8 July

Bit later than usual, about 9 a.m. Weeded beetroot on bottom allotment and picked 5 full punnets of strawberries (weight 2.3Kgs). Also picked a few raspberries.

The pumpkin plant is about 6 feet long now and the butternut squash has started to shoot too.

Loads of broad beans coming now, took some of those home along with a bunch of sweet peas.

Covered up the strawberries with the Wondermesh at last now I can get into my shed.

Sun came out at 11:00 for the last 40 minutes - wow! At least it didn't rain.

Dug up another 3 early potatoes - still some left in the first bed.

1 July

Got to the plot at 8ish Sunday morning - it was lovely and sunny for the first day of July but by 10:30 had clouded over. Rediscovered the red onion sets - completely filled a trug with weeds - oops! Also weeded the parnsips again and hoed up the second earlies.

Dug up another 4 roots of earlies, filled a seed tray. Had them for tea with a barbeque.

The strawberries have started to perform - filled a seed tray full of lovely sweet ripe berries. Also picked some broad beans and ate a few peas (breakfast!).

The pumpkins plants have started shooting - trailing about 2 feet now. Some yellow courgettes have formed but they seem a bit slow, 'menteer next to me has some green ones and they are much further on - oh well...

No apples - I think a late frost got it when it was blossoming - damn. Plenty of plums coming, no sign of pears yet.

Everything else seems to be growing well, hoping for some more harvesting soon.

Left after about 3 1/2 hours with the plot looking much better.

In the greenhouse at home, the tomatoes are growing strongly, I have rigged up some twine to above head height so I can train them upwards. Got 4 or 5 sets on them now and lower trusses have plenty of tomatoes coming. The peppers are a decent size but still green - need heat/sun, not much sign of it changing this week.