17 July - Hot stuff and strawberries galore!

Since my last post it's been a busy time up on the plot! All the sweetcorn are in now - this was taken on 30th June. Some of them look a bit pathetic but they've picked up a lot since

and I've been digging up new potatoes for a few weeks. The first earlies (Rocket) have all been eaten - this was my first crop on 24th June

and I've started on the second earlies (Melody). The Melody are really tasty and have all come up clean - no scab, holes, etc.

It has been so hot recently all my time seems to be taken up with watering - not complaining though as everything is growing really well and the weeds haven't been too bad.

The strawberries have been phenomenal, we've had 6+kgs on the first picking then 3+kgs many times since. Picked these on 3rd July:

Picked these on 6th July:

And these were the latest crop:

I've been using 2 pieces of bubble wrap to stop them getting squashed - works really well. I've used 3kgs to make some wine - done it before - it's lovely stuff (although I say so myself!)

The Jack O'Lantern pumpkin, butternut squash and courgettes are doing well, however the Atlantic Giant pumkins died but I managed to get another nice looking plant from a school fair.

These were taken on 8th July:

I've put a row of spring onions in and half a row of mixed sald on the top allotment. The carrots and parsnips are growing well:

picked a few and pretty pleased with the result:

At home the tomatoes in the greenhouse have started producing, I've had some sungold and red cherry so far.

The Alicante are a decent size just no sign of them changing colour yet! I've got a few beef tomatoes in pots due to lack of space but I think they'll probably produce quite small fruit.

The sungold have gone a bit triffid like

and the raised beds have been producing loads of peas, salad and coriander. The carrots and spring onions are coming along well but the basil is still a bit small:

It feels a bit like Springwatch when we look out the door in the kitchen to the "shed" (it's open at one end). We've got a great view of a blackbird and her nest feeding her chicks. Here she is in action (photo not so good as I didn't want to frighten her):