Any one who has been following my recent posts could be forgiven for thinking that all this blog is doing is making a pretty good job of putting people off this grow your own lark - just when Alan Titchmarsh is throwing his weight behind this campaign with his new TV series! Weather hazards, weed invasion, pests and each individual seed's stubborn refusal to perform as indicated on the packet - we've had them all so far in a short few weeks. But that's conversely, where all the satisfaction comes from too.
Yes you have to follow some basic rules. Germination conditions have to be right and you have to adjust your approach sometimes when the weather doesn't play ball. And yes too, especially in the early weeks, there is a disproportionate ratio between effort and return. But as long as you don't ever expect 100% success (that won't happen because different veg appreciate different conditions and there can only be one 'weather' at any given time!), there are good times ahead and present day triumphs to enjoy as you go.
Let me take you around my plot, garden and greenhouse in the last week of May, starting with the allotment.
What really starts stuff growing is warmth and in the last couple of weeks we have had that in abundance. Remember my frost ravaged spuds - yes that was only two weeks ago - well I started the week (left below) with recovering rows of potatoes, but invisible because they were competing (unsuccessfully) with the real bane of my plot - bindweed. A couple of hours later and (right, below) we look like we are back on track. Considering this is officially the driest May in 100 years, after the sunniest April on record, there is still some residual moisture underground from the wettest February on record three months earlier (sources: meteorological office and my previous blog on the topic) but I'm going to need to start watering again soon if the rains don't return this week (which it looks like they won't).
The courgettes, squashes and sweet potatoes are also in (and again needing regular watering to get them established) so pretty much on schedule there too.
And finally, on the plot - the 'onions in the sink' are not bolting yet like a few were that I reported last week and looking pretty decent...and I'm looking forward to reporting a good soft fruit crop next month.
The garden and greenhouse are also benefiting from the warmth, especially as I have a south facing one.
The frost damaged cucumbers outdoors have been doubled up in the grow bags with my spares and really kicked on to the top of the 4 foot stake. Four of my five potatoes in bags are looking really healthy (the Maris Piper one didn't show, so I've put a sweet potato in its place) and the rest of the sweet potatoes are also in...in a tub with a cardboard shoulder so I can get more soil in.
I have leaves, radishes, lettuce and beetroot establishing in my Klu Klux Klan like grow bags and the old pillow protection for my french beans looks like its paid off too as they are now on the upward sprint.
The tumbling tomatoes in hanging baskets are also established now after being put back in the greenhouse last week to protect them from the un-seasonal gales.
And coming to the greenhouse, the chillies and tomatoes are growing well now and the cucumbers are already bearing fruit!
But I also have a problem looming. Because its so hot and dry, and I can't guarantee getting to the allotment every night, I have 'potted on' brassicas of all varieties and sweetcorn, all of which should now be in the ground but are still in the greenhouse. I can probably keep the sweetcorn outside whilst the weather is set fair but I can't put the brassicas outside because their enemy is cabbage white butterfly. You should always net brassicas when you put them out and so they are having to stay in the relative protection of the greenhouse until I can get them in the ground and netted - hopefully next week.
The green house bottle neck means the peppers stay in the conservatory for another couple of weeks. And it also means the runner beans have to be started there too - although this is not just a space issue. Earlier in the year, I noticed my greenhouse sown sweetcorn seeds had been dug up, broken up and scattered over the top of the soil. Of course they didn't germinate. I put the runner beans out this week and after one night noted broken bean shells on the top of the soil. I now suspect I have a rodent visitor (we have farmland across the road) helping itself to the seed. So for their own protection, the runner beans are now indoors too.
So I'd like to think we are back in positive mode this week. Still busy (next week I really do need to get the brassicas in the ground but I already know I have got to re-dig the bed I dug 3 weeks ago to clear it of newborn bindweed again). And I have no idea what's going on with Parsnips this year. I have not germinated one single seed yet - not outside nor in the greenhouse and I can't find anyone else who has yet either. If you have, let me know your secret - perhaps it's just too warm.
Anyway, to ironically paraphrase that old saying..."one veg's meat is another one's poison"...or something like that!
Have a good week!
Comments