It’s raining, it’s pouring
and I don’t have to water, which is nice.
I have to admit that I was a
little smug on Sunday when I picked some purple-sprouting broccoli. It tasted
so nice.
The lady who has the plot
behind, and slightly to the right of, ours gave me some of her thinnings many
weeks ago and they have been slowly growing next to my pointy cabbages ever
since.
It’s one of the nice things about allotment
growing, the sharing of tips and plants. Most of the people around me are much
older than me (not an insult) and have considerably more experience of such
things which makes them a very useful resource.
There is a thing that makes a true allotmenter
(is that a word?) and it also makes them a bit smug over those who are new or
don’t do it. I am talking about seed saving.
“What? You bought those seeds? From a shop?” “Yes,
yes I did. I’m new to this. Leave me alone.”
But this year I am becoming one of those smug
gits, or at least trying to be. A seed saver I mean rather than a smug git.
This year’s sweet corn was grown from kernels saved
from last years and a small ear has been saved from this year’s crop.
One of last year’s parsnips was allowed to
grow on and go to seed. The seed was then allowed to dry.
The smaller gloves of garlic from the crop
have been saved to go in again in November.
Also the seeds from the given to me squash
that grew so well are being dried. I hope they will be alright because it is a
very tasty fruit.
Hopefully I will save some
beans as well.
I’m trying not to be a smug bloke but it is
hard, sorry.
