What a difference a year makes, I have just read what I wrote last year but none of it applies this year. Everyone has harvested everything much earlier.
We have just had 2 days of something called, I think, 'cyclonogenesis'. 2 days of heavy rain and winds, but now the weather is warming up again. I have no lettuces left this year, on the whole my lettuce have behaved very badly but I did have some, enough to provide salads through June and July.
The tomatoes have been great, nearly all have already ripened and I have managed to freeze plenty. I think I have probably just picked the last of the beans and I have plenty in the freezer. Both trees had apples, I have loads of pears and the raspberries are producing a few regularly.
This years courgette has been really good, it has produced consistently without absolutely overwhelming me, it is so hit and miss when buying a courgette plant. My veg are all looking healthy and I will probably be able to harvest tomatoes, peppers and courgettes for a few weeks more and my leeks are growing steadily, ready for the winter.
Friday, September 18, 2015
Sunday, August 2, 2015
August
2nd August
Everything is early this year. The plums are already ripe, as are the blackberries. With a bit of luck I will manage to pick all my plums before my neighbour realises they are ripe!
I have had my first tomato though it is the only one to have turned red yet, and everything else is flourishing. My freezer is almost full. A good year :)
16th August
It feels like autumn! After months of very hot weather and no rain it rained all day on Thursday and remains cloudy. The pears seem to be ripening and are falling off the trees
I managed to eat all my plums, in any case the plum thief left last week, I still have neighbours but I don't dislike them so they are no bother.
I have picked nearly all my beans, the mange-tout have nearly finished, even the second sowing is not really producing. The tomatoes are now ripening well, the peppers are good this year. The leeks are growing but the cabbage don't seem to have taken. In general it has been, and still is, a good season.
Everything is early this year. The plums are already ripe, as are the blackberries. With a bit of luck I will manage to pick all my plums before my neighbour realises they are ripe!
I have had my first tomato though it is the only one to have turned red yet, and everything else is flourishing. My freezer is almost full. A good year :)
16th August
It feels like autumn! After months of very hot weather and no rain it rained all day on Thursday and remains cloudy. The pears seem to be ripening and are falling off the trees
I managed to eat all my plums, in any case the plum thief left last week, I still have neighbours but I don't dislike them so they are no bother.
I have picked nearly all my beans, the mange-tout have nearly finished, even the second sowing is not really producing. The tomatoes are now ripening well, the peppers are good this year. The leeks are growing but the cabbage don't seem to have taken. In general it has been, and still is, a good season.
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
July
7th July
It really is salad time! Some of my earlier sowings have produced, plus I bought 3 lettuce in the market but my nth sowing is just producing so I should have salads for the rest of summer. There are lots of flowers on my tomatoes, plus my first green tomatoes. The peppers are doing well and I have 'Mange-tout'.
My onions are pathetic again and they are drying off so they will get no bigger. I thought I watered more this year but I think I only watered the top soil, next year I must soak the ground more often.
The potatoes are really good, I still have gooseberries, the raspberries have almost finished now but I have had loads. The cherry season has been poor but there are a few plums and the pears and apples look promising.
I continue to learn, but, for a non-gardener, I think I don't do too badly. This year is hard as we have had so little rain and there have been some very hot times.
It really is salad time! Some of my earlier sowings have produced, plus I bought 3 lettuce in the market but my nth sowing is just producing so I should have salads for the rest of summer. There are lots of flowers on my tomatoes, plus my first green tomatoes. The peppers are doing well and I have 'Mange-tout'.
My onions are pathetic again and they are drying off so they will get no bigger. I thought I watered more this year but I think I only watered the top soil, next year I must soak the ground more often.
The potatoes are really good, I still have gooseberries, the raspberries have almost finished now but I have had loads. The cherry season has been poor but there are a few plums and the pears and apples look promising.
I continue to learn, but, for a non-gardener, I think I don't do too badly. This year is hard as we have had so little rain and there have been some very hot times.
Monday, June 8, 2015
June
8th June
This Spring has been very warm and there has been very little rain so everything needs watering all the time.
My vegetables have been fairly unproductive so far, the carrots have done nothing, I won't try again, the second sowing of leeks has done nothing either, usually they do well; the second sowing of beans has produced 1 shoot so far. The last sowing of lettuce has produced a couple of plants and I have sown again, I have had a couple of salads now. the strawberries are doing well and the raspberries have produced the first ripe fruit today, the cherries will not be far behind and I have had gooseberries for a couple of weeks now, so all in all things are doing well. I will sow more leeks and probably buy some plants as they are useful in winter.
19th June
It is nearly summer. Finally I have leeks and beans sprouting. The tomatoes have their first flowers, the peppers are flowering, and I have a couple of small courgettes that, for some reason, seem to want to stay as small courgettes! The 'mange-tout' are growing well, so hopefully I will have some to eat soon. I have had my first potatoes, to eat with my lettuce, and I have plenty of fruit.
The weather continues to be warm, last week got a bit cooler but, apparently this has been the hottest Spring since the 19th Century, everything needs watering every day
This Spring has been very warm and there has been very little rain so everything needs watering all the time.
