At last we have our first ripe tomatoes!! The yellow one is ripe - it's meant to be yellow!
We are growing quite a lot of different varieties from cherry to beefsteak. The cherries were the first to ripen.
We also harvested our first sweet corn cob. The first one is always a bit of a test to see if it is fully ripe - and it was - lovely and sweet. Being grown on the allotment we can't really get it straight from the plant to the pan but near enough. Maybe we need to take our camping stove to the site one day for the plant to pot experience and see whether it makes such a difference.
I've written about how we grow our sweet corn on my our website here
I've written about how we grow our sweet corn on my our website here
We dug up the first of our third variety of carrot - this time Yellowstone. More good carrots. Just a bit of green on the shoulders of this batch where the carrot tops had pushed up into the light but nothing a bit of a trim won't cure. (Sorry to those of you struggling with carrots).
Runner beans are now being added to our French bean harvest.
Shallots are drying off in the garden greenhouse .
All the garlic has been plaited - the shorter strands are so we can walk under the porch without being hit on the head - well really at 5'2" I wasn't having any trouble but Martyn was!
And finally the dahlias have started to flower!!! I may even have a vase full for the weekend.
My complete diary entry (including our harvest list) for last week can be read by clicking here and more photos taken last week can be viewed by clicking here That is if you are interested - more photos and our the weather is affecting our gardening is posted on Martyn's blog here
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Great news everything's coming together! Nice Dahlia looks like a variety I'm growing.
ReplyDeleteMy tomatoes are ripening nicely now too. I'm envious of your sweetcorn, none for us this year. It will just make me try harder next year. Your runner beans are ahead of mine. There's plenty of flowers on them but no beans as yet.
ReplyDeletethey look lovely Sue , back from holiday today hope to be down at the plot tomorrow sometime x
ReplyDeleteThis is my first year with tomatoes since a brief flirtation 20 years ago. I have 5 different plants and lots of fruit ...but they're all stubbornly green!
ReplyDeleteDon't worry. I'm not mad about carrots now I know I have at least something to show for my efforts, and something to build on for next year.
Garlic autumn sown or spring?
Keep up the good work!
Such a lot of lovely produce. What's your secret with the garlic? Mine was a failure this year, and I'm amazed at your abundant crop.
ReplyDeleteI feel so inadequate when I see how well you are getting on this year...it's not that I don't have stuff ready i just don't seem to have the time....(or maybe it's the energy) this year...I really need to get back into my stride....Encouragement is needed!!!
ReplyDeleteHello Damo Not sure what varieties of dahlias we have - we have had them a long time and we have lost any labels etc.
ReplyDeleteHi Jo, Our runners have just started to produce beans so not many yet.
Hope you had a good holiday Bev - see you soon.
Our Bete Noire at the moment is growing sprouts!! As you say we all need a challenge. The tomatoes will just sudden;ly decide to turn like ours did.
Hello Linda. The garlic was started in 3" pots in the cold greenhouse and popped planted out in early spring. They need a period of cold to form cloves and so we planted them while there was still a chance of frost. WE grew garlic successfully in tubs last year but these bulbs were smaller this year - don't think I watered them enough.
Hi Tanya
Not going to work and no children to look after, and no schools to get involved with, gives us more time to devote to growing but this year we have tried not to let it become almost like a job which it did last year!
Forgot to add the link to my article on how we grow sweet corn so if you're interested I've just added it to the post
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your first tomatoes of the season! I didn't grow any corn this year, as my neighbors have whole fields of it, so I just go over there.
ReplyDeleteYellowstone carrot looks great, I also had some yellow carrots, but so far I didn’t have one that looked as good as these.
Hi Vrtlarica - Did wonder for a while if the tomatoes were ever going to turn red!!
ReplyDeleteI understand that Corn goes starchy the longer it takes between harvesting and making it onto the plate. Rather than cut the cob off, which not cut down the entire stem, throw it in the boot until you get home, it might preserve a little longer. Only a thought :D
ReplyDeleteMight do Craig although even after being cut off the plant it tastes pretty good.
ReplyDelete