
Alexander’s Fig Bonsai (left) looks lovely. It is starting to get some real character now.
My Juniper Bonsai (right) is also looking great. I designed it in a “Windswept” style and am still trying to decide whether to remove the left main branch or not.
Veggie garden:
It’s time to get the Watering System set up.
The pipes and controllers have been stored in the garage (right) over winter to prevent frost damage.
Batteries are inserted into the controllers. All the bits are linked up and connected to the mains water supply (left) and WiFi.
Each pot in the greenhouse has a feed to it. (Right)
There are two sprinklers which cover the whole of the Veggie Garden / Allotment.(left)
The controller’s are connected to WiFi……..
……. And the whole lot is controlled from an app on my phone! (Right)
Technology is wonderful!
Two of the raised beds in the Veggie Garden / Allotment have been weeded this morning. Where do all these weeds come from? They have then been hoe’d vigorously and a nice thick layer of manure added to the top.
These are now ready for me to plant out the brassicas (cabbages, Kale, and Brussels Sprout which are currently hardening off in the cold frame outside the greenhouse. I will get them planted out during this coming week.
And, that’s them with their netting on. All ready for the assault of the dreaded cabbage fly. More about that pest later in the season!
Similarly, the remainder of raised bed into which I had sown the Beetroot – Boltary (red) and Burpees Golden (yellow) seeds a week ago, has also been weeded, hoe’d and mulched with manure. All ready for the first sowing of the beetroot to be planted out this week. They are currently also in the cold frame.
The rest of the bed for the Spinach has also been prepared, as above. Again these plants will be planted out from the cold frame to their final position next week.
The apple trees have finally decided to bless us with their full blossom. It is beautiful, but particularly so in the twilight, when the blossom seems to shine.
Pink apple blossom for the “cooker’s” (right).
And, white apple blossom for the “eater’s” (left)
The Rhubarb has been savaged!
Haa! I have found where it’s gone!
Into the kitchen (Top)
…….then lovingly prepared according to secret recipe, cooked and delicately placed into wee manikins (centre)
……..an oat “crumble” is added on top 🤤
……..into the oven 🤤 😋
……….et voila!
My Rhubarb Crumble is ready! My favorite!
……..It was absolutely wonderful, as expected 😋
Rest of the garden:
Sweet Peas – planted and ready to climb up the wall hopefully to produce a spectacular burst of colour in summer.
Pansies and Petunias starting to provide some spring colour.
Things are starting to move forward at pace now and I look forward to keeping you updated regularly on developments in The Anaesthetists Allotment.
See you next time!
Dr Doug (Douglas) McKendrick 
Wow am so impressed with your Bonsai, especially Alexander’s fig and the Jacarandas.
Amazing Rhubarb crumbles and custard at the ready……a reward after all your hard graft.
LikeLike