This week we have had gale force winds and wet miserable weather. It's supposed to be summer but the conditions contradict that theory. We managed a couple of afternoons at the allotment when most of the time was spent harvesting like squirrels caching stores for winter. A video of our plot post gales is here.
On the allotment we escaped the worst attempts of the winds to wreak havoc. Many things had developed a lean and enviromesh had been ripped of some brassicas, inviting in the white butterflies that are constantly on the look out for suitable leaves on which to lay their eggs.Their offspring later emerge to devastate cabbages and the like. We will have to be vigilant and try and remove any caterpillars that emerge as a result.
The worst allotment casualty was one of the cardoons which has been battered flat. Each year it suffers this indignity whilst its sibling which is given some shelter from a neighbour's shed manages to remain upright. Fortunately the plant regrows each year to the relief of local bees who adore the flowers.
What we didn't notice until later was that an apple tree in the garden had been felled by the gales. This catastrophe was hidden behind the greenhouse and only spotted when Martyn went to water the cold frames.
Trying to find a positive slant to this, at least it will be easy to pick the apples. We picked the ones touching the ground before they were spoiled or nibbled.
One of my jobs last week was to prune the Glencoe, purple raspberry and generally tidy up its bed. It's pruned very much like other summer fruiting raspberries. All this year's fruiting canes are cut down to the ground and this year's new canes are tied in.
One of my jobs last week was to prune the Glencoe, purple raspberry and generally tidy up its bed. It's pruned very much like other summer fruiting raspberries. All this year's fruiting canes are cut down to the ground and this year's new canes are tied in.
When I'd cut out all the spent canes, it became apparent that the posts holding the wires had broken. The raspberry had been supporting the posts instead of the other way round, so new posts and wires had to be put in place before the job could be completed.
Martyn dug another couple of rows of potatoes. This time the varieties were Osprey and Nadine; as usual there was some damaged tubers but generally the harvest was good.
I've posted a video of our afternoon on the plot here but be warned its a long one.
Martyn also dug the Rocket potatoes most of which had pest damage. This wasn't unexpected as they were planted as a sacrificial crop in a part of the allotment that was overgrown and uncultivated for several years.
Martyn also dug the Rocket potatoes most of which had pest damage. This wasn't unexpected as they were planted as a sacrificial crop in a part of the allotment that was overgrown and uncultivated for several years.
Growing on our apple hedge, the apples that we think are Discovery look lovely so, when we had a coffee break, we picked one to try.
Although the pips hadn't turned brown, so the apples technically speaking were not fully ripe, they were ripe enough to taste delicious so we picked a few.
We also picked several punnets of greengages, a fruit that we particularly enjoy. The green colouring belies its sweetness.
This year the onions that we planted last autumn have done particularly well. We have been using them for a while now. There were still plenty left so I lifted the rest. It's very unusual to be lifting autumn onions at the same time as the summer planted ones, usually by now the autumn ones are long gone. 
The size of the bulbs was variable, some were very small but others were monsters. For some reason autumn planted onions are not supposed to keep well but I hope these keep long enough for us to use them or I'll need to make lots of soup to freeze.
The spring planted onions and shallots have been lifted and left on the ground to hopefully start the drying off process. These onions have puzzled us as one bed has produced a good crop ...
The onions were left on the bed for a day until I prepared a better place for drying them off. As we have nowhere undercover, I rigged up some grids under one of our trees. Hopefully, the tree will provide some shelter from the inevitable rain.
The blueberries are doing really well this year. The bushes continue to produce larger than usual berries and there are still plenty more to ripen.
They are also producing some strong new growth.
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| 12 August |
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| 15 August |
One surprise addition to our harvest boxes was a small cauliflower which is shyly hiding its face in the photo below.
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| 17 August |
Another batch of cabbages - Kalibro - are now starting to be ready. The first one we picked was a monster weighing in at 2.7 kg
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| 18 August |
The sweet peas have been disappointing this year. Usually we are picking armfuls on an almost daily basis and almost every room in the house is home to a vase. This year they don't seem to have really got going.
