Meanwhile back on the Plot

 I have been up to the allotment for some time each day, watering & weeding.I had noticed some of the peas being chomped not from the bottom as in slug attack but the tops and edges of the leaves. One of the other plotters informed me its being done by a cock pheasant who lives in the next field!

I have seen him in the allotment field but not near the plots, he obviously bides his time! I covered the entire pea and broad bean beds with netting, hopefully he will be stopped before he does too much damage and they will have time to recover. The other plot has the peas in a row and he has decimated the whole row of them maybe past recovering.

The raised bed with 4 courgette plants, 3x green and 1x yellow, this got a dressing of horse manure from the Hydro Allotments to create a hot bed  for them and they are putting on a growth spurt with the brilliant sunshine warming them up.

I sprayed the potatoes against blight yesterday, maybe I'm paranoid but this spell of really hot weather could bring mist and humidity very quickly so I am trying to be sure rather than sorry. I used the Bordeaux mixture, I have made up the Bluestone mix previously but  Bordeaux mix is much easier to handle for a small amount of spuds.I got it in a garden centre where I had seen a nice display of it recently and there was only 3 tubs left when I went to purchase it yesterday so maybe others are as paranoid as me!

The second raised bed , this was filled with compost not manure as the carrots were going in here and they don't like a freshly manured bed. it causes those funny shaped carrots that fork.
 From left to right; Beetroot (Bolthardy), Pak Choi, 4x rows of carrots which have germinated with just some gaps. the whole bed is covered with enviromesh to protect from the dreaded carrot fly. After taking the photo  I thinned out the Pak Choi to use as salad leaves and allow the others to grow on. I also thinned the beetroot which are doing well.
 I usually sow seeds into trays at home and transplant out when strong enough, I don't think any of these root  veg like disturbance once settled so planting in the covered raised bed helps germination and gives them some protection. The Pak Choi is not a root crop but I thought they may appeal to the birds so covering is a must.
I continue to pick lettuce and have set replacement seeds to keep a succession of salads for the summer, we had a bit of a Spinach glut too and have to keep cutting to stop it going to seed.