There's very little gardening for me to report this week, as for various reasons I didn't visit the allotment much last week. Martyn was on solo duties on Thursday whilst I spent the day waiting for joiners who once again didn't show up. They were then supposed to arrive on Saturday but guess what? Now they are - maybe- coming on Monday! No show on Monday so now they promise it will definitely be Tuesday. It's beginning to feel like groundhog day!
We managed an afternoon at the allotment on Sunday when Martyn lifted more potatoes. This time the varieties were Kestrel, Cara, Vivaldi and Sarpo Mira. The results were varied. Cara produced the highest yield but most of the tubers had been attacked by pests. On the other hand Kestrel produced some good sized unspoiled tubers but a lower yield in terms of total weight. I'll do a post about all our thoughts on the potatoes that we grew this year at a later date.
Whilst, Martyn was busy lifting potatoes, I cleared and dug over the bed where I sowed hardy annual flowers last autumn. I plan to use the bed for the same this year so need it ready for sowing this month. I've posted a video here.
We managed an afternoon at the allotment on Sunday when Martyn lifted more potatoes. This time the varieties were Kestrel, Cara, Vivaldi and Sarpo Mira. The results were varied. Cara produced the highest yield but most of the tubers had been attacked by pests. On the other hand Kestrel produced some good sized unspoiled tubers but a lower yield in terms of total weight. I'll do a post about all our thoughts on the potatoes that we grew this year at a later date.
Whilst, Martyn was busy lifting potatoes, I cleared and dug over the bed where I sowed hardy annual flowers last autumn. I plan to use the bed for the same this year so need it ready for sowing this month. I've posted a video here.
We are picking plenty of ripe tomatoes, some of which are being cooked and frozen to use in dishes later. It's quite a modest harvest this year compared to what many of you are producing.
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| 2 September |
Martyn, came home on Thursday with a good haul of raspberries. The All Gold really have excelled themselves this year. The berries are getting smaller but there are still plenty of flowers and the bees are busy pollinating them.
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| 5 September |
Martyn also had a surprise addition to his gatherings - a lovely Clapton cauliflower. Clapton is a club root resistant variety that we have grown for a few years now.
The Python climbing French beans, that were mistakenly bought as a purple variety, have been quite a find and will be grown again in spite of not being purple. The purple colouring tends to be lost from beans once cooked anyway - unless you know of one that retains its colour.
No doubt the dahlias are now on borrowed time. Night time temperatures are falling and the first frosty night will bring about their demise. I just love the form of the pompom varieties
Finally, the birds have contributed some welcome colour to the garden. This cluster of sunflowers have sprung up alongside one of our bird tables as a result of some messy feathered diners.
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| 8 September |
The squash haven't done well this year. The butternut squash haven't produced a single fruit, Crown Prince have produced about three undersized specimens and the Uchiki Kuri have produced the four that we cut on Sunday. I'm not sure how big these should grow but they seemed undersized to me.
One triumph this year is that we have actually managed to grow some spring onions. After struggling to grow these for a few years, we decided to try sowing the seed in a crate containing multipurpose compost and it has worked!
This week I am linking to harvest Monday hosted on
Dave's blog Our Happy Acres
Posts
You must have an arsenal of freezers! My former neighbours who grew all their own veg had two big chest ones and an upright.
ReplyDeleteWe have quite a few, Deborah
DeleteI empathise with you about tradesmen and their unreliability! I had a chap come round last Saturday (not this one just gone) to look at a job for me - still no quote! I've had to start all over again.
ReplyDeleteOur problem is that the job is half done, Mark.
DeleteNo show on the butternut squash for me too. Rudolph cropping already??? Yikes! How do you rate the flavour of the All Gold?
ReplyDeleteAll Gold hasn’t a strong raspberry flavour but we like it all the same, Mal.
DeleteYou are such amazing gardeners! I am always inspired when I visit your blog. The things you can grow. Wow!
ReplyDeleteThanks for that, Bonnie. I'm amazed at what you manage in your climate.
DeleteThe tomatoes look lovely even if the amount is modest. Interesting to see you with Rudolph broccoli, I've never grown it before. I do have some I hope to plant and overwinter in the greenhouse, and I wasn't expecting it to make any heads until early next year.
ReplyDeleteWe were surprised at Rudolph too, Dave maybe our weather has confused it.
DeleteCooler weather sounds good to me. It is to be in the 90's the next few days here. Always a shock after having some pleasant weather. Your harvests look so yummy. We have a few tomatoes coming on now. A yawn compared to your gorgeous crops but delicious for us.
ReplyDeleteCooler to us would be frigid to you Lisa!
DeleteI hope your joiners turn up today. Well done on the spring onions, this is the way I grow mine and they always seem to do okay.
ReplyDeleteThey aren't coming again!!! Now it's Friday.
DeleteOh....those joiners! How frustrating. I hope you finally get sorted. Shame about the damaged potatoes but good you still have plenty. Love the tomatoes, they do look good. It's been a poor year for squash here too, usually they're abundant. Great news re your spring onions.xxx
ReplyDeleteThey're supposed to be coming today - Friday 13 - now Dina, What's the chances?
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