Saturday 9 June 2012

A good boast at 24a; weeds out - plants in

Okay, okay, I was a bit ranty in the last post, sorry. Sometimes I think you just need to get some issues off your chest and I feel much better and much more positive now, so thank you for indulging me.

I am going to be much more cheerful this time as I have happy photos and good raves about 24a (don't talk to me about 14b, that is being tackled tomorrow!) After a bad start to the year things really do seem to have caught up and the plot is filling up rather nicely thank you :) I'll start off with the fruit arch (cause I am super duper proud of it) at the bottom of the plot. Oh my lordy! the trees are doing so well this year, I think they have finally established and we have apples, pears and for the very first time, plums all set and growing!!! I hope we actually get some of each, it's been an impatient wait so far. The arch is now covered and if we ever get a really sunny day ever again, this is where you'll find me, in the shade - pale and interesting is the look I'm going for (I simply do not tan!)

And up beside the fruit arch is the Summer Raspberry patch - oh my, they are so heavy with fruit, though not one is ripe yet... I'm tapping my toe waiting.. however they are incrediblly healthy and a metre away there are new plants growing in the main path which I had to rip out - they're like a weeds those plants! They and the Blueberries growing behind them are going to have to be made bird proof - I am not sharing them this year again, in fact I blasted well didn't get 1 blueberry the past 2 years, grrrr.

The Cherry tree  ('Stella') has loads of fruit this year too. It did last year though to be fair and then it all got a bit too warm one day and they all fell off, to say I was disappointed is an understatement, I remember just standing there staring at the ground with my heart in my throat (honestly, it's daft but I was tearing up). I am trying not to get too excited but it's really hard - for goodness sake I have a Cherry Blossom Tattoo, my photography bussiness is called Cherry Blossom Tattoo - I bloomin' love all things Cherry! (apart from Cherry Coke but that's just because I hate Coke)...

The Garlic!!! Happy??? Heck yeah! This time last year it was looking good but there was rust, this time, no rust!! They just keep getting better and better - 'Gault's Wight' I call them, but then I am a total geek :p (This photo is almost a month old now - they look so fabulous now, I can't believe I forgot to take a pic!)

We (and by that I mean Andrew) had a terrible time trying to get Sweetcorn to germinate this year but in the end we have enough and have planted them out 2 sister style ~ Sweetcorn and Squash (under plastic bottle cloches) together as is our way :) Fingers crossed, I do adore corn on the cob. There is going to be a huge squash bed over in 14b as usual but I'll talk about that some other time.

Spuds are still doing great - we had to keep the fleece at hand though but this weather is so messed up but if the earlies I dug up last weekend are anything to go by, we should have a great crop (I'm pretty sure they're 'Sharp's Express' here). We also have second earlies in too ('Estima') - looking healthy.

I thought this was interesting...on the left are leeks that were sown in March, on the right ones that were sown in April - can you see a difference?? If anything the newer ones are stronger and a richer, deeper green colour - just goes to show, you shouldn't worry about getting everything planted, nature will catch up, she has her own rules!

Well my lovelies apart from all that there are great hanging bunches of redcurrants on every plant, little healthy rows of turnips and parnsips and lovely looking lettuces and spring onions. Just don't mention carrots to us, it's a touchy subject......



I think I have waffled and boasted enough - I'm off for a nap :) xxxx

12 comments:

  1. It's all looking nice, I like the fruit arch, and those raspberries look like they'll give you a bumper crop, happy gardening

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  2. Thank you - honestly, I am a rather humble person and all that boasting was sort of a joke. My hubby is the true gardener, I am merely obsessed with weeding, blogging and photos.
    I'm off to check out your blog and THANK YOU for your comment xx

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  3. which raspberries do you have? Mine are summer fruiting (glen ample)...planted canes last october...in semi shade so they are just coming up....does it take a while the first year? Perhaps the summer may be late summer if in semi shade? Also, this is my first year for leeks....any tips...as mine are growing but quite small compared to yours!! Thanks...

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  4. But that is the whole point about blogging! I love sharing my bits and pieces, I suppose it is showing off a bit, but not... if you see what I mean. Goodonya Carrie!

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  5. motormouth - we have 3 of 'Glen Clova' and 3 of 'Tulameen' as our summer fruiting varities in that bed. Yes it will take a little while for them to get truly established and you could well get your fruits later in the summer but when they do establish, you shall probably get gluts :p

    As for leeks, there are so many ways of growing them but this is ours and it has been great every year http://growourown.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/lovely-large-leeks.html

    I hope that helps and thank you for your comment xxx

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  6. Matron - I do so LOVE you xxxx

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  7. I'm afraid for us it is a poor plum year and our cherries didn't set very well in spite of being loaded with blossom. As I too love cherries I was so disappointed. last year was a sparse cherry year too!

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  8. Sue! - no don't tell me that, I'm going to be extra super nervous now and by take my stapler with me to plot today and make sure all my fruit stays put!!

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  9. We knew that we wouldn't have a good plum year this year as the trees were loaded last year. They tend to fruit well every other year. Trouble is that they all synchronise

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  10. It's all sounding and looking remarkably good, I just wish mine was the same! Flighty xx

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  11. Mike! - I'm off to look at your plot now, it can't be that bad, plus I haven't confessed to the mess that is 14b yet, so don't worry xxxx

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  12. I've sown some sweetcorn seeds amoung my squash and pumpkins .. waiting to see if they grow now!

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