Hello there.
Yesterday I took my eldest for his last "check in, catch up and prepare" day at school, which also happened to be his last day in Year 8. He's very excited about being in year 9 from September, best year in school according to him, although more excited that he has NO MORE HOMESCHOOLING to do and can have a lie in, obvs minus the fag!😁
We've been informed that the youngest will be back in school on September 10 and the eldest on the 9th but for how long and for what regular days we are unsure just now. Also no confirmation about transport yet - I've been running them these last few weeks but by then they may be taking their bus routes, but I'm happy to be taxi service of mum if needed.
I was chatting to my very good friend Tracy from Our Smallholding Adventure the other day saying I'm more than a little anxious about a new outbreak of the virus. As the summer holidays begin, the children are no longer 'in school' and relaxations are made on quarantine for returning travellers there may be a new spike. I also went food shopping yesterday for what, I hope, will last for at least three weeks - not even bothering trying to get a delivery, never had one yet as others are more needy. I'm still happy to stay at home now as much as possible. Jon will be on leave for two weeks from July 24 so we'll all be at home together, safe, and it will be exciting, too, as we are gaining a new member to our homestead, a sheep dog for Jon.👏👏👏
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Ok, after that little ramble my blog today is also about the garden and poly tunnel, as normal. I never really manage to do the Six On Saturday on social media, hence the title of this blog post.😀
The weather these last few days has been changeable; we've had rain, not much sunshine but humidity so this has been causing me a little anxiety regarding my poly tunnel. Why, you may ask, well since I had issues with a bit of mould and mildew I've been keeping a close eye on it.
This morning I took a turn around the garden to take the photos and see how everything is doing after some rain and the weather today being a little warmer than yesterday.
Starting in said poly tunnel it is looking quite healthy just now. I have some gaps but still on that learning curve but getting there. The new path is much safer now. I am wanting some floating shelves put up on either side for trays, tools etc but that is a job that can wait until Autumn I think.
The tomato plants are doing fairly ok. Some of them have leaf curl which I get every year; sometimes the leaves then go really tough and no flowers appear so I have taken them out of planters and the poly house before as no good feeding them when there will be no return. However, there is good fruiting from two of them which are Tomande in the background and the nearer ones are Cuor di Bue which are two of four plants given to me.
Now finally I have some growth on my Marketmore cucumbers; I really was beginning to panic!
Here is the biggest fruit from my butternut squash Vegetable Spaghetti plant given to me by a friend; it is coming on very well but I did cut back some of the leaves at the weekend as it is enormous.
At the side of the poly tunnel my boys have cleared a patch of ground where I hope my pumpkin will grow. The space is a meter square with plenty of room for spread. As the ground is not in super condition I'll put some compost there ready to plant and see what happens...
This is the plant, given to me by friends.
Across from the poly tunnel, alongside the poly house, I have three tall planters and all have beetroot in at the moment and all looking pretty much like this.
Here are the maincrop spuds flowering, funny that the second early ones which can be taken up any time from this coming weekend are not flowering at all; I'll be leaving them in a bit longer I think.
I have extra dwarf beans growing outside in the crate as well as those in the poly tunnel. They are just flowering so I do hope they'll be providing soon.
The bed at the back of the poly house is looking great! The perpetual spinach at the front, given to me by the same friend as the tomato and butternut squash (pattern developing here where donations are doing quite a lot better than my own grown!)👀 . is doing very well. Chuffed with the caulis at the back along with yet more salad leaves.
In the bed in the far right corner of the growing area I have my three broccoli plants and two courgettes.
Very excited indeed to see that the head of broccoli has become visible. Eeeek, I've never managed to grow it before; just hope my netting and my Grazers Eco Spray will continue to keep away the cabbage whites.🤞
The Tondo di Piacenza are showing and hope this one doesn't fall off like one did this morning! Love these stuffed!
The Goldena did not do well last year but I have a few on this plant here (there are two more courgettes in planters, too - another Goldena and a Zuchini (not from Mr Fothergill).
Finally, I have the first bloom? on my multi-headed sunflower...
and one of the dahlias I planted outside the Studio last year has come back to life so very pleased about that.
Things seem to be taking a little longer to come to fruition, fruit and veg, this year or it could just be my usual impatience!
The weather this weekend is set to be nice and warm so hopefully this will bring on a few things and harvests will improve beyond the salad leaves and dwarf beans!
Stay safe everybody, if you are staying at home over the summer as we are I hope you enjoy your own little patches of paradise and I look forward to seeing lots of trug shots of your wonderful harvests.
As always, take care,
Lou.xx
Hi Lou! Late to the party here but that's ok, such is life hey? Mine are thrilled that school is over but I am a little cautious over what will fill their days now. It'll be fine of course, but might need to figure that out (with me working at home full time I mean).
ReplyDeleteI'm still convinced there will be a phase 2 but I feel a lot better about coping with it (ourselves) and hopefully we will be better placed (mentally too!) to cope.
We are lucky that deliveries are in abundance now so no worries there. I have never herd of six on Saturday lol.
Hope the mildew is ok? The PT is looking very healthy and organised. I forgot to mention, we had our first cucumber and it was awful!! So bitter! No idea why but the pigs will be getting those now. Squash just go once they take hold don't they? My potatoes are doing whatever they want, I don't think the 1st earlies flowered but we have eaten them all already anyway! Grace accidentally picked some main crops the other day and they were looking good. Whether donations or self seeded so to speak, as long as they grow! I have zero broccoli this year and I can't remember which plant it's meant to be LOL - thrilled to see you are getting some! Sunflower looks happy :)
Ste was asking where all the tomatoes are here and I said it's normally August before things kick off here, so time yet :)
Stay safe yourself xxx