Friday, 31st August

The SHOW tomorrow! Today I have been rooting through a whole sack of spuds I'd dug in a vain effort to find 5 more or less the same without nasty scabs on them. They all looked OK before I washed them but that dirt was hiding a multitude of shortcomings. Not to worry, nothing I can do about it now but I think it's fair to say my name will not be on any red (or other!) cards tomorrow. The kitchen has been a busy place today because apart from washing spuds I've been baking rock cakes amd dressing onions after a quick lesson from Jack. His rejects (i.e. those he's NOT entering) put my entries to shame. Still, perhaps I'll beat him in the photography or baking classes, although it won't be too good for marital bliss if I win something in the baking and my wife doesn't. Who cares? It's just a bit of fun really and we shall enjoy admiring the other exhibits. So come along and enjoy yourselves. Apart from the fruit, veg, flowers, baking and children's exhibits, there's a raffle, refreshments, a cake stall, a white elephant stall and exhibitions by local artists. On top of that, in the photography class you get to pick the winner. So come on, let's see you there.

Thursday, 30th August

Today I have been playing with my onions. Perhaps I should make myself clear: I have been looking through my sack of onions to find any that might be suitable for putting in the show. I've entered the things, now I've got to find something to put on the bench. So I emptied my onions all over the back lawn then tried to find 5 that were vaguely similar and were bigger than a pickled onion. They're the wrong shape, wrong colour, the necks are too thick, they've got a bit of rot, the skin's peeling in a funny way, they're too big or too small, you name it, there's something wrong with nearly all of them. Then when you've narrowed it down, it's borrow the wife's kitchen scales just to check as my peepers aren't what they used to be. What a performance! And that's just the onions; tomorrow I shall be playing with my potatoes.

Wednesday, 29th August

D-Day for getting your show entries in. I whipped round to Jack's house this morning and stuck mine through his letterbox to make sure he got it. I've entered 7 classes in a probably misguided belief that the more classes you enter the better chance you have of winning a prize. Whether I actually turn up with 7 exhibits on Saturday is another matter. I've entered my cabbages and I've only got 2 left and they both look as if they're on the point of exploding so we'll have to see if they make it to Saturday. I've entered onions and I've no idea how to dress them so I'll have to learn quick sometime in the next day or two. I don't take it all that seriously as you can probably tell; it's just a bit of fun. I grow my fruit and veg for the kitchen and if anything looks OK I put it in the show. I don't grow for showing so there won't be any 10ft carrots or 3ft runner beans.

Top of Page

Monday, 27th August

Bank Holiday Monday - where to go? Well, we went to Southampton. It may seem an odd choice but we were meeting some friends over from Austria so it did make sense. I thought the roads, especially the A27, would be hell but what a nice surprise - they were practically empty even though it was obvious a lovely sunny day was in store. Still, it was 9.00 in the morning so that could explain it. Southampton itself is a pleasant city with lots of green space in the centre and a large, modern shopping complex called "West Quay", which we avoided like the plague. Instead we opted for the old town and a walk round the walls. We also went down to the waterside to gawp at the big ocean liners but there were none in! We had a nice meal in a restaurant in Oxford Street and sauntered about in the sunshine yapping over old times until it was time to come home. Then it was off to the allotment with the watering cans again and looking to see if anything was worth putting in the show as entries have to be in by this Wednesday. It doesn't look promising for the runner beans which have suddenly gone all beany and as for the raspberries, I think it's quantity rather than quality. Looks like I'll be entering the photography and men's baking sections.

Saturday, 25th August

Finally got round to digging up my onions this morning and they seem to have done reasonably well. I grow white and red onions and I really can't taste much difference but my wife says she prefers the red ones so I grow them. As she does the cooking, I don't argue. It's been a good day for digging and drying them as well, not a spot of rain around and loads of warm sunshine. Such a lovely day that this afternoon we went for a stroll round Highdown Garden again. I nearly always find it peaceful and relaxing there and today was no exception. Here's a few pic's I took:

Tuesday, 21st August

Another day skiving. I did actually visit the allotment this morning to dig some potatoes, carrots and a cabbage but this afternoon we headed North in search of the Wiston tea rooms. Basically you go up the A24 and right at the Washington roundabout and it's a turn-off on the left, a charming little establishment behind the village post office in an idyllic rural setting. The cream teas weren't bad either and very reasonably priced. A little stream with ducks runs through the grounds - you can sit inside or out - and there are fields behind with ducks, geese, hens, goats and a pony. There is also a craft shop but it was closed today. We didn't mind unduly as we had gone for the cream teas and were not disappointed.

Afterwards, just down the road we came across the Big Plant Nursery, and I mean "big". I include the vehicles in the photos to give you some idea of scale but some of the bamboos were very, very tall and cost over £150. There were also tree ferns and olive trees, eucalyptus and loads of Japanese maples. There were some less daunting plants too; I almost bought a solanum for £6.50, almost. Although I bought nothing in the end - I'd squandered my money on 4 cream teas - I still found it very interesting and would recommend it if you like these kinds of plants. I'd never been to either of these establishments before and yet they're almost on the doorstep. I really must get out more.

