Hello again! 👋
Welcome to this 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 5th post of 2025 in this year’s series of
“The Anaesthetist’s Allotment”.
I’m heading off for a bit of much needed warmth and sun for a couple of weeks, so this is a very quick update before I head off.
I would normally have started sowing my seeds in the last week of March. This will have to wait until I get back now, so there will be a mad dash when I get back to get all of the seeds sown and started.
In the greenhouse:
Over the last few postings, I have detailed the emergence of the Acer Bonsai’s from their winter sleep. I am leaving those pictures in this week (for comparison purposes!) and adding the latest colour displays.
Last week, I described how the Acer Palmitum Atropurpureum (right), which I had turned into a Bonsai in January, was doing well. Tiny little buds (top) had developed along its branches had enlarged some more and were a bit more obvious at my previous posting (middle). They were even more obvious last week (bottom) and looked ready to burst into full purple leaf any time now.
The buds have now developed into a lovely purple-red coloured leaf across the plant. It’s looking great 😊
I also described how another Bonsai I had created at the same time, the Acer Palmitum Orange Dream, had sprouted leaves quite early on.
I wonder why it has that name? 🙄 😒!
It had gradually changed colour from red (top) to orange (middle left) then (middle right) and then to orange yellow (bottom).
Last week, it was an almost lime colour with orange edges (top)
This week, it has developed it’s full summer colours. A lovely lime green coloured leaf (bottom)
The display of fabulous colours over the last few weeks, from when it first started developing its leaves (above) to now, have been nothing short of stunning!
The Onions “Hercules” have mostly sprouted now, so I will plant them out into the allotment before I go away (see below)
Similarly, the Shallots “Longor” have also mostly sprouted now, so I will plant them out into the allotment before I go away (see below).
Unusually, they took longer than the Onions this year. Normally the Shallots are the first things planted out into the Allotment.
Veggie garden / Allotment:
The allotment is looking pretty bare at the moment.
The Onions “Hercules” from the greenhouse have been planted out into the allotment now (left)
A frame with netting has been put over the top of the Onions to keep the birds away (right). Otherwise the pesky devils pop all of the onions out of the soil whilst digging for worms and other delicacies in the freshly turned soil.
The Shallots “Longor” from the greenhouse have also been planted out into the allotment now (right)
A protective netting has been put over the top of the Shallots to keep the birds away (right). Otherwise the pesky devils pop all of the onions out of the soil whilst digging for worms and other delicacies in the freshly turned soil.
I will see you all in a couple of weeks with further updates. Things will really start kicking off at that stage.
I look forward to keeping you updated regularly on further developments in The Anaesthetists Allotment.
See you next time!
Dr Doug (Douglas) McKendrick 
All good!
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