Stringing them up....

...my onions that is!

I learnt how to do this last year from this site:
 http://www.powen.freeserve.co.uk/Guides/stringonions.htm

Give it a try - it's the best way to store them

 Sorting out the sizes - Large, Medium & Small

 The first string in progress

 After trimming off the roots and the ends the first string is ready

Three Strings later (the one to the far right are the over wintering onions) and I had to call it a day as there are about another 5 lots to go!

Recent Harvests

Savoy Cabbage, Apples & a Pear

Plums & Cucino (Baby Cucumbers)

Cherry Tomatoes, Cucino, Courgettes & Cucumber (not in photo)

Onion Harvest

I needed to get to the allotment desparately.  After recent events, I have let it go to pot a bit, well a lot actually!  So, once there I tidied up the peas - well pulled them all out actually, dug over their spot and the earth to the left where the first earlies were grown, so that was a good 5ft across dug over and raked!

Then it was time to lift the onions.   I planted 3 rows (staggered) along the width of the plot (17ft??) so there were quite a few of them!

I put them in the Greenhouse to dry for a few days - I couldn't risk leaving them outside as the risk of showers is still prominent!!

The first haul.....

Some more....

Had to put some on the floor (on a tray).....

And more on the other shelf opposite...

And finally some were put on the wine box - phew!!

5th Place + Onions & Garlic

Yes, this year, probably due to the fact that I have an 8 year old in my life, I didn't spend as much time as I would have liked to at the allotment.  I came 5th in Sutton in Bloom.  The usual came 1st (boring) and my fellow allotmenteer from Roundshaw came 2nd - well done Andrew!!

I did manage to dodge the showers and get down to plot 144 yesterday and I strung up my over wintering Onions & Garlic.  I brought some home & left some hanging in the allotment shed for now.

July 1st 2011 - Update from 144

I planted some of the chilli & sweet pepper plants right outside the greenhouse & to the left you will see that I have put in 2 artichoke plants

This is an over head view of the sweetcorn interplanted with butternut squash - I tried this "companionship" last year and it worked well

The perpetual spinach which is keeping our family well fed

Beetroot in between the parsnips

Tomatoes of different varieties to the right and courgettes / squashes to the left

Dwarf broad beans with some peas behind

The Runner Beans

Strawberries - what's left of them - I think I have one fruit on there now after the glut I had earlier this year

Baby Sweetcorn plants in front of the chilli & sweet peppers

I finally got around to digging up the onions and garlic today

These are now "drying out" in the greenhouse.