The Garden

As I mentioned in my last post there was a window in the rain when I could get out and pay some attention to the weed plot (sorry veggie plot). With all the wet weather the weeds have been coming on beautifully to such an extent that they have pretty much strangled the veggies, so action was needed.

M bought a fab piece of kit recently which is a petrol strimmer/chainsaw/hedge trimmer/brush cutter (lots of different attachments). So yesterday I got my PPE (personal protective equipment on - sorry no photos) and got strimming. We can now see where the veggie beds are supposed to be and even better, actually get to them. I also got down on my hands and knees and did some serious weeding and hoeing so now I have found the peas again! I would post some photos of the veggie plot I found but can't because it is so WET!

Talking of veggies we have a small selection, sadly not a fab selection like our friends have got, but then they do have a poly tunnel and his job is growing the veggies. I am most jealous of their soft fruits, strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants coming out of their ears! We have a 'wild' loganberry but it doesn't have much in the way of flowers on it (hopefully it will perk up, I did give it rather a serious prune last year) and 3 apple trees. Two of these apple trees are ancient and hadn't had much love for a long long time, so these too were given a serious haircut and one of them has said thank you by giving us, oh, at least 6 apples (not ready yet). The tree that gave us lots of cookers last year was relocated in the spring by the landlord as he wants to put up a huge barn where the tree was growing, so just when it was flowering he dug it up and replanted it in probably the windyest place around. To start with it looked like it had survived and the blossom kept coming (and there was lots and lots of it), sadly now though it doesn't look well at all and we certainly won't get apples from it this year; maybe it will recover and we will get something next year.

Going back to our selection of veggies; we have:-

• Runner beans but the bucket load - which is great cos we love them. They are not quite ready to eat yet but it looks as though from about next weekend we will be swimming in them. I did try to plant them at intervals so we wouldn't get a glut all at once but it doesn't seem to have worked.
• Peas. I planted a row (well double row) of peas, probably about 40 plants worth and about 6 came up, now we have 3 that are producing! I have planted some more seeds so we may get more, it may be too late. Thankfully our friends have almost half a field full.
• Courgettes. Last year these were a bit sad and only 2 of the 6 seeds I planted came up and only 1 plant survived. This year we have 4 big healthy plants which are flowering and producing nice courgettes, only Mr Slug seems to be helping himself before they get big enough for us, so action will be taken.
• French Beans. Last year I sowed about 10 - 20 seeds and nothing happened. This year we have 6 healthy plants which are flowering and I noticed the first little bean on one plant this morning, so we should be OK for these this year.
• Sweetcorn. Really don't know why I bother. Grew about 20 plants and 10 have survived the weed attack, frankly it is too windy here for them and I doubt we will get anything. Again, our friends grow hundreds of sweetcorn so we should get some this year even if they are not our own.
• Tomatoes. M is in charge of toms and last year they got blighted and we lost the lot. This year (touch wood) we seem to be OK (might not be if this weather keeps up but we are spraying them more this year). He has lots on the go including Italian plum toms and lovely golden sungolds and plans to make a lot of passata with the big ones.
• Garlic. Not a bad crop and will be useful in M's passata
• Potatoes. Did well on the earlies, actually couldn't keep up with them so will be used for saute as they are a bit floury now. We also have a few main crop which are coming on well.
• Chillis and peppers. Again M's responsibility and doing well this year, especially the ones we over wintered. We had never tried this before and it has worked a treat.
• Herbs. Lots of basil, oregano, parsley etc etc etc.
• Lettuce and carrots. Rubbish, last year they were rubbish too and this year they just haven't come up except for one lettuce and 3 carrots. Have planted more out but still not much coming up. Again our friends have tons so will be OK, but it is depressing that our own won't grow.
• Beetroot. A few, but again a disappointing crop.
• I nearly forgot Shallots. Some of them seemed to rot in the ground, possibly because the hens thought they were being helpful weeding the shallot plot, once we put net over it they obviously couldn't weed it anymore and actually the ones that looked a bit limp seem to be drying out OK. Not nearly enough for us, love pickled onions and M makes wonderful winter stews using shallots rather than onions (and other things of course), but it will do and again we shall beg/borrow or steal some from our friends as they are bound to have too many!
  

No cabbages or brussels or leeks this year, forgot about them, but we do have our friends supplies (hopefully).

I have grown some flowers this year too, (if you can't eat it I can't see the point of growing it) but they are pretty and we have dwarf sunflowers (poor things no sun) and some other things that I forgot to put labels with and so have no idea what they are, should get a nice surprise when they finally flower!

Anyway, at least a major weed operation has finally taken place and we can find stuff now, just must try to keep on top of it all. When the rain finally stops will try to get some piccies of the runner beans as they are quite something.