I cannot believe that I have not posted since 12th July. I have an excuse for the first week as I went on a trip to Paris with the family but after that...........
Oh yes! I fell out of a tree - well off a low branch, (supervising grandchildren has many risks!) - and damaged a finger on my right hand, making all the ordinary tasks very awkward, especially as I was organising a bit of a do to celebrate my Golden Wedding! And, as I said in a previous post, with the light evenings I find I cannot settle to the computer until late, and then it is time for bed!
I will have to make do with a status report as I cannot remember the details of my visits down to the plot, even though there weren't many.
My Runner beans have finally grown to the top of the frame and have begun to produce crops. On the other side of the plot the climbing French Beans, Cobra, do not look pretty with twisted stems and coarse, lumpy leaves, they have already sstarted cropping even though not much more than halfway up the canes.
In the first section I have had a couple of cuttings from the row of Swiss Chard but the row of Spinach I sowed has produced absolutely nothing - no plants at all -old seed? The leeks from the Trading Hut are well established and growing well and my own sowings are only now big enough to transplant. Hopefully I will get a succession at harvest during next winter.
The summer Raspberries have given me a small scattered crop enjoyed by my grand daughter as it was not worth picking. They are growing strongly after being planted this spring so promise well for next year. The autumn Raspberries are looking good for later but need tying in.
Then in the second section I have planted my sweet corn, 30 plants in a 5x6 block on one side with 4 butternut squash plants and on the other side I have planted 3 pumpkin plants and 5 cucumber plants which are just showing the small young fruits. The sweet corn bed was planted in a bed where I had a winter green manure of Ryegrass and the pumpkins and cucumbers in a bed that was covered in a mulch of horse litter and were planted in patches scraped in the mulch into soil that had remained lovely and moist.
In the third section, separated by my newly established aparagus bed and very productive strawberry bed, I have recently sown a row of peas and on the other side of the path, stripped the row of mature peas of a batch of lovely sweet peas with the help of my grand children. There is room for a final sowing of early peas to mature in the autumn.
In the fourth section I have the Brassica net tunnels containing my cauliflowers in the left one. Here the Savoy and summer Cabbages are finally hearting up. O the right side I have planted Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli and Kale so the tunnel is full of well-spaced plants.
In the fifth section are my potatoes. I have already lifted all the early Pentland Javelin and have eaten most of them. Beyond the 'Kestrel' and 'Charlotte' I mixed the 'King Edwards' rows in with the Blight resistant 'Sarpo Mira' to help them avoid being infected. Not a real test this year given that, as last year, we have had so little Blight. All but the 'Sarpo Mira' have died back and can be dug out before the slugs get to work.
Beyond there my rhubarb is almost overwhelmed with the weed goose grass. In the glassless greenhouse the two 'Crimson Crush' Tomato plants are flourishing despite me neglecting them something rotten! I've already had a couple of fruits which tasted delicious sliced into a salad. Blight resistance and good taste promises much!
Oh yes! I fell out of a tree - well off a low branch, (supervising grandchildren has many risks!) - and damaged a finger on my right hand, making all the ordinary tasks very awkward, especially as I was organising a bit of a do to celebrate my Golden Wedding! And, as I said in a previous post, with the light evenings I find I cannot settle to the computer until late, and then it is time for bed!
I will have to make do with a status report as I cannot remember the details of my visits down to the plot, even though there weren't many.
My Runner beans have finally grown to the top of the frame and have begun to produce crops. On the other side of the plot the climbing French Beans, Cobra, do not look pretty with twisted stems and coarse, lumpy leaves, they have already sstarted cropping even though not much more than halfway up the canes.
In the first section I have had a couple of cuttings from the row of Swiss Chard but the row of Spinach I sowed has produced absolutely nothing - no plants at all -old seed? The leeks from the Trading Hut are well established and growing well and my own sowings are only now big enough to transplant. Hopefully I will get a succession at harvest during next winter.
The summer Raspberries have given me a small scattered crop enjoyed by my grand daughter as it was not worth picking. They are growing strongly after being planted this spring so promise well for next year. The autumn Raspberries are looking good for later but need tying in.
Then in the second section I have planted my sweet corn, 30 plants in a 5x6 block on one side with 4 butternut squash plants and on the other side I have planted 3 pumpkin plants and 5 cucumber plants which are just showing the small young fruits. The sweet corn bed was planted in a bed where I had a winter green manure of Ryegrass and the pumpkins and cucumbers in a bed that was covered in a mulch of horse litter and were planted in patches scraped in the mulch into soil that had remained lovely and moist.
In the third section, separated by my newly established aparagus bed and very productive strawberry bed, I have recently sown a row of peas and on the other side of the path, stripped the row of mature peas of a batch of lovely sweet peas with the help of my grand children. There is room for a final sowing of early peas to mature in the autumn.
In the fourth section I have the Brassica net tunnels containing my cauliflowers in the left one. Here the Savoy and summer Cabbages are finally hearting up. O the right side I have planted Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli and Kale so the tunnel is full of well-spaced plants.
In the fifth section are my potatoes. I have already lifted all the early Pentland Javelin and have eaten most of them. Beyond the 'Kestrel' and 'Charlotte' I mixed the 'King Edwards' rows in with the Blight resistant 'Sarpo Mira' to help them avoid being infected. Not a real test this year given that, as last year, we have had so little Blight. All but the 'Sarpo Mira' have died back and can be dug out before the slugs get to work.
Beyond there my rhubarb is almost overwhelmed with the weed goose grass. In the glassless greenhouse the two 'Crimson Crush' Tomato plants are flourishing despite me neglecting them something rotten! I've already had a couple of fruits which tasted delicious sliced into a salad. Blight resistance and good taste promises much!
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