Tidying up

After nearly a week of rain Al and I managed to get out there and do a bit of work.  We have got to the stage were we are just waiting for things to ripen, as the majority of the seeds are in and growing.  Tiny courgettes are starting to form and the strawberries are formed but still white.  We leave for holiday in a week so we will return to find that there is loads to harvest.  (I hope!)  By the looks of it the first harvest will be little gem lettuces.  They are getting quite fat and firm and we only have a few limp leaves left from a supermarket.  For the sake of lettuce karma I planted a mix of lettuce seeds between two slow growers.  I have no idea what type as they are described as a surprise all I do know is that they are a heritage.

The unfortunate thing with all the rain was the amount of weeds that have started to spread  so they all got hoed out.  We have a huge horsetail problem so it takes even longer to weed as we try to pick off as much as possible.  (I'm inclined to believe that the dinosaurs died not from a meteorite but from extreme frustration with the bloody stuff.)  Unfortunately that's all we can do as the garden next door is only bothered with twice a year so  we have to keep a close eye on all types of weeds; including bramble canes as thick as your thumb.  At times it feels like an never ending story.

Also some impromptu fruit nets were placed over the fruit before the local birds saw the ripened fruit and decided to have a snack as we are on holiday.

Friday photo is coming once I get time to get sorted.

Squeekwave!

I know that this weekend has been stupidly hot for the majority of the the UK, I clocked the thermometer at 29c on Sunday but that is not part of the great veggie adventure.  I have laryngitis so I can only really squeek, not good to work in a bar.  In between the heat and generally feeling ill I have managed to do a lot of work in the garden,  Al claims to have but it looks very much the same so I can't comment on his work...yet ;)

Bamboo bean poles

First the bean and pea poles have gone up and the seeds in.  It was an inventive moment putting them together after realising that I had forgotten to buy anything to keep the bamboo poles together.   So the poles have been placed in a circle and then held and tied with jewellery wire to make the tipees.  The peas were a gift last year and the broad beans were the only ones I could see in wilkos.   The other beans are a far more exciting heritage variety from the real seed catalogue.  Cherokee trail of tears pole beans possibly the longest named vegetable we ware growing this year. However I digress, I am excited to be growing heritage varieties because of the importance to being able to grow something with a real connection to history and knowing we can save our own seeds is exciting in itself.  We have a few other heritage varieties from the same catalogue on the go as well.

I know it's late to plant seeds but the frosts have been so late and I've been procrastinating about when to plant everything and thought this weekend would be a good start.  Al has planted a small row of courgette from seeds and planted the Brussels sprouts.  There are lettuces (I don't know the varieties due to buying mixed seeds) parsnips, carrots, beetroot and a few herbs left to be planted.  The melons are an on going challenge as I'm still slightly scared of them not doing anything.  We have decided to leave butternut squash and pumpkin for next year after the late frosts killed them off. There are a few bare patches left, which will be filled with sweet williams and scatter seeds along with the normal marigolds, to try and keep carrotfly away.

Cold-store little gems and spinach.

I also planted a grobox In what looks like a odd shaped pizza box is supposedly a full organic veggie garden, I'm a bit sceptical that it will grow into anything. If you have grow one before please let me know what to do with it!! Al and I saw them at Christmas and decided they were a bit on the pricey side so forgot about them however after mooching about in a local market I saw one for sale at a grand total of £1.50 so we're giving it ago. Wish us luck!!!