Mid July Update - Harvest in Full Swing

I feel like I am gardening in the Med this year!  My rosemary, thyme, lavender and basil have all enjoyed bathing in the sun everyday for at least the last 3 weeks or so.  The chiles, tomatoes and even the aubergine are all displaying their fruits proudly.  Even I begrudgingly don't mind the endless trips back and forth between tap and plant with the watering can, as I would exchange that exercise any day for a boring treadmill.  However I do allow my helpers use of the communal hose on occasion.

Since the beginning of July, there hasn't been too many meals that haven't had at least one portion of veg from the allotment.  Onions, garlic, broccoli, beetroot, Swiss chard, and courgettes have all been enjoyed on a regular basis.  This coupled with the earlier harvest of Asparagus, a few carrots, peas and an abundance of lettuce it has been a good year already and hopefully the best is yet to come!

Early Summer and April Outdoor Sowing Update

Lots of alternating rain and sun has given the fruit and veg a big jump over the last couple of weeks (Pics from early June).  Just like last year though, I am a little bit worried about the spacings I have left between plants.  You would think that I would learn!  Anyway I have started to thin out the odd carrot and beetroot and they have been very nice with the abundance of lettuce that I have this year.  The net cage that I built around my Broccolis, Cauliflowers, and cabbage has paid off enormously.

First Harvest and Spring Summary - March Outdoor Sowing Update

It has definitely been an adventurous gardening year.  Last week we had the latest frost for about 30 years and this week we saw the thermometer hit 29C (around 85F).  I went from thinking it was still too cold to harden the plants off to worrying that the plants were getting scorched in under a week.  Needless to say, most things pulled through (as they seem to do when you take no action), and so I thought it was a good time to take stock and give a general progress report.

The first harvest of the year was a lovely meal of Asparagus with Poached Egg, Rustic Bread and grated Parmesan.  It was followed up by Emma's very tasty Rhubard crumble.

Most of the seeds that I have sewn this year have been successful with the exception of the Rosemary, Thyme and Lavender.  I will try to propagate from existing plants this year as I cant seem to get the hang of any of those from seed.

Strawberries and Raspberries
The strawberries and raspberries look better than ever this year.  I am looking forward to lots of jam this year and of course still plenty for eating!

Strawberries

Raspberries

First Sowings - March Outdoor Sowings

The carrots, radishes and Garlic (Feb) have all come through nicely and I am looking forward to getting a decent carrot harvest this year for the first time. The spring onions are still very thin and hard to pick up on camera.  Only about half of them germinated, so I am going to do a second sowing soon.

Radish/Garlic/Carrots

Also from March Outdoor Sowings; Cauliflower-Romaneso Veronica, Mange-tout, Coriander, Lettuces and Leaf Beet (Chard).

Cauliflower

Mange-Tout

Coriander

Lettuces

Leaf Beet

May Indoor Sowing

May Indoor Sowing?  Who would have thought it?  Well the weather this year is very much on the frosty side so I thought I would do one more round of indoor sowing.  I have been able to harden off a few things in the cold frame so it has freed up some windowsill space.

May 12 - Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Sunflowers, Artichokes

• Purple Sprouting Broccoli - Lancer Mixed, 4 pots
• Sunflower - Ruby Sunset
• Globe Artichokes - Violet Globe