Monday, May 30, 2011
A sprinkle
We finally got a little rain this morning, but really only a sprinkle. I fear it goes a long way off being of any use. I guess at least it will freshen up the plants a little.
I watered copiously this weekend. Most things actually seem ok, but the carrots look unwell and the broccoli has actually died. The beetroot was very floppy but a good soaking and it has perked up again. A couple of onions have bolted but not too many. The garlic is dying back, quite early and the shallots etc seem to be preparing well, the crowns are starting to rise up out of the ground.
The potatoes have actually been hand watered but it's not enough. The earlies and mid-season are actually dying back. The maincrop are in flower.
The tomatoes and peppers seem to love the heat though. Some of the tomatoes are flowering even though they are quite small still. I pinched off a few sideshoots and trimmed the bottom stems a little to encourage them. The aubergines are doing Ok but I think they prefer it to be milder.
To my surprise. the melons have not all died off! 3 are in fact doing quite well with new growth! I dug the others out next to them and buried a whole heap of kitchen waste and then sowed more cucumbers over the top and fleeced the lot. Thank you Anya for your cucumber seeds! Hopefully they will do well!
Some of the courgettes and squash have germinated, I soaked them all again and hopefully the others will follow suit. The little courgette in the corner is doing well and looks ready to flower soon.
I netted the gooseberries, this year the crop is abundant, and I am guessing they will be full of sugar. They are not very well netted, I was in a hurry, but I find that the birds that eat those are quite easily dissuaded, with the spines in the gooseberries and the net, the fruit should be oK.
Harvest: not much yet, about a pound of new potatoes, small but healthy, and a small container of peas and mangetouts. The Alderman tall peas are full of pods but teh peas have not plumped up yet. Hoping that the watering will help. And 4 lovely artichokes! Which we will scoff joyfully this evening.
I watered copiously this weekend. Most things actually seem ok, but the carrots look unwell and the broccoli has actually died. The beetroot was very floppy but a good soaking and it has perked up again. A couple of onions have bolted but not too many. The garlic is dying back, quite early and the shallots etc seem to be preparing well, the crowns are starting to rise up out of the ground.
The potatoes have actually been hand watered but it's not enough. The earlies and mid-season are actually dying back. The maincrop are in flower.
The tomatoes and peppers seem to love the heat though. Some of the tomatoes are flowering even though they are quite small still. I pinched off a few sideshoots and trimmed the bottom stems a little to encourage them. The aubergines are doing Ok but I think they prefer it to be milder.
To my surprise. the melons have not all died off! 3 are in fact doing quite well with new growth! I dug the others out next to them and buried a whole heap of kitchen waste and then sowed more cucumbers over the top and fleeced the lot. Thank you Anya for your cucumber seeds! Hopefully they will do well!
Some of the courgettes and squash have germinated, I soaked them all again and hopefully the others will follow suit. The little courgette in the corner is doing well and looks ready to flower soon.
I netted the gooseberries, this year the crop is abundant, and I am guessing they will be full of sugar. They are not very well netted, I was in a hurry, but I find that the birds that eat those are quite easily dissuaded, with the spines in the gooseberries and the net, the fruit should be oK.
Harvest: not much yet, about a pound of new potatoes, small but healthy, and a small container of peas and mangetouts. The Alderman tall peas are full of pods but teh peas have not plumped up yet. Hoping that the watering will help. And 4 lovely artichokes! Which we will scoff joyfully this evening.
Labels: artichoke, drought, potato, spring, tomatoes
# posted by antipodesgirl @ 11:11 AM 
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