OwnGrown

We have just started using the carrots pictured here. They are a little small but there are plenty for the next few weeks.

Not at all good this year! Not sure exactly why but they were hit hard by a very heavy rain storm when may flowers were knocked off and plants partly flattened. I also think the manuring may have been overdone a little. Anyway we shall have, and are having, some beans but not as many as we should.

These have started - the first courgettes will not grow very big so pick them small and let the plant develop. We always pick the courgettes small and ensure we have enough by growing a few more plants. The courgettes will grow very fast if not paicked and become far too big in just a few days.

Now picking peas and have been for about a week. We tend to have a glut during the short season so these can also be frozen if there are too many.

Started lifting the earlier maturing garlic. Ideally these should be left to dry outside but it is too damp at the moment and almost no sun so they will be hung up indoors. These early maturing ones will not last in store as long as later ones but should be fine hanging up for a few months. The largest ones will be kept for planting in October - see earlier entries.

We are still six to eight weeks away from using the onions. The red onions, Hyred, are in the foreground and the Hercules onions (the majority) behind them.

Almost ready for use. Here we have the smallish Little Gem on the left, Webbs Wonderful and Marvel of 4 Seasons with the deep red outer leaves. The smaller plants are little more than seedlings and will be ready when this first lot are finished.

Transplanted Brussels Sprouts when about 6″ tall into the final growing site about 2′ apart in holes with pieces of rhubarb leaf at the bottom. Club root disease can be a big problem and using the rhubarb leaf in this way is a very old method of control. I cannot say it definitely works but it has been around for long enough so I assume it does. Another mehod is to add stacks of lime in the autumn. I suspect that other bought methods of control have now been banned as they don’t seem to be available. The wire netting cages shown here (or other protection) are essential if you have a pigeon problem - they love the plants and will totally destroy them if they have a chance.

The runner beans are being gradually thinnned to one per station and the canes for them to climb up have just been put in. These canes must be secure - there is a fair area for wind to blow at when the beans are up to the top and the whole lot will collapse if not secure. A big part of the problem isthe structure collapsing along its length so notice the two canes in the middle providing support / stability in the opposing directions. Another method is a circular wigwam type structure instead of straight as here.

They take a while to get going but we are nearly there and growth is rapid now. it is essential that these are supported well. High winds will flatten them otherwise. In the past I have always allowed them to grow without interference but this year will try pinching out the main stem at about this stage and gradually shortening the laterals on some of the plants. The crop when the plants are eventually allowed to flower is apparantly much greater.