Here come the slugs again

Daffodils and Tulips going strong...

After nearly a hot sunny day today (actually a hazy day with an cool east wind nothing like what the met office predicted again) , the forecast for what it's worth is for showers and warm nights so expecting a slug population explosion.

Saturday
Sown peas and carrots in pots outdoors, plus full trays of cabbage(hispi) and kale (nero di toscana) and half trays of parsnip (white gem), leek (carantan), celeriac (monarch) and some aubretia. Scattered a few old watercress seeds into ponds.

Friday
Sowed packet (100+) of peas in attic.

It can't rain all the time

A day of wildlife...

Cropped about a quarter of the charlotte potatoes, not too much damage but a couple had gone yellow and few more starting, so will have to get rest out soon.

Also cabbage, cauliflowers, a couple of huge courgettes, beetroot, peas and broad beans.

Here comes the rain again

Not much going on with all the wet weather, but Saturday's respite allowed the late redcurrants, gooseberries and the remaining jersey potatoes to be cropped before slugs, wireworms, etc cause too much damage. Couple of the Charlotte's had gone yellow and wilted, but didn't have time to dig up so hopefully nothing that will spread too quick.

Carrots have been decimated - carrot root fly the most likely culprit, as we didn't put nets up around them this year.

Early peas deliciously ready with 2nd batch not far off. Yesterday's haul also included lettuce, cabbage and caulis.

Blueberries just starting to ripen, so will have to get nets over next visit before the birds spot them.


Last week, in between heavy showers, managed to get all the blackcurrants picked, exactly 5 pounds (after a pound or so were bartered away in the pub!) - washed and frozen pending next jam making session.

Speaking of the weather, I was highly sceptical in Spring - (primarily because the general conditions were the same as the previous couple of years suggesting a similar North Atlantic Oscillation situation, but also because of the exceptional sunspot shortage) - when the Met Office predicted a much hotter drier summer this year and sadly it has turned out much worse than last year, and almost as bad as the year before.

Catching Up

June was a warm month and everything has been growing well so now seems an appropriate time to review where everything is at.

Bed A1 (Alliums)
- 2 salsify (2008) grown on for seed - has beautiful seed heads (hundreds collected already)
- Parsley (2008) also grown on - still edible if a little tougher
- 6 clumps of red spring onions
- Leeks, still very small so it may be baby leeks for Christmas dinner.
Bed A2
- Around 60 Stutgarter white onions
- 2 surviving garlic (2008)
- patch of sunflowers (giant russian)
- side row of Little Gem Lettuce

Bed B1 (Legumes)
- Broad Beans (had first early crop for tea last night)
- patch of sunflowers (giant russian)
- row of leeks (2008) - bit tough to eat but fine for flavouring stocks and hopefully will flower for seed
Bed B2
- Peas
- Dwarf French Beans
- Sweet peas for a splash of late colour and food for bees

Bed C1 (Brassicas)
- Khol Rabi - now swelling fast, still no idea what they taste like or what to do with them! Originally intercropped with oriental mustards for salads but now all eaten.
- Swedes (originally intercropped with radish, now eaten)
- Turnips (originally intercropped with radish, now eaten)
- Summer/Autumn Cabbage (with 1 last spring cabbage remaining)
Bed C2
- Brussel Sprouts (intercropped with summer cabbage)
- Red Cabbage (intercropped as above, and 1 savoy)
- Cauliflowers (eaten half so far, and intercropped with radish)
Bed F1
- radish
- oriental mustards
- little gem lettuce
these will all be eaten over the summer to leave just:
- broccoli
- kale nero

Bed D1 (Roots)
- Carrots
- Beetroot
Bed D2
- Charlotte 2nd early potatoes (first taste laste week!)
Bed E1
- Jersey Royal 1st early (about half plants eaten so far and absolutely delicious)

Bed E2

Sweetcorn (growing strongly, but not quite so good as last year as July has been so much cooler)
- a border of dwarf sunflowers on 3 sides
- side row of Little Gem lettuce (under a cloche to keep tender)

A whole lotta sowing going on

Taking full advantage of the new Polly House... which is packed out and has miraculously not blown away despite first strong westerlies, and then a week of stronger easterlies since we put it up.

Thur 7th May:
12 Savoy Cabbages seedlings potted on;
100 * Rhondo Peas 10* Sweetcorn (to finish packet off) 40* Dwarf French Beans 30* Russian Giant Sunflowers and a tray of Nasturtiums sown.

Sun 10th May:
6 Broccolli seedlings potted on;
Trays of seeds sown: Chantennay Carrots Penstemom Calendula
Seedlings planted out into the ground: Radish Mixed Salad Little Gem (Bed E) and Mixed Oriental Mustards (Bed C1) - to replace those eaten (by slugs/snails not us!).

Mon 11th May:
More sowings: 12 Physalis from an old packet Spinach Spinach Beet Sweet Peas

Weds 13th May:
And even more sowings: Mixed Salad Little Gem Mixed Oriental Mustards Beetroot (Choggia)