Though so far, I've been pleasantly surprised. The timing was spot on as it's rained a lot since we put it down. We haven't had to water it at all.
The problem with turf is it dries out very quickly, so the soil always needs to remain damp so the roots stay alive and can bed into your own soil. The first 2 weeks is crucial for getting your turf to settle.
If you haven't been lucky enough to get plenty rain, you need to make sure it's watered really frequently. And not just the top, but it needs to soak through to the soil underneath. If your grass starts to dry out before it's bedded in, it's really hard to get it back. Granted turf is fairly cheap- but you don't want to be laying it over and over again.
This morning the rain paused for a gory while, though it was a bit drizzly it was still warm. So I stuck my waterproof on and headed along. Glad I did! It was lovely. Really quiet (thanks to the drizzle) but it certainly didn't stop the bees from their busy morning. Plenty insects buzzing about and my usual froggies sitting with their heads poking out in the pond.
I noticed how pretty the flowers were looking on the shed. I bought when I last went to Stanton Hall- about a month ago now? And they just keep looking better and better. Perfect for a window box! The violas are looking super as well!
Don't really want to pick them as I know the bees and hoverflies seem to be quite happy they're there!
I also noticed butternut squash have started to appear! I'm doing a little experiment, and while they've been grown from seed all in exactly the same conditions, I've put 2 in large pots outside by the shed- and I've put 3 in the ground. The soil in the pots was a fresh multipurpose compost with feed, whereas the soil in the ground is just the allotments clay soil, I've just added some straw around the plants in the ground so they're not sitting directly on the soil, and to prevent weeds growing so close to the plants. So far while the squash have just started to develop on the ones in the pots, there's actually a lot more flowers on the ones in the ground. Just not sure I it's all a bit too late in the year! I'm just hoping for a warm sunny September! You never know!
It's also safe to say the Brussels sprouts are doing well. I've done literally nothing with these. From when they were put in the ground I've simply watered them when it's been quite dry (quite a heavy water right at the base of the plant) otherwise I've just left them. Don't think I've watered them for a good month or so now as we've had plenty of rain. While some of the leaves have been minced presumably by snails (there aren't many slugs on the allotment thanks to all the frogs!) there are still plenty leaves- and of a considerable size to keep the plant alive as happy. So fingers crossed for home grown sprouts for Christmas dinner this year! If they're a success I'll grow them again next year- though maybe not quite as many!
One last little pond photo- I feel like I need to keep taking photos of it because not only do I think it looks beautiful (I may be a little biased!) but I also find every time I go it looks different! There's always new flowers popping up- particularly poppies, which I love! And it's a good job too- there seems to be a lot of poppies on my plot, they randomly keep popping up in vegetable beds between the onions and in the middle of the path. I never pull them out- they genuinely make me smile when I see them- they're such hardy things despite their really delicate petals- and the bees absolutely love them too!
All in all, a pleasant Sunday morning!
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