Katy gets kiwi

Kate again.

What do you think our chances are of growing kiwi fruit on the land?

Katy turned up at the allotment last week with a very healthy looking kiwi plant. I have to say, I was a bit surprised that the local garden centre stocked such exotica, but naturally, we had to have one. Prior to one arriving on site, I hadn’t really given a great deal of thought to how kiwi’s actually grow – they just seem to appear in fruit salads – so it was a bit of a revelation to see where they come from. Tragic, really.

A fig tree and more rhubarb were also procured, so fruit corner is now looking pretty healthy. We think we might get some raspberries on the existing bushes that were already on the land, but if not, we’ll have to wait for next year for the raspberries James planted just before Christmas to start earning their keep. I am keeping my fingers crossed for some blackberries on the brambles we didn’t scythe to extinction.

Katy and I have also got a bit of a thing for making the allotment look pretty, so we’ve been clearing the way for flower beds around the outside of the land. Next door to the herb garden, we’ve been planting geraniums, nasturtiums, poppies, marigolds and lots of pick ‘n’ mix seeds, so who knows what we’ll get in the end.

I am delighted to report that having the allotment seems to be having a positive influence on my relationship with plants in other aspects of my life. Having recently moved house, I have been feeling quite mature in buying house plants to dot about my pad. I am a little concerned that I caught myself saying goodbye to them as I left to go to work one morning. I suspect it’s a slippery slope, but as things stands, the plants haven’t died yet, so I might have to keep it up now that I have started.

You never know, work might let me have my desk plant back again soon if I keep this up.