Wild Weekend

Storm Amy arrived at the tail end of last week, bringing heavy rain and gales to the UK; the wind gusts were fairly strong by Saturday, but mild in comparison to other regions. I popped to the allotment yesterday to see how everything was looking and sure enough everything was still how I’d had left it.

However, it seems the local wireworm population is partying hard on my plot – snacking on the spring cabbages, chard, and pak choi. I caught the little so-and-sos in the act, chomping on the roots of a very limp cabbage; the stem came clean away as I lifted it to inspect. Wireworms are the larvae of click beetles, and they’re a problem in new growing areas that were previously grassed. I know they’ve been an issue on our site for other plot holders growing potatoes, but I hadn’t had any problems until now. I put a couple of potato traps down – half a potato on a stick, buried a few inches in the soil – to see if I can move the “partygoers” somewhere else. It feels like a hit-and-miss solution, but sometimes the older methods are the best.

Here are some photos of veggies growing well at the moment. I thought it would be nice to have something to remember them by……

With a bit of luck, the wireworms won’t find them. Hmm.

On a brighter note, my dwarf French beans are putting on a brave face with lovely little flower buds!

The plants are looking a bit yellow, though. I had assumed this was due to some cold night temperatures, but a quick comparison with the plants I gave my dad for his plot (mine are on the left) makes me think it could be the soil. I added only a very thin mulch of compost to this bed at the time of sowing; I was being a bit stingy with the compost, if I’m honest. I already knew this bed was due for a boost of organic matter. My dad’s plot is on higher ground than mine, which can make a difference to temperatures, but who knows what the real cause could be? Either way, I do love experimenting and, of course, learning from it.

As I said in a previous post, I’m not expecting great things from these late-start beans. A frost will most certainly wipe them out. Still, it’s fun to try and push the boundaries with the ever-changing weather and seasons.

In other news, I finally have guttering and a water butt connected to the shed. This is something I have been wanting to get ticked off the list of jobs to do, but I just never seemed to get around to it. I had water butts on the plot I worked years ago. The allotment site does have the luxury of water taps, but the roasting hot summers have taught me not to rely on them. Taps could so easily be shut off during a drought. Storing rainwater is so important, and it feels great to be resourceful.