My vegetables have been fairly unproductive so far, the carrots have done nothing, I won't try again, the second sowing of leeks has done nothing either, usually they do well; the second sowing of beans has produced 1 shoot so far. The last sowing of lettuce has produced a couple of plants and I have sown again, I have had a couple of salads now. the strawberries are doing well and the raspberries have produced the first ripe fruit today, the cherries will not be far behind and I have had gooseberries for a couple of weeks now, so all in all things are doing well. I will sow more leeks and probably buy some plants as they are useful in winter.
19th June
It is nearly summer. Finally I have leeks and beans sprouting. The tomatoes have their first flowers, the peppers are flowering, and I have a couple of small courgettes that, for some reason, seem to want to stay as small courgettes! The 'mange-tout' are growing well, so hopefully I will have some to eat soon. I have had my first potatoes, to eat with my lettuce, and I have plenty of fruit.
The weather continues to be warm, last week got a bit cooler but, apparently this has been the hottest Spring since the 19th Century, everything needs watering every day
Friday, May 15, 2015
May
So, it's 15th May, that magical day after which there should not be a frost! Everything is now in. I have sown carrots and lettuce for the 3rd time, no sign of germination, so sowing early was not such a good idea, on the other hand the Spring onions did germinate so I got that right. I have bought 3 lettuce plants and put them in today so I will have some lettuce and hopefully the last lot will do OK.
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| A beautiful lizard |
Sunday, March 29, 2015
March 2015
Time to start again. The winter has been variable, although it has rained and snowed we have also had some dry, sunny days. I have been away again and I sowed some carrot seeds before I went. I think I let the ground get too dry usually so I thought it would be good to sow whilst it was still sure to rain, unfortunately it has hardly rained, it has been cold with very cold winds so I don't know if it was such a good idea, now I must remember to water regularly.
Today I have sown lettuce and Spring onions, I think I left it too late last year. I have also planted the onions sets.
I have sown tomatoes indoors and they are doing well.
Today I have sown lettuce and Spring onions, I think I left it too late last year. I have also planted the onions sets.
I have sown tomatoes indoors and they are doing well.
Friday, September 19, 2014
September ?autumn
Well it may not be quite autumn technically but it is by weather, it has rained most days for the last 2 weeks, very sad for September.
Today I have cut back the beans but they have been producing regularly up to now. The last sowing of Spring onions are almost at an edible size, which just goes to show that I sowed them too late. I need to be a bit quicker next year but I was lulled by the enormous Spring onions that I had. In fact I sowed too many too close together, I am just finishing the last of them and I have nearly finished the lettuce. I will have a few more salads but I no longer need to eat salad every day. The tomatoes are ripening well now though they are late, I still hope to get enough to make some soup and I have frozen a few but it is only because of the Cherry tomatoes that I have had plenty to eat for the last 4 weeks, and the Cherry tomatoes that is doing really well is one that self seeded!
The courgette is still going slowly but surely, very slowly. It is producing lots of flowers but they are nearly all male so not much good! My peppers are probably the best I have had so I will continue with Ourense and Anoia peppers, they seem to be the right ones.
I am still getting regular raspberries and all the plants have flowers on them, this is a bit disconcerting as the majority should be spring cropping and on the previous years shoots, I am wondering if they have somehow trans mutated and that this is a feature of Spanish raspberries! Maybe I should write a paper for a botanical journal :) The time to tell will be Spring next year, will I have any raspberries?
I now have my first pears and I have picked all the apples, the apples are tiny and are badly scarred but they are very tasty.
My neighbours have dug their onions this week, they are all enormous, I think I should be more patient, next year I will dig them at the end of September, or the beginning of Autumn.
I have had a visit from a deer, or 'deers', they have eaten the leaves of my vines and my raspberries, I have to find a way of securing my top plot.
Next year I will look at growing a cucumber, I will look out for a plant in the Spring, otherwise everything has done pretty well.
Today I have cut back the beans but they have been producing regularly up to now. The last sowing of Spring onions are almost at an edible size, which just goes to show that I sowed them too late. I need to be a bit quicker next year but I was lulled by the enormous Spring onions that I had. In fact I sowed too many too close together, I am just finishing the last of them and I have nearly finished the lettuce. I will have a few more salads but I no longer need to eat salad every day. The tomatoes are ripening well now though they are late, I still hope to get enough to make some soup and I have frozen a few but it is only because of the Cherry tomatoes that I have had plenty to eat for the last 4 weeks, and the Cherry tomatoes that is doing really well is one that self seeded!
The courgette is still going slowly but surely, very slowly. It is producing lots of flowers but they are nearly all male so not much good! My peppers are probably the best I have had so I will continue with Ourense and Anoia peppers, they seem to be the right ones.
I am still getting regular raspberries and all the plants have flowers on them, this is a bit disconcerting as the majority should be spring cropping and on the previous years shoots, I am wondering if they have somehow trans mutated and that this is a feature of Spanish raspberries! Maybe I should write a paper for a botanical journal :) The time to tell will be Spring next year, will I have any raspberries?
I now have my first pears and I have picked all the apples, the apples are tiny and are badly scarred but they are very tasty.
My neighbours have dug their onions this week, they are all enormous, I think I should be more patient, next year I will dig them at the end of September, or the beginning of Autumn.
I have had a visit from a deer, or 'deers', they have eaten the leaves of my vines and my raspberries, I have to find a way of securing my top plot.
Next year I will look at growing a cucumber, I will look out for a plant in the Spring, otherwise everything has done pretty well.
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