Top of Page

Monday 20th August

Yes, it's my birthday. I won't bore you be telling you which one but it's more than the candles on this cake. I celebrated by going to Chichester to see that film, "Grow Your Own". I can't remember when I last went to the cinema (Calendar Girls? and I didn't like that) but this was OK; I actually quite enjoyed it, especially as tickets were only £2.50 each this afternoon. I know how to lash out on a good time. The film itself was about a (fictional) Social Service project "Up North" to try and mend the broken lives of some refugees by giving them an allotment. It had some very touching moments, quite a few laughs and a happy ending. What more could you want? I'd definitely recommend going to see it if it comes round your way. Even my Mum enjoyed it.
Earlier in the day we spotted 2 blokes giving our front garden the once over. I immediately recognised them as judges from the Allotment Association as I'd entered the garden in the "Best Front Garden" competition. It looked a mess! Why couldn't they come and look at it before I went away on a little break? Still, gave them a giggle. Maybe I should charge entertainment tax. But the day ended well with a meal out at the Fox in Patching, best restaurant I know of round here but I'd be interested to know if you think the same. What's your favourite eatery?

Thursday, 16th August

Picked my first tomatoes yesterday and jolly nice they were too even if a trifle late and not very prolific. Better than those outside though which have suffered from the wind. I had used canes to stake them, so the wind just blew down the canes with the plants. When will I learn? Not for nothing is it called "Windy Worthing". Still, the plants appear in good health apart from that, although the fruits show no sign of turning colour yet. The apples and runner beans have also been blown about a bit. Even though I'm for ever picking them up there's always a load of new fallers beneath the Discovery tree. Luckily they're ripening OK now so, if the blackbirds and the slugs haven't got there first, you can eat them. Best solution really as Discovery don't keep very well beyond a couple of days any way. On the allotment my wonderfully crafted runner bean support/frame looks decidedly wonky but it's still standing. I've missed a few beans which have gone past it; you really do need to pick them regularly. I've left a few big ones on to see if they'll be any good for the show in the "Longest Runner Bean" category. Otherwise I don't have anything much worth putting in the show; even my bindweed display has failed at the last minute. I'm not very competitive at all but my wife wants to enter the baking section so I've got to enter something as I am the member and must be the primary exhibitor. Them's the rules! Perhaps I'll enter the baking section too. That'll show 'em!

Wednesday, 8th August

Phew! How much longer can this mini-heatwave go on? I must admit I did take advantage and go out for a little walk this afternoon but it's not being lazy because I've been told it's good for you especially if you've got a bad back, like most gardeners I imagine. I wonder if the old wildlife is feeling the pinch a bit though; I saw a young fox in our garden the other day, mid-morning, nosing round a gooseberry bush, not a wise course of action I would have thought. He didn't look in very good shape and was probably a bit desperate but I can't say I feel much empathy with urban foxes. I think it is a good idea to have some clean water out there though as hedgehogs and birds must get thirsty too. And don't forget to water those containers and runner beans; they soak it up in this weather.

Top of Page

Sunday, 5th August

Bloomin' warm these last couple of days. I've been topping up my tan doing mainly routine things like dead-heading, hoeing, mowing and watering. I've also been cutting back some evergreen bushes like this variegated Eleagnus as I figure birds will have abandoned their nests by now so it's safe to do a bit of trimming. You have to be vigilant with these variegated plants as I find they have a tendency to revert (to green), so I cut out any green shoots to discourage them. They would probably take over otherwise as I think the green bits are more vigorous than the variegated bits (more green = more chlorophyl = more growth).

                                                            
                          Eleagnus Pungens Maculata                                             Green leaves (reversion)

Of course, the other thing to do right now is enjoy the fruits of your labours with a whole host of things maturing and ripening. And when I can't be bothered becuase it's too hot, then it's nice just to sit in the garden and enjoy the sunshine and flowers.

Friday, 3rd August

Hooray! I picked 4 courgettes today and I didn't think I was ever going to get any this year. I say 4, but 2 of them were pretty manky, small and starting to rot from the flower end. Still, it meant we could have homegrown courgettes for dinner, along with homegrown cabbage, runner beans, carrot and potatoes. And to finish off with, homemade apple and blackkberry pie with apples and blackberries from the garden. I know it's a bit early for cooking apples, especially these Howgate Wonder which I normally pick much later but these were casualties, blown off or knocked off when I was mowing the lawn. Ah, the delights of gardening; everything tastes much better when you don't have to pay for it and you know it's not been sprayed with every killer insecticide under the sun.
                                                                                 
                                                       Howgate Wonder

And to top it off, it was such a lovely summer's evening we were able to eat it outside on the patio. Mind you, I had to clear the table first of all my gardening stuff like winter cabbage plants, reserve squash and back-up tobacco plants. Then I had to wash and scrub the table to make it fit for human dinner-eating. The lengths we gardeners are prepared to go to to please our better halves!

Top of Page

Wednesday, 1st August

Our first fag-free pub night last night and jolly enjoyable too. There was a number of customers sitting out in the garden, not all enjoying a fresh air puff, but it was a fairly pleasant summer's evening. What's going to happen in Winter or when the weather is less clement or more moist again? And do I care? I actually stopped patronising one local Italian restaurant when they allowed people to smoke despite a No Smoking sign. Presumably even they now comply but I won't go back on pricipal.

On the gardening front I'm afraid I had to cut down my potato haulms today as it looks like my spuds may have blight - just little brown speckles at the moment but OFF with their heads. Neighbouring allotments have sone the same although I've no idea if it really does any good. And why when I've got a bumper crop? Will any of them keep? If you really want to know more about potato blight click HERE.