Out with potatoes, in with leeks

I spent about 4-5 hours on the plot today. It was mainly sunny and warm though it got cloudier with a bit of spitting after 1600ish though I'd left by then. It was a great day. I had started digging up the early and salad spuds when a research student came over with a questionnaire to find out what we were growing in Worcestershire. I took her around the plot to list what I am growing. I asked her what she had uncovered so far and she mentioned that after only 7 or 8 interviews, she had found a chap growing some sort of veg she'd not heard of as well as another person growing a veg from saved seed since the 1940s. The researcher plans to do some data gathering in a much bigger city soon where she hopes to see people growing all sorts of exotic veg. I said to her that globe artichokes is as exotic as we get on our site. It was 10 mins earlier that one of my fellow plotters pointed at them and asked what they were.

After digging the spuds up in Bed 8, I focused on the tomatoes in Bed 7. A couple of the plants have some fruit now. Earlier in the week, I had come across a forum discussing the removal of leaves and trusses below the first flowers. Apparently, it drastically improves the likelihood of ripening. So, taking the advice to heart, I stripped loads of the tomato plants. Some flower buds came away but hopefully the ones left behind with actually ripen.

Back in Bed 8, I planted out the leek seedlings. Fingers crossed that they grow ok. I covered them with some netting to stop the birds taking them before they are settled in.

Talking of pests - there is talk of a young badger on the rampage. He/she took somebody's root veg being grown for show. Apparently, it is making its way over from the far side of the site.

I remembered to pop over to a neighbour's plot to see if there were any courgettes to harvest. I should have gone over a few days ago. There was one large marrow, 3 very large courgettes (or small marrows depending on your outlook) and a couple of nicely sized courgettes. I have kept the marrow but gave the rest to a couple of other allotmenteers. I was wondering what to cook for some friends who are coming round tomorrow and now I know. Stuffed marrow anyone?