we are late getting going on the sowing as going away, and worried will all die!
however, we have stripped the ivy off one of the house walls, and lots of undergrowth from around the veg patch [don’t worry, plenty of wildlife habitat over the rest of the garden! ] so had a big bonfire. we have invested in plastic mulch to put all over the place, as we really just don’t keep up with the weeding, and will lift it up only to plant through newspaper [not everything liked the cardboard]
from the kitchen garden magazine. It’s to stop cutting of the electric cables when mowing the lawn. unfortunately our mower is out of action at the moment. DH unfortunately cut the cable last time…
well, harvesting loads of strawberries, mangetout and broad beans - goody! peas get eaten by my 2 little birds!!
lovely bushy potato plants, but as late in, haven’t looked for a crop yet. The toms are happy in their final pots and being tied in as they grow. the odd flower. peppers and aubergines all looking healthy. I think I’ll pot the aubergines into a bigger pot.
Sweetcorn went out too late, and don’t seem to be taking off. the weather has been unsettled, so I won’t loose hope. the popcorn ones have germinated, and although late I’ll give thema try!
finally got all the squashes in. both daughters helped - surprised by the prickliness of the plants. fingers crossed for a good crop, even though late.
how wonderful is that! Unfortunately DD2 also ate several more greener ones. We have changed the envir0mesh to proper fruit netting raised up to give little fingers more trouble! Also had some more podded peas and mangetout - eaten raw in the garden.
I am pleased to announce most of the sweetcorn are in. I should have grown more - might try and pop in a few late ones! Some of the cucurbits also in, and the onions well weeded.
Chris potted up the last toms and they are now in final position so ready to romp! We also sprayed with organic stuff the buildup of blackfly on the cherries, and assorted aphids on the apples.
The roses round the veg bed are looking nice as well, and the elderberry in full flower.
In the children’s plot, noticed DD1’s round carrots are also up. we don’t seem to have a problem with carrot fly - famous last words!
So the french beans went in. I had some gaps so i put in some italian yard long beans from t and m as seeds, and hope they will germinate now the good weather here.
Also did some weeding - not quite as much as i needed too though!
Chris put cardboard down over the area we are going to put Courgettes and Cucurbits in, and will plant through.
Did harvest a few more asparagus spears, and can see some peas podding up - goody!
It doesn’t take long to get behind does it!
this rainy weather has been fantastic for weeds, we have a veritable jungle coming up. Some determined weeding ahead I think!
Veg patch
Also coming up are the potatoes, planted under cardboard, which is good. I feel sad that they aren’t all nice and earthed up, but hopefully this will work, and we will put grass clippings on top as well.
The brocolli still don’t look that happy through cardboard, so won’t prob do that to the caulis. They are one of the behind items, as should have been planted out ages ago, so worried that they wont make a head. oh well.
Onions looking good - have kept on top of the weeding there, and we have picked the last of the asparagus. we will need to save seeds or buy crowns for a new bed next year as these have gone past sell by.
however, must turn the huge nettle bed into nettle tea, and then get it ready for the sweetcorn and courgettes and other cucurbits that are desperate to go out. Also in the wings are some leeks and spring onions.
Fruit Bed
well, the strawberries a tempting size now though still green. DD2 picked one, but pronounced it ‘not tasty’. hopefully she will leave the rest alone until red! We have fruitlets on the minarette trees.
The broad beans have flowered well. Though the imperial longpod has far less flowers on it than the sutton. The peas are doing well, and I got the runner beans in the ground today. Unfortunately some pest has had a go at a few of them, so popped some seeds in the gaps. wanted to get the french beans out too, but they will wait till tomorrow.
The squashed florence fennel seems to have mostly recovered, and the carrots are looking healthy. pulling most of the radishes now.
lots of weeding to do!
Under Cover
well, most things are in the right size pot, so that’s a bit of a relief! SOme of the toms don’t look so healty though - not sure why. better find a book to diagnose. the aubergines and peppers looking good. About to clear the final contents of conservatory into greenhouse and dismantle the propagator for this year. just waiting the melon to germinate.
So there you go. Shame I have very few days to do this in. frantic indeed!
so haven’t managed to tidy up the veg bed, and a full week ahead. oh well. What we did do was a bit more greenhouse tidying - getting the other side ready for the toms. Also sowed the melon amber nectar, and a few runners and french beans to fill in some gaps Will do some more perhaps to try a 3 rather than 2 sisters!
We spent most of the rest of the day outside working and playing in the garden.
Fruit bed
I weeded and also did a bit of pruning and training of the minarettes. The cherry seems to have a goodly supply of blackfly on them, so must go out and get some soap solution. The strawberries are doing very well. lots of little green strawblets! must put the mesh on them before birds start to get interested.
the broad beans all in flower, with no obvious difference between those planted in the soil through crdboard boxes, and those module grown and popped in later. the peas are better now hidden with mesh, but a few flowers are appearing, so should change to chicken wire. chris and the girls spread muck for the french and runner bean trenches, chris put in the canes. We have put the runners and french beans currently in modules into the cold frame for final hardening off.
children’s plot
SB and BB sowed some round carrots. Actually there is a half price seed sale on the thompson and morgan site! [cough]SO I bought some more seeds [cough]. SB was ecstatically happy with the round carrot seeds as she has wanted some for ages, as well as the dwarf french beans that can go in her plot! That’s my girl. She danced about with the packets in excitement! Actually, the carrots they sowed in their plot ages ago have started to come up, as have the runner beans [goodness knows where they will run too! might give each a cane!!]
main veg bed
hmmm, this needs some SERIOUS work! the potatoes are starting to come up, a few asparagus spears made it through the weeds! I have hoed the onions again, and popped some sets into the gaps. We really need to sort out some more of it though.
Under cover
well, the cucurbits and sweetcorn are getting keen to see the outside world but it isn’t ready for them - as well as it being a bit early . peppers and aubergines are in the colder bit of the conservatory to get them ready for going out into the greenhouse [both unheated]. The broccoli and flowers have germinated. The toms in the greenhouse are shooting up nicely. Must sow melons and a few etra runners and frnch beans, plus salad bits and pieces. getting there!
Chris finished sorting out the greenhouse, so I moved loads of things there ready to get ready for the great ourdoors [toms for indoors, cucurbits, runner and french beans and sweetcorn] I gave them a good water and some rooster feed.
I also did a fair amount of hoeing in the fruit bed and around the onions in the veg plot, as well as a hand weed of the childrens plot.
i was very greatful for the drenching of rain we had today as well - replenished our waterbuts a bit, and saved me using the watering can.
We went out in the garden to play and plant. Chris did potatoes [still!!] and I did hoeing and brocolli. Both girls bobbed about helping. The ground is too hard really for them to make good holes though, so got a bit bored.