Who needs a freezer?
We don't have a freezer at home for lots of eccentric reasons but who needs one with the weather we've been having? Finally we've had some real hard frosts at the plot over the last few mornings which has been just what the soil was waiting for! However, this kind of frost isn't without its drawbacks... I went up to the plot on Sunday morning to pick some goodies to take to my boyfriend's parents but everything was frozen hard with it impossible to dig a leek or cut a cabbage.
This is how the purple sprouting broccoli looked and, if I say so myself, I think Birdseye would be jealous of frozen veg of this calibre. However, you may notice from the picture that the pigeons have been the ones having most enjoyment from the broccoli this year, pecking all the goodness out of it at any opportunity, which is a real pain. The plants this year were the biggest and strongest we've had, and the pigeons have taken a real fancy to them which has never been a problem before. I can assure you that next year they'll be netted like all the rest of our brassicas. I don't mind sharing anything with local wildlife and normally argue that there's enough to go round everyone but this time I have to be tough because we haven't had a look in and psb is one of my favourites off the allotment. Any other suggestions for pigeon diversion?
Broccoilclcoci still looks cool though! To stop the pigeons, you could either use a high powered water pistol attached to infra-red motion sensors, or a cat, or, what i think is the best idea, a tennis ball/spring loaded gun combination thing that you could just pull back and use again. Pigeon pie anyone?
Posted by: Vegmonkey | March 01, 2008 at 10:48 PM
Thanks for the suggestions! The best one I've had yet Soilman is a gun but not sure how that one would go down with my allotment committee!
Posted by: Liz Postlethwaite | February 22, 2008 at 06:32 PM
Thanks for the suggestions! The best one I've had yet Soilman is a gun but not sure how that one would go down with my allotment committee!
Posted by: Liz Postlethwaite | February 22, 2008 at 06:31 PM
Wish I did. I wrestle with the buggers 24/7. If you find a foolproof solution to pigeons, let me know....
Posted by: Soilman | February 22, 2008 at 06:07 PM
You might try planting a grain crop like milletor amaranth, that might divert them. Or you could resort to a few cats.
Posted by: Steed Farm Blog | February 22, 2008 at 01:38 PM