With Haddock's having been reduced in size this year, I was short of space for all my Pumpkins and Squashes, so I've commandeered an old compost heap. It seems to be doing the trick, better even than I'd imagined.
The first load of Peppers are full sized and waiting to change colour; I'll probably eat most of them green.
The first Tomatoes are already fist size, although these will definitely be left to turn red.
Plenty of flowers on the Aubergines. It's amazing how quickly they grow once they've flowered. I can see us being inundated.
And the Red Onions are already being harvested, but I'll leave most of them to harden-off to be kept for winter.
All going according to plan.
Looking good.
ReplyDeletePlenty to feed the troops when they arrive.
ReplyDeleteI hope the Toms will ripen in time. Looks like our Figs are going to be early too.
DeleteThey all look very healthy. I seem to have pepper failure this year. Did you protect yours during the early bad weather?
ReplyDeleteNo, I didn't protect anything; unless you count crossing fingers. However, I am having slight problems with my small winter greens plants; they seem to be dying off as soon as I plant them out.
DeleteIt's looking very good, Cro - a testimony to all your hard work earlier. I can almost taste the jucieness in that tomato !
ReplyDeleteIt's all coming together. The Tomato is called (predictably) 'Supersteak'.
DeleteWe have some catching up to do on our veg plots....but we do have a good harvest of bush beans to come in. What a lovely feeling it is to be eating our own veg.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly is. I shall pop down now and see what we'll have for lunch.
DeleteThis delightful harvest is exactly why every year I think I will grow my own ... and then a busy life and work get in the way and I don't...one day though ..one day.
ReplyDeleteNot having my plot would be like losing an arm. We are wedded to one another.
DeleteYes one of my compost heaps is producing some wonderful herbs this year.
ReplyDeleteMine was a last minute thought that seems to be paying off.
DeleteHow lovely to have a climate that you can do all that in, anything I grow just cringes in the North Norfolk cold and wind!
ReplyDeleteI think the climate is almost perfect for veg growing here. Plenty of sunshine and a good amount of rain. Hot today.
DeleteMy father always grew marrows on our compost heap when I was a child. Mymother used to make a wonderful stuffed marrow recipe.
ReplyDeleteYour photos make me sad that we have done away with our veg patch this year - but then we don't have your weather up here in the North - really not a single warm sunny day yet.
We're well into summer now. There is one day of light rain forecast for next week, but otherwise we have temps around the 30C mark.
DeleteReading this with 'Keith Floyd dans la Perigord' on tv. Making me hungry.
ReplyDeleteI intend to grow my own one day ...
I didn't know he'd done a programme down here.... but then I'm not surprised.
DeleteThe compost heap is ideal for pumpkins! They pop up even when you don't mean them to.
ReplyDeleteYour crops are looking good. What with birds, bugs and slugs and of course winter, it's slim pickings in my veg patch at the moment. Thank goodness for the market.
I think the one I'm using was the recipient of years of Chicken House clearings. Potent stuff.
DeleteIt looks like you've got a part of produce heaven right there. How great to see the ripening change daily. You and Lady M planned very well.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have ever seen aubergine flowers before...they are lovely. Eggplants are just beginning to appear over here at the farmers markets. I've got to remember to buy at least one.
Your prior post featuring the beautiful photograph of Bunny and his Mom was a gem. Lots of happiness there, and as you wrote, even more happiness will soon envelope your home.
The earlier post about Blair the escape artist arrived about the time I was yelling at my television about Hillary the escape artist. Then the news got captured by horrible, horrible deaths by gunfire, followed by all sorts of conversations. Summertime heat can fire many tempers.
It is also good to remember that sunny hot weather, with a bit of rain, can encourage wonderful garden growth.
Wandering a bit here in my comment, but it's a strange time.
Best wishes to you and yours.
Everyone in the civilised world was shocked by the killings of those two men by the cops, and probably even more shocked by the Dallas reprisal. If they're trying to create inter-racial tension, they're certainly going about it very well.
DeleteYes we're really looking forward to having a full house in about 10 days time. We're still not really sure where everyone will sleep!
Though we've fenced everything off, the deer have decimated our garden. We are left with yellow squash, cucumbers, some onions and potatoes and they have started eating those. They even get in the goldfish pond and eat the water lilies. My white peaches are near ripe and had to chase a large doe away this morning.
ReplyDeleteHow do they get in? I fenced my plot a few years back following the same problems, and now it's fine.
DeleteThey reach their heads and necks through the fencing and/or jump a 6 foot fence. We were going to electrify it, but never have. We asked an old farmer once, how he dealt with the deer and he said he plants more than they can eat. We are over run with deer. Don't know the answer except for large mean dogs, but can't do that.
DeleteMy best pumpkins always were compost pile volunteers. Your garden is the jealousy producing sort. I'm only in it for flowers, and wish I could be started.
ReplyDeleteIt remains to be seen what the eventual Pumpkins will be like, but I have great hopes.
DeleteLooking good! Our weather got warm (not!) so early this year, we've been harvesting our tomatoes since May. That's the earliest ever for us. The cherry and grape tomatoes are producing like crazy, but the large ones, not so much. They're already starting to look like it's the end of the season.
ReplyDeleteI have small cherry Tomatoes, but the bigguns shall be a while yet. I'm just hoping they don't get diseased.
DeletePeter has squash and marrows, Brussell sprouts, celery, leeks, potatoes, tomatoes and cucumbers all doing well in the warm wet compost in the South Norfolk sunshine, well sheltered from the wind and covered with wire mesh to keep the pigeons away.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I should leave my compost in situ and plant on it. I could even start a new pile each year.
DeleteI wish I knew all that you talked about. Years of gardening knowledge.
ReplyDeleteDid you just plant the pumpkins in compost no dirt.
What does harden mean, you keep them in a the ground all winter ?
It is so warm, sunny, hot in Tucson we have a long growing season. Only two months of winter.
But we battle all the animals and critters that want to eat what we grow.
cheers, parsnip and thehamish
The old compost heap has now become just very good soil, you would would hardly even know it used to be compost. Hardening the onions just means leaving them where they are until they die off, then they would be trimmed-up and taken indoors. Like that they keep until next April.
DeleteWOW, Thanks for the info.
DeleteEverything looks fantastic. I'm spending more time in my garden now.
ReplyDeleteHello Molly. Gardening is very healing; being close to nature is reassuring.
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