Category Archives: Allotment

The Anaesthetists Allotment – 2nd April 2023

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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!

So that’s me back from a week away at work.

Before I left last weekend, I had sown the vast majority of my various crops for this year and some of them were just starting to sprout. This is a very delicate stage of the plants life, as even a day or two of extreme heat or cold, or too much (or too little) water can murder these delicate little plants and kill an entire crop. This would mean having to start from scratch all over again and re-sow all of the seeds. Yes, I have to admit, this has happened a few times in previous years and can set back the growing schedule by a few weeks or more. Much grumpiness then ensues. When you live in the far North of Scotland and have ridiculously short growing season this delay can be the difference between a crop not ripening before the first frosts and a complete failure of harvest. I had left my entire crop in the care of “The Boss”, along with suitable instructions as to the required care. So, I think you might be able to understand that it was with some trepidation that I went outside on my return to see how my “wee plants” were doing (or not!). I think that I have to clarify here, for the sake of my health, that the trepidation was not related in any way to the abilities of “The Boss” but rather to the potential of a crop failure!! 😉 😜

I am delighted to report that all is well, perhaps even better than I could have kept it (No – “The Boss” did not instruct me to write that! 😂🤣) – maybe I should retire from gardening as well! Ah! – that has just been vetoed by the Security Council!

So, a wee tour and update then!

Firstly, in the Greenhouse:

The early potatoes (Casablanca) in the growbags are coming along really well and looking very healthy indeed.

This is a new variety which I am trying this year, as for some reason I could not get hold of our favourite (Winston) seed potato – I presume there has been a problem with the production process this year, disease or some other such disaster!

According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), Casablanca is a new, multi-purpose first early potato with a smooth white skin, shallow eyes and a creamy flesh. It is a handsome potato, that is rapidly becoming the exhibitors favourite, while chefs are lapping it up because it is a dream to chip, bake or boil. It shows an excellent resistance to blackleg and it has been said that it can produce an edible crop just 62 days after planting.

The RHS has awarded Casablanca the prestigious “RHS Award of Garden Merit (RHS AGM)”.

The Casablanca are certainly miles ahead of the other variety of potato I am growing this year, Picasso.

This is also in a grow bag in the greenhouse and was planted at exactly the same time as the Casablanca.

Picasso has also been awarded the RHS AGM. An impressive, improved variety derived from older Cara variety. It is a main-crop potato with a yellow skin, prominent red eyes (hence the name) good common scab resistance and suitable for long term storage. It produces huge yields of waxy fleshed tubers with good all round disease and drought resistance making it a garden and allotment favourite. A versatile variety in the kitchen,particularly for baking and mashing.

The onion sets continue to grow nicely and will be ready to plant out into the garden in the next couple of weeks.

Strawberries in the greenhouse are also way ahead of the ones in the garden. Looking really healthy and even some flowers already. Might have some delicious strawberries soon!😋

Microveg is looking brilliant and tasting just as good. We will be having some of this for lunch!

A week makes all the difference!

Last week, I showed the photo at the top of seed trays in which I had sown various seeds.

This week, the miracle of nature has happened. They are alive! Seedlings have sprouted from bare soil. It never ceases to amaze me!

In these seed trays, we have: Beetroot (Boltardy = red and Burpees Golden = yellow) and some peas (Early Onward) to, hopefully give us an early crop of peas. I will plant further successional showings of peas directly into the garden to hopefully give us a longer cropping season.

Again most of the Brassicas have sprouted during this week.

The Brussels Sprout (Marathon) and summer cabbage (Caraflex) are both looking great. The winter cabbage (Tundra) is a bit slower – hopefully within the next few days 🤞

In this seed tray, to the right, there is also a row of Chard (Bright Lights) and a row of Perpetual Spinach. Both of these have germinated well 😁

The two pots with Leeks (Musselburgh and Below Zero) have grown on nicely since last week and are looking much stronger.

Today, I’ve sown a bowl of Spicy Lettuce to continue the succession of salad leaves

In the Garage

Yes! In the garage……

………. because I have run out of space and electrical outlets in the greenhouse, I am trying an experiment this year.

I have sown all of my squashes etc in their propagator in the garage. I would normally put the propagator in the greenhouse. Because it is dark in the garage, I have added special plant lighting to the top of the propagator. Here goes: 🤞

So 10 days on, and the magic is happening. Most have sprouted and are looking great. My only concern is that they are perhaps a bit on the leggy side. This might indicate a lack of light, however they are a good strong green colour which I think counters this argument. I will watch them closely 👀 🕵️‍♂️ 🔎

In the Veggie Garden (Allotment)

Garlic – I promised you a photo last week, so here you are. Two different varieties, all looking good. Super-granny (my mum) and Super-Nanny (Helen’s mum) both love their garlic and this is their bed in the Allotment – tended to by me, of course!

Potato beds for 2023

So today, I prepared three 2.4 x 1.2 meter raised beds for the potato crop to be planted into for this coming year.

The photos in the top row shows the beds after winter. Still looking pretty good. Some moss, a few weeds, slightly compacted but OK.

I use the no-dig method for my veggie growing because it is less work and better for my back 😂🤣. Well yes, but also, apparently you get better crops this way and it’s better for the soil.

So, just a light hoeing of the superficial layer to aerate, get rid of weeds etc and we have pictures in the second row.

I then put a layer of black weed-control fabric over the soil. This serves three purposes: it looks neat; it reduces weed growth, and probably most important at this stage, it warms the soil. Now, being the North of Scotland with frequent severe winds, the fabric is stapled to the wood of the raised beds and large pegs are driven through it into the ground – I really don’t fancy chasing off down the road after a billowing tent of fabric.

