Harvesting Leeks

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When to Harvest Leeks

Harvest: September to April

Tips for Harvesting

Leeks may be pulled anytime after they are as big around as your thumb. If you have good loose soils, leeks may be easily pulled by hand, grasping each one down near the base and tugging gently.
In a clay or heavy soil, try loosening the soil under them first with a garden fork or trowel to made the job easier.
As you dig or pull them, you may find a few that have started to grow a new leek inside or just beside the old one. That lateral growth is a means of multiplying and it is best to pull and discard those. They will likely be too small for this year and won’t get large enough to over-winter well in the ground.
Once your leeks are harvested, you may rinse off the dirt from the roots, but do not trim the roots.
Trim the tops to just where the leaves start to become tough. If you are going to refrigerate a few, you should trim the roots and tops; they will keep nicely for about a month.

Category: Recipes

Rhubarb & Grenadine Crumble

Rhubarb & Grenadine Crumble
This has a great twist, the Grenadine adds great colour and taste to the rhubarb that will add that something special to your dessert!

Oca or Potato Homity Pie Recipe

Homity Pie

Homity pie is a traditional British open vegetable pie. The pastry case traditionally contains a filling of potatoes and an onion and leek mixture, which is then covered with cheese. It has a history that dates back to the efforts of the Land girls of the Second World War and the restrictions imposed by wartime rationing.

Lamb Cutlets with Butternut Squash & Mint

Simply delicious one of my all time favourites

Category: The Growing Season

Jobs to do in January

Jobs to do on the Allotment in January
January is generally a very cold month with hard frosts freezing the ground and when the ground isn't frozen it is generally too wet to do much although there are no guarantees with British weather. Looking through my diaries, snow isn't that likely for a prolonged period but you never know.

Jobs to do in February

Time to do some groundwork

We get a glimpse of the early signs of the arrival of Spring this month. The soil begins to warm up around the middle of February and we can see for the first time this year the buds beginning to swell on fruit trees and bushes. Overwintering vegetables begin to look less sorry for themselves and they start to produce new growth.

Jobs to do in July

Harvest should be bountiful and the allotment is in full swing

Now is the height of summer, the days endlessly long, temperatures usually at their peek and you should be reaping the rewards of your hard work in the preceding months. Watering in this month is crucial to stem off premature bolting, tomato blossom end rot and splitting skins.

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