Sunday 22nd June 2008

Well into the season now with plenty of success and some failures.
Potatoes :- Had some nice early ones grown in tubs and managed to almost follow on with lottie ones. Need to have some first earlies next year and plant a few mid Feb. Charlotte have cropped very well and the first of the sarpo mira look to be good, the pink fir are very slow and to date there is nothing under the haulms. Well now have potatoes right through the summer and well into winter.
Peas :- flowered well but just would not fill out, only just getting some peas now. Need to space them better for harvesting.
Carrots :- great success with carrots and starting in greenhouse in pots definitely gets an early crop. The pot sown ones are also doing well and we are starting to use them. Have been using thinings for about a month now, There are some decent sized carrots now and will be able to have carrots whenever we need them now.
Parsnips :- Tops look really great and if bottoms are as good as tops it will be a bumper crop. Could maybe have done with sowing another couple of rows, but time will tell if there is enough.
Cabbages :- spring cabbage have seen us through the last few months, summer cabbage are not doing to well due to club root. Will have some for harvesting in a week or so but they are small. Red cabbage are doing well and don't seem to have been affected by club root. Have planted out some of the winter cabbages including kilaton, will see how it does. Kale and summer PSB have been a complete waste of time and space. Sprouts are planted the last lot went in today. Some early ones are doing well and should give us sprouts in Sept.
Onions :- Seed sown doing very well, sets are a big dissapointment. Shallots are almost a total failure and I noticed today that the few that there is have stared to get mildew on them. Leeks are doing well and about 3/4 have been planted so far, just waiting for ground now to get the final lot in. Continuing to plant the spring onions, will be trying to overwinter some under covers.
Salad Items :- easy to grow and no problems with any salad stuff. Just need to remember to keep on sowing. Have sown some winter radish today. Rats tails are producing profusely. Have had some beetroot already and will be picking some this week.
Strawberries :- have cropped very well and are continuing to do so. Well make another bed for next year and get some late crop strawberries.
Raspberries :- have not started cropping yet but not expecting a big crop with the change over of beds. Autumn fruiting ones are putting on plenty of growth and should give some raspberries this year.
Rhubarb P:- only gave a med crop so will probably lift in Oct and replant. Two new crowns to go out as well.
Fruit Bushes :- new bushes of gooseberry, red and black currants, goji berry and blackberry are all growing well. Will expect a small crop from them all next year.
Beans :- broad beans have done well both overwintered and spring sown ones. Will only do spring sown next year as they both started cropping about the same time. Dwarf french have not done very well and are poor looking plants. Need to nurture and get them to a better plant before planting out next year. Or cover with fleece to start with. Runner and french climbing are doing good although yard long beans failed to get going and had to be replaced.
Spinach and Chard :- both difficult to grow early on due to bolting but we have had a few meals from them, continuing to sow both for autumn and winter use.
The lottie is full and as space becomes available the is stuff to go in either seed or plants. Harvesting has well started and we will hopefully not need to purchase any veg for some time now. Will do another update in the next day or so on the greenhouse.