The potato’s are chitting in the greenhouse (see last week’s blog). I hope to get them planted out into the beds in a week or two.

Strawberry beds in the “fruit cage”

In the top picture are the over-wintered strawberry beds. It’s all looking rather tatty with all the dead leaves etc. I find it’s best to clear away all of these dead leaves etc before the new leaves get going. This allows better aeration of the plants and fruit and hopefully better crops with less fungal rotting.

I have also added a good layer of compost / mulch this year as our crops were dwindling over the last year or two despite adding some new plants – I think due to depleted soil. The mulch will serve two purposes. Obviously 🙄 it will feed the plants, but it has also acted as a good medium for the strawberry runners to root into at the end of last year. So helpfully we will also get a good number of young fresh vigorous plants coming through to provide us with better crops as the older ones fail. This seems to happen to plants in a similar manner to humans as they age!

And finally – couldn’t resist! Just outside the Veggie Garden!

Daffs! Magnificent!

It’s a busy, but exciting, time for veggie growers. Lots happening!

See you next time!

The Anaesthetist’s Allotment – Catch-up for 2023

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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!

Yesterday, I started a blog to update progress (hopefully!) with the events on my home allotment. I promised to keep you up to date with happenings on a regular basis.

I have, however, realised that yesterday was not the beginning of this year’s crops and that plenty has been happening prior to now. So, I am adding another post today to let you know what is already happening in my veggie saga.

These are spring cabbages called Spring Hero. They were sown in summer last year. They were planted out into the Allotment in October and have been in the ground right through the worst of winter. The netting cover is to protect them from birds etc. They are now starting to grow nicely.

Garlic bulbs were also sown directly into the ground in October. There are two varieties and both have now sprouted and are looking good. Sorry, no picture 😳!

This is what the allotment looks like at the moment – pretty barren, yes, agreed, but wait a month or two……..

The spring cabbages, mentioned above, are at the bottom right of the picture and the shallots (from yesterday’s blog) are on the very mid-left. Just to the right of the shallots are leeks from last year, behind this, at the very back, last year’s winter cabbages, and to the right of that Brussels sprout also from last year and still producing crops.

In the very far right corner are the garlic plants.

The big cage to the right is the fruit cage. In here are: red currents, black currents, raspberries, blackberries (Brambles if you live in Scotland), green gooseberries, red gooseberries, apples (3 varieties) and strawberries (2 beds).

Seeds have been sown within the last few days:

– Beetroot: Golden & Red (Boltardy)

– Peas (Early Onward)

– Brussels Sprout

– Summer cabbage (Caraflex – this is a new variety which Im trying this year after the success of Puma last year. It’s a pointy type of cabbage!)

– Winter cabbage (Tundra – an old favourite!)

– Chard Bright lights – very similar to spinach, but brightly coloured!

– Perpetual Spinach – cut and come again spinach. Nyum! Your😋

– Broad Beans – “ The Sutton”. Delicious if picked young

Two varieties of leeks:

– Musselburgh – an old favorite

– Below Zero – a later cropping leek – had good success over the last year or two!

Onion sets have started sprouting in the greenhouse

Potatoes have started sprouting in the greenhouse. These “ Casablanca” are a new variety this year. They have already had an additional layer of compost added. Looking good!

Potatoes 🥔 (Casablanca & Picasso) chitting in the greenhouse. This chitting process was started in early February. They will be planted out into the garden when the soil warms up a bit.

And in a mini- greenhouse within the main greenhouse, my bonsai. they are kept at higher than 15’C and have additional lighting.

There are two types of bonsai here:

– a fig (Ficus) in the foreground

– two Jacaranda bonsai – still very young and early in their training. I fully expected that they would not survive the winter, but my efforts with the mini-greenhouse, heating and lighting has, so far, worked and they are looking great with new shoots appearing. Wow 😮!

The Gas Man’s Allotment 2023 – 25th March

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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!

We have fairly large veggie garden / allotment. Being in the far North of Scotland, the weather plays a huge role and the growing season is short.

I have already started with a good deal of my sowing under glass in the greenhouse, but decided today that it might be quite fun to produce a regular blog to keep those interested up to date on the progress (hopefully) of our veggies.

So here’s what happened today:

Shallots

One of the first crops to get planted out into the veggie garden is shallots. This year, I’m growing the Jermour variety. I planted the sets in February in the greenhouse and by the 11th March they had sprouted nicely.

Today the shallots were planted out into their raised bed in the veggie garden. Snow is expected tomorrow, but no bother, they are hardy and will not be troubled by a wee bit of cold!

Some birds, especially blackbirds, have a habit of searching for worms under freshly worked soil, and especially if new seedlings have been planted. This can be devastating for newly planted seedlings before they can have a chance to anchor themselves fully with a good root system.

So my newly planted shallots get a protective covering to protect them from the birds – oh all right, and a wee bit of protection from the weather as well!

Broccoli

My mail order of Broccoli (Calabrese) Marathon arrived yesterday. I potted them up today. Yes, they look horrible, but give them a week or so, and they will have perked up and will grow on nicely. I will keep you posted on their progress.

Harvest

Yes, I’m still harvesting last year’s crops. These are Picasso potatoes and the last two carrots (Sugarsnax). There were also a couple of handfuls of Brussels Sprout, but I forgot to take a picture of them – I will get better!

Next week

I’m away off to work tomorrow for the week, leaving my newly planted and sprouted seeds and seedlings in the care of a fairer hand. I am sure they will be safe 🤔😊

I will give a fuller description of what I have planted already in the greenhouse and hopefully we will have some germination happening. I still find it amazing to see the barren looking seeds start to sprout and produce such wonderful life from “nothing”.