How beautiful it is to see the trees once again swathed in green. I'm sure it's those naked woods that contribute to my Winter depression.
The month of May is always predictably unpredictable. Mist, hot sun, rain, hail, even frost can all arrive in the same 12 hour period; but it's exactly what's needed.
Now that the risk of frost is 99% gone, we all attack our veg' patches, and Haddock's is no exception.
My Tomatoes, Aubergines, Peppers, Courgettes, Onions, Beetroot, Mangetout Peas, and Broad Beans, are all doing well, and I have also sown some Perpetual Spinach and Maize. Back at the house I have sown Cavolo Nero and PSB in pots. Later I shall sow some Chard directly into the soil. All is in order.
Provided that there are no disasters, it looks as if 2019 will be a year of plenty. Everything is awash with fruit, and all the young, recently planted, trees are doing well. One of my Fig trees (that began life as a scrumped sucker) already has Ping Pong ball sized fruits; but I'm not quite sure why.
Cherries won't be long, and Tayberries and Strawberries will soon be on the table.
It really is a wonderful time of year; if only the wretched grass wouldn't grow so quickly! As I write, my neighbour Jean-Claude is driving up and down in his big yellow Renault tractor, hay making; cutting that grass at the foot of the top picture. At least someone's happy with the grass's growth rate.
Looking good - all's well with the world (or your part of it at least).
ReplyDeleteAll's well, but it's accompanied by lots of work. I'm getting old.
DeleteYou can't be - you are my BABY BROTHER!!
DeleteWoops!
DeleteI know the feeling Susan. Younger brothers are Not allowed to grow up
DeletePositive signs of some good meals to come !!! We are having some lovely sunny days at the moment and it’s a lot warmer .... everything is going mad in the garden at the moment .... I need to get out there and get digging ! XXXX
ReplyDeleteBeautiful here too, but I've just looked at the forecast and I see lots of rain coming our way. They don't always get it right!
DeleteI calculate you are about 4 weeks ahead of us here. My little fig tree - only a few years old - is covered with pea sized figs, I hope they hang on and grow, figs are one of the things I missed from the smallholding
ReplyDeleteI have about 10 Fig trees. Most are the ordinary ones, but I have one white Fig, and the one I mentioned above which is a fancy variety. I don't know why the fancy one should be so advanced; they look almost ready to eat.
DeleteThe Darling Buds of May. Perfect weather to garden and enjoy.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed. Shorts on, plenty of warm sunshine, and loads of mowing to do!
DeleteHow do you prevent the birds from pinching all the cherries when they start to ripen - or don't you? We never have anything left!
ReplyDeleteOur main tree is a yellow Cherry. I originally bought it because it was said that the birds don't eat them because they think they're not ripe. TOTAL RUBBISH. We now just accept that the birds have their share, and we have the rest.
DeleteOf course I spit on your garden three times. Interesting that peas, broad beans and chard are winter vegetables here.
ReplyDeleteYour abundance is incredible. It's the love and work that you put into it! You reap what you sow.
Last year was rubbish for most fruit, but it looks as if we'll be making-up for it this year. My fingers will remain crossed until August.
DeleteWe have had some warm/hot days but overall, it has been a colder than normal spring with lots of rain. I envy you for your sunny days. I have some plants in the ground but am holding off on others.
ReplyDeleteVery summery here. Lovely.
DeletePleased for you, but we are slipping into winter.
ReplyDeleteTo each his season.
DeleteThe field behind my bungalow is grass and it has been cut already - they seem to get earlier each year - to get several crops I suppose.
ReplyDeleteJean-Claude just came out to turn it, but went home again. I presume it's not quite dry enough.
DeleteIn Austria we're experiencing the coldest May for 28 years according to the weather experts. It appears the strawberry crop has already been devastated. An interesting and to me unwelcome trend is the decline in swallows. Their numbers are down 50% from what the were 20 years ago.
ReplyDeleteWe had one Swallow who stayed for a couple of days, but it has now gone elsewhere. There always used to be about 20-30 every summer; I wonder what happened to them?
DeleteOne theory is insect populations in decline due to crop spraying. No insects = no swallows.
DeleteHow very sad.
DeleteWe have been watching for our swallows but just two turned up, neither have I heard the cuckoo, or curlew. But, the mistle thrushes are here, and there are plenty of other birds.
ReplyDeleteWe have had some very noisy Cuckoos this year; they are calling non-stop.
DeleteI am really going to miss the cherries this year. Our trees didn't produce much when they were young but Philippe would always come round with buckets of his cherries.
ReplyDeleteOur trees are still quite young (other than the yellow one) and don't produce very much. However, like you, we have some very generous neighbours; and I love to go scrumping too.
DeleteAll sounds delightfully bucolic! Today, happy day!, we are expecting our building's central heating to be switched on. Our long Indian Summer has meant cardigans only began to be needed about 10 days ago but the sudden wintery nights caught us off-guard and we softies are grizzling about the cold radiators. Mind you, the young things are still dressing in skimpy attire like full summer never left.
ReplyDeleteMy wife was out in Oz for about two months this past winter, and spoke of some very high temperatures, so I imagine that anything less than 20 C must feel freezing. At least you don't get snow!
DeleteWell I think I've just heard on the weather forecast that the North West Highlands might get 25℃ today. Two days ago it was 5℃ here. I shall be away for 10 days and I hate to think what the weeds are going to do whilst I'm gone.
ReplyDelete