Last week was a landmark in our Covid 19 dominated lifestyle, we all - including Ruby - had our hair cut.
This was our first cut - at least for Martyn, my sister and I - since January and we were heading towards our 1970's style.
As well as doing some work at the allotment we spent some time tidying the garden. I also potted up some lupins grown from seed. There are more than I need but the seed packet contained mixed colours so I'll need to grow them on to find out which colours I'd like to keep.
Martyn potted on some cucumber plants which have been placed outside of the garden greenhouse. These are Burpless Tasty Green.
We also have some Mini Munch plants from which we are harvesting mini cucumbers as we need them.
The beetroot that I sowed in a crate germinated well and so I thinned out the seedlings. As they grow they will probably need more thinning although I am aiming to harvest small roots.
On the allotment we did a bit more tidying which included preparing another couple of beds for planting.
The bed below was prepared for more brassicas which will hopefully provide us with a late crop.
The plants had been waiting in one of our cold frames for the bed to become ready.
On Sunday the bed was planted up with cabbages and cauliflower. The soil in this bed is very rough and lumpy so we are somewhat concerned that the plants may not thrive, however there was nowhere else for them to go so we are just hoping for the best.
I made another couple of waspinators which I hope will deter the wasps from attacking our plums and greengages. Picking the fruits is no fun when you are likely to also inadvertently grasp a wasp.
Our harvests are much the same as in previous weeks. The courgettes were subjected to the lick test before cooking. In case you are wondering I didn't use the bit that I licked!
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| 14 July |
Whilst some of the cane fruit is winding down, other fruits such as the blackcurrants are ripening.
Picking the blackcurrants is tedious and time consuming but worth the effort.
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| 16 July |
The first lot of peas were battered by the winds and I don't think that they produced as many flowers this year so consequently haven't produced as many pods. Many of the pods show evidence of the battering but fortunately the peas inside are fine.
We decided to dig the four roots of one of our trial early potatoes. We chose Pentland Javelin as the tops of these were the most badly affected by the strong winds. The tops were flattened and yellowed so didn't look as though any more growing would take place below ground.
The haul was modest in size, probably the growing had been curtailed due to the haulms being damaged. The tubers that we did harvest however, were clean, disease and pest free. They also passed the taste test. We posted a video here
You may remember that as well as sowing carrots in open ground on the allotment we sowed some in crates in our garden greenhouse. This was more or less as insurance in case the lockdown prevented us going to the allotment. Last week we decided to pull some roots and were please with what we found, although I'm not sure why one carrots is a different shape to its crate mates.
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| 19 July |
The damp weather is definitely suiting some wildlife, The frog below was patrolling the allotment. A smaller specimen was spotted in the garden. This was probably one of the offspring of the frogs that had used our pond as a spawning ground. I'm hoping that as well as eating slugs and snails the frogs have a taste for the ants that seem to be everywhere in the garden and on the allotment.
This week I am linking to harvest Monday hosted on
Dave's blog Our Happy Acres
You don't have to have your own blog in order to join in conversations. It may seem that everyone who comments knows one another but bloggers always welcome new commenters, after all that is how we all started.
PS: It's not just our gardens that suffer from blight. Martyn and I are currently suffering from an influx of blog blight. It seems that it is the season of the spammer. One in particular is persistently targeting our and what appears to be lots of other people's blogs. Most are sent to the spam or moderation folders as we moderate comments on posts over five days old. These spam comments are deleted and never see the light of day but unfortunately some do sneak through. I apologise for any that sneak through and end up being emailed to those who subscribe to comments, Please do not click on any links in spam comments which gives these nuisances satisfaction and encouragement. They can track where click throughs originate from and will target a blog even more if they think that this is causing more people to visit their site.
You don't have to have your own blog in order to join in conversations. It may seem that everyone who comments knows one another but bloggers always welcome new commenters, after all that is how we all started.
Posts
I have not had my hair cut since mid March, and I had such a good cut all I can say is it's getting longer, but thankfully holding shape. Ruby is so adorable. Good progress, as always in your garden and allotment. I must give that paper bag trick a go here as I always lose more apples to wasps than I harvest.
ReplyDeleteI have a video on how I make them here Deborah making a waspinator We seem to have less wasps when we use it compared to when we don't
DeleteRuby is so gorgeous, such a cutie. Those carrots are utter perfection. Fabulous flowers, especially those dark red dahlias.
ReplyDeleteI really like that colour too, CJ
DeleteI've gotten a lot better at cutting my own hair with clippers. Lucky I don't care how I look.
ReplyDeleteHow sad it would have been if you were cut off from the allotment and all that produce.
Yes we were worried that could happen tpals- it was really before much was planted.
DeleteThe courgette lick test? More information please. (I must confess that for me courgette plants harbour the smell of vomit - but there is no problem with the fruit. I think it is the flour which quickly rots) Ruby looks Crufts ready.
ReplyDeleteYou must have missed last Monday’s post, Mel in which I explained all about the courgette problem. If you pop back there all will be revealed.
DeleteI've never heard of the courgette lick test either? You have, as ever, a wonderful assortment of fruits and vagetables. And Ruby does look like a sweetheart.
ReplyDeletePop to a couple of posts ago, Michelle where I wrote about the courgette problem. Ruby alternates between cute and loveable and devil dog.
DeleteI bet you are feeling refreshed after your haircut. Your produce looks quite tasty. It is always interesting to read about your garden practices.
ReplyDeleteI’m happy not to have to keep brushing hair out of my eyes, Lisa. I rather liked Martyn with his long hair. He didn’t though.
DeleteThe brassica plants look so healthy. I started setting them out here as well for a fall crop. We are still waiting on haircuts here, and mine is longer than ever which is not a real bonus when working in the hot summer garden.
ReplyDeleteWe just hope that our brassicas manage to grow in the rough soil, Dave. Our longer hair was more likely to be used to keep our heads warm and keep us cool
DeleteI have yet to go to my hairdresser - at least I'm finding out exactly how much gray I actually have, lol! I grew some lupines from seed this year as well, but I sowed them directly into a "holding" bed. I'll find out next year what colours they are and then transplant them to their permanent homes.
ReplyDeleteMy problem was the length of my fringe, Margaret. I hope we both get some interesting colours.
DeleteThat Ruby! What a poser, too cute :-)
ReplyDeleteAnts are everywhere, mostly everywhere I sit! We’ve got red ones and black ones.
Lovely to see your harvests looking so good.
We have sorts of colours and sizes too, Belinda I have to tuck my jeans into my socks
DeleteOh well done on the hair cuts Sue. I still have to brave that situation and I am beginning to sport a 1970s style having last had my hair cut towards the end of January. Ruby looks rather lovely. Fabulous harvests as usual. Do you make any drainage holes in your crates?
ReplyDeleteNot so brave, Anna. Our hairdresser comes to the house and we were only people she was going to that day. We also all wore masks.
DeleteJust loving Ruby, funny how she sits! So glad you all got a haircut, my hairdresser did mine in the garden which was good of her.Love all the produce, especially the carrots, how odd to get a long one. I hope your brassicas do well in their new home.xxx
ReplyDeleteRuby sits when she wants something - her dinner, to go out etc. Dina. We call it her pot dog look. Our fingers are crossed for the brassicas.
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