Harvesting Tomatoes Because of Blight

Following the harvesting of half of the tomatoes in the back garden when I went to Plot 1A in the morning the tomato plants down there were not looking particularly healthy, and some black was appearing on the stems of some of the plants and the leafs were looking blighty.

So all the tomatoes except the Crimson Crush that are out in the open were harvested and brought home.

It was then onto plot 23B. When I arrived the plastic sheet that was over the weeds to keep them dry had blown off and was only being held by a few milk bottles of sand and a lump of concrete I found on the site. So I was very glad that I had come down and that it had not rained, as I want the weeds to dry out so that I can burn them as soon as we are once again allowed bonfires in October.

The large white plastic sheet I found folded up at the rear of the site was covering what I had already dug and I decided to move the sheet down so that it can cover the weeds more effectively.

On lifting the plastic sheet I was confronted by a slow worm taking a nap who suddenly work up looked at me, I looked at him thinking he was a snake until it registered I had seen one of these beautiful creatures on an allotment diary, and he weaved his way into the undergrowth. In hindsight I wish I had get a picture or a video of him but for a "slow" worm he really moved quite quickly and I was just captivated and watched.   

There are lots of stones that need to be shifted and I have been saving plastic washing powder containers, bother the rectangular tablet and the round powder type and I set about filling these with stones to make weights to assist in holding down the plastic sheets.

Met two new neighbours on the plots 2&3 up from mine and had a chat. Derek the site rep told his wife that he was coming down for 10 minutes to check on the sheds following the break ins last week and by time he worked his way from person to person up the allotment it was more than likely an hour or two, but then again wives know that time flies when your down on the allotment.

The short video below shows the allotment how I left it before coming home for Sunday lunch.



The rain forecast for 12 didn't arrive so after Sunday lunch I continued applying coats of paint to the new post, sorting the tomatoes out and placing in the greenhouse to ripen off.

I then continued with the cleaning up exercise around the fence and the fence post. Where my neighbour cuts the hedge all the cutting have fallen down behind the fence and the greenhouse and I was also reducing the level of the hedge on my side, so next year I don't get as big a problem.

It appears that more than likely I will have to move the Ketter store out to clear out the debris and to refit the fencing panel once the concrete has been broken out and the fence post replaced.

Deep Joy!