The Scottish Allotment Diary

The weather has been atrocious.  We have had 4 times the average rainfall for August.  The burn which runs through the site has had many surcharges from the combined sewer overflows, at least four of these have been too severe to be contained within the banks and the plots alongside have been flooded with household sewerage and the usual “rags”.  The plot holders alongside the burn have their own flood defences, corrugated sheeting being the favourite as you can sink it into the ground alongside the path to prevent the flood scoring your soil away.

The excess rain does have a few benefits, my runner beans are excellent and cropping continuously.  Courgettes are doing well as are most root vegetables.  I have never had such big swedes at this time of year.  There is another problem this moist weather brings- blight- the tomatoes have got it and we had reports by the end of the month that some sites in the Edinburgh area already have potato blight.

I seem to be cutting the grass all the time, each plot holder at Lady Road is responsible for the paths on the South and East of their plot, this way all paths should be kept in good condition, needless to say not everyone is public spirited.  I some times wish we were self-managed like the Dundee sites their paths are immaculate.

The sweet peas that I layered last month are not well.  The growing tip keels over and the plant wilts, the flower heads loose their buds and I am getting bare stalks.  Some plants alongside are doing well.  At this rate I will not have enough to go into the allotment show.

I am also the Edinburgh allotments Show Secretary.  We have a very willing committee who do all the hard work, I just produce work lists and tidy up the loose ends.  The Show takes place on the second Sunday of September and I have been trying for the last six years to win the sweet pea trophy.  Ah well there is always next year.