First post of 2017

Noticed that the number of blog posts has gone down each year.  So determined Tomane a bit more of an effort this year and kick it all off with this slightly pointless post.

What's happening.

Garlic coming along nicely - I'll add a picture when it stops raining.

Sweet peas look great in their 'over-winter' root trainers.

Potatoes - chatting new (Pentland Javelin) and first early (Nicola)

Artichokes - 3 plants that I split from the main one now look very well and I'm sure I'll get a good crop this year.

Rhubarb - starting to show, not sure whether to bother with the 'forcing' thing this year.

Strawberries - loads of potted on babies form the runners last year.

Seeds - need to stay off the beans and courgettes soon.

Greenhouse needs cleaning 'cos it's a bit green . . . 

Still harvesting, tomatoes, courgettes and blackberries

Today

Jam

First attempt at Blackberry jam, recipe chosen at random from the billion or so on the Internet http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/11750/angelas-flexible-jam-recipe

Interesting that empty jam jars cost almost as much as full pots of (cheapish) jam.

Jam tastes great, but probably won't last long enough to end up as Christmas gifts.

Tomatoes ripening nicely

Better this year than last.  Loads of tomatoes on 4 plants (growing a little wilder than I had originally planned) and starting to ripen nicely.

Pimientos De Padron: First sightings

Not sure how many of these I'm going to get but here are the first to be picked.  Not exactly sure why I chose to photograph them on the back of a ukulele but it does give a sense of scale - of course only if you know how big a ukulele is!

Watering plants in the rain

More than a little odd to have to go to the allotment in the middle of days of torrential rain to water plants in the greenhouse.

I'm sure that such products exist but I am going to design a water-collection-distribution system that won't flood plants but keep them nicely watered automatically.  Some day...

Pimiento Padron

Coming on strongly.  Buds starting to appear!  I've got about 10 plants looking good and another 10 not so good.

I reckon I might get enough peppers for 2 meals easily.