Allotment update

A little update from allotment land... The peas have started flowering so hopefully should produce some pods soon, I’m going to put some more seeds in so I can have them all summer hopefully. The broad beans on the other hand have produced their first little pods and look really healthy, I'm looking forward to tasting them. I have a lovely little Broad bean, Black pudding and Mint Salad I need to tell you about, it'll be even better with my own beans I think...

The apple tree is covered in tiny little red apples, it only had one last year so I’m very proud of it... The strawberries are coming along with pretty little white fruit ready to ripen. I doubt I will be serving up a feast from them as there are only about six of them... might have to put a few more plants in next year, I only have three!

I planted some savoy cabbages this week, and also some nasturtiums. You can eat the flowers in a salad and I'm also thinking tempura nasturtiums alongside courgette flower tempura might be tasty. I've also planted out the French climbing beans and the sweetcorn, both are currently looking incredibly shell shocked but I'm hoping they will pull through!

The cauliflowers are much bigger and look very healthy, I hear they are quite difficult little fellas to look after, but I have been watering them a lot and so far so good... When I first got the allotment it had been planted as a vineyard by the man before me. I have kept quite a few of them growing in amongst the vegetable beds, I doubt I am going to be bottling up Jesmond vintage bottles of wine any time soon, but they do have some tiny little grapes starting to form.

Back home I've been feeding and watering the tomatoes and they have grown about a foot and are starting to flower. I'm not sure how long till tomato time. The window sills are packed with runner beans, green courgettes, yellow courgettes, ball type courgettes and turks turban squashes, all waiting to appear... I'm finding everything takes longer than expected, but will persevere and be laden with produce any time soon I imagine...