Irridescent deep red leaves, but is it Bulls Blood?
It's cold, dark and rainy again, I was really hoping for more from July. But undaunted I meet Allan at the allotment just after seven in the evening. I suppose I am hoping for one of those long, warm summer evenings, we are intending to do a spray or slosh about some comfrey 'tea' to feed the soil. Somehow we manage not to, leaving it for Sunday, hoping for better light. Instead we take a walk around, talk about whatever catches our eye or things we think in need of attention.
The sweetcorn is racing on, growing an inch a day
The corn is exceptional, it looks as strong and as healthy as any corn I've ever seen. With beautiful thick green leaves it seems to be growing an inch a day. It's staring to overshadow some small salsify seedlings planted in the next row. We might have to move them, but I'm not sure how easy they are to move....does any one have any thoughts on moving salsify...?
At the bottom of the plot are two rows of beetroot, whose leaves are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. I'm sure we'd grow them for their iridescent foliage alone. It tastes good, too, we had some tops last week with the first of our potatoes (I quickly fried them with butter, garlic and a bit of white wine....delicious). We are not sure which beetroot it is, we haven't been so good at keeping records (resolving to change this for next year). It could be 'bulls blood' or 'long.....'
Last week we thought we saw a 'big mouse' running out from under the radishes, then discovered that some had been nibbled at. Now, between the boards and the dark leaves of the beetroot, we find a large hole with a half eaten Red Duke of York potato at it's entrance'. Scale would suggest it is rat rather than a mouse. Hoping to deter it we put
holly down the two holes we find...hoping it might encourage it to take up residence somewhere else. We'd be interested to hear if anyone has any friendly ways to discourage rats.
As the gloom gathers we transplant tagetes from their nursery bed to the base of a bronze fennel and pick out the lateral shoots of the tomatoes, hoping to encourage more flowers and fruit. Finally, we gather radishes and fiery rocket leaves for supper.