This week I am linking to harvest Monday hosted on
Dave's blog Our Happy Acres
Posts
Such a shame about the apple tree, that just shows the strength of the wind we've had over the weekend. One of my blueberry bushes was blown over and the pot's smashed so that will need repotting, luckily we haven't suffered any more damage. It's still quite blustery today.
ReplyDeleteIt's been very windy this year, Jo. The trouble is that the apple tree was in full leaf and loaded with fruit so it was the worst time for it to be buffeted.
DeleteWhat a year for the cabbage white butterflies! Another blogger from the Borders is reporting them, too. And I am seeing them abundantly as well. Usually they are only here in the spring. Although you have received much devastation followed by much clean up, your harvest looks good and colorful,
ReplyDeleteCabbage whites are ever present on the allotment, Jane even when other species of butterflies are in short supply.
DeleteYour post epitomises the Highs and Lows of gardening, Sue. You win some, but you also lose some! Is the apple tree recoverable with some staking or is it a goner?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a gonner, Mark. It's snapped right off below the graft.
DeleteSo sorry about the loss of your apple tree but glad you have others. Winds can be so devastating and the cause of such garden disappointments. You've been working hard. Such lovely and varied harvests.
ReplyDeleteWinds wreak havoc at this time of year, Sue. This tear has been particularly bad.
DeleteSue, I am in constant wonder at your prolific allotment
ReplyDeleteYou'll have to come and visit some time, Roger. We'll hide the spades.
DeleteIt can be soul destroying when this devastation happens. I always try to focus on that it could have been worse, but when your hard work and hopes are trashed in a few hours it is hard. At least you salvaged some, and much can be restored, but what hope for your lovely apple tree?
ReplyDeleteNo hope for the apple tree Deborah but n the positive side - it didn't damage the greenhouse or cold frames and the apples were easy to pick.
DeleteLovely dahlias, and those Discovery apples are beautiful. You have reminded me that I haven't tasted a greengage in years, I must look out for some. I am overwhelmed with figs here at the moment. I freeze the excess and slide them into crumbles when no-one is looking, as they all claim not to like them. I had artichokes at the allotment and the bees loved those as well. I really should plant some in the garden. I've grown some new-to-me tomatoes this year - Indigo Rose. Had the first ones this evening and they taste quite nice. They look to be fairly prolific too which is good - I find that lots of varieties don't always do well for me outside.
ReplyDeleteGreengages are delicious CJ you must get some! We too have an artichoke on the allotment. We inherited it and don’t harvest it. We just keep it as an ornamental.
DeleteWe are just now getting tomatoes too. Such a strange year. Blue berries and Black berries are finished now. Your harvest is amazing despite the big blow. It is so disheartening to lose a tree but a tree filled with apples is really bad.
ReplyDeleteIt was a shame about the tree, Lisa but it could have been worse.
DeleteSo sorry to hear about your wind damage. We had a storm roll through last night with high winds but thankfully nothing was hurt. As for the onions, all mine of late have been a 'bust' and I'm not growing them next year. It sort of sounds like the best of times and the worst of times for yours!
ReplyDeleteOur autumn onions and the good bed were the best ever, Dave. We are beginning to be suspicious about the compost added to the poor performing onion bed.
DeleteI'm so sorry about your apple tree! It's this type of casualty that's the most difficult, I feel, as it's a long wait until a new fruit tree bears reliably.
ReplyDeleteWe wouldn't be able yo plant a new tree in that location, Margaret as a small tree wouldn't survive there. The tree was already established before the greenhouse was erected
DeleteWhat gales, Sue. We have a big birch near and I always scare it will fall down in the gale. Lovely apples and so many potatoes you have, nice harvest.
ReplyDeleteAnd now it's ht and sunny Nadezda.
DeleteMmmm, I think the red apples win the show - what beauties. Sad to see your apple tree at home has gone over though :-(
ReplyDeleteNow the gales have been replaced by blazing sunshine - that's what we want for August but don't expect it for the bank holiday weekend! Hooray!
I'd rather a warm sunshine than hot sunshine, Belinda - I'm never satisfied.
DeleteOh sorry to read about what has happened to the apple tree Sue. The weather goes from one extreme to another. My sweet peas seem to be heading for an early exit this year 😥 Too hot to do anything this weekend!
ReplyDeleteOurs never seemed to really get started, Anna
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