Orto di Casa Cecconi

My first allotment, and then one thing leading to another…

Category: Uncategorised

  • Clocking up, admin and maths

    I popped in last night to water the one artichoke I bought on holidays and the tomatoes in the greenhouse. The brassicas are doing well, and so are the tomatoes, still ripening. My leek seedling seem to have caught, but they are still the size of tiny grass blades – not sure we will have…

  • Loyal visitors and inexperienced hostesses

    I had a look at the blog stats for the last year, since I started. 193 visitors have flicked through these pages, over 540 visits. 1.11% of my visitors (which means 2 people, if my maths doesn’t fail me) have come back more than 100 times! Now, it’s not my husband for sure, and it…

  • Horticulture

    In order to learn more about my beloved hobby, I have been thinking for a while to study some horticulture. Here in the UK the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has extablished nationally recognised certifications, starting at Level 2 -which I am told is the equivalent of A levels – up to the master degree’s level.…

  • First weekend of autumn

    I wish I could say I spent the whole of my weekend – in splendid weather – at the allotment. However, that would be too good, wouldn’t it? In fact, despite the fantastic weather I spent most if the two days indoor. The two hours I’ve been on the plot, though, have given much satisfaction.…

  • Organic seeds… & musings

    Talking to Neil at Bangors, who is amazingly motivated as an organic producer, has made me reflect on my own beliefs and motivation. So far, I have grown with organic methods, but not fussed too much about organic seeds. I have avoided any seeds which were treated with fungicide, and specifically bought organic seeds for…

  • Oh joys of the reaping season…

    Basking in the lush aboundance of produce in the end-of-summer season… Do you see how beautiful my three first-ever rapa bianca lodigiana specimen are? I have tried to grow that turnip for more than a year, and now it has come out (possibly because the weeds competed for attention of the slugs…) … and the…

  • A week's holiday

    I have been on holiday last week, but my allotment was never far away from my mind. We spent a few day in Bangors Organic B&B, where I learnt how to identify potato blight, and that the scab on my potatoes is innocuous. Also, I tasted for the first time nasturtium (despite having grown it…