Went to check the plot today. I hadn't been for 10 days as I have DH still recovering from his op, and a visitor to entertain and to take to Stansted, etc.
I was delighted to see that the cabbages and other brassicas had all grown well in the ten days since they were planted. And there was a ton of runner beans waiting to be picked. A few were too big and stringy but most were wonderful. These were the beans I planted after harvesting my early potatoes. They were started straight in the ground rather than pots. The runners in the garden were a washout because of lack of rain, but these late arrivals are superb.....well worth planting a late crop.
I dug up two rows of the Cara maincrop from under the plastic. The yield wasn't wonderful...as expected given the lack of water and the total lack of digging before planting, but I am pleased with the results. Also, at least half have been eaten by slugs and woodlice. Other plotholders who didn't use plastic also had the problem.......so I don't think it is the method. Next year I'll be a bit religious with the slug pellets and some woodlice powder.
I must get up there for a longer spell soon and have good tidy up. It really needs it. Also I want to put in my asparagus plants which need to be moved on from their pots now. And the tayberries I grew from suckers also need planting.
In the last week I have also started the autumn tidy up in the tunnel. I have scrapped the Gartenperle tomatoes as I wanted the space for a new Sq Ft Bed with winter salads under cover. I shan't grow Gartenperle again as they had no flavour....I also didn't like the pink colour. The Lidi and the Sungold were terrific as usual, and the Gardener's Delight in the garden beds are still going strong.
My Thompson and Morgan Seed Catalogue for next year is here already....I'll have to set aside some time to plan soon.

At last....a minute to blog!

Went to the plot Tuesday but someone had a fire that was blowing my way, and it was also so humid that the sweat was running down my face into my eyes. So I gave up and went home.
Wednesday was better....I got there earlier!

I got my cabbage plants, broccoli and brussels and put them into the bit where the second earlies were this year. I had kept it hoed, and didn't dig because brassicas need firm ground. I've netted them all against pigeons, rabbits and butterflies. I forgot the cabbage collars, but heaped the earth up over the roots and hope that does the trick for a while. I wasn't actually keen on the collars last time I used them as I felt they were strangling the plants unless I bent the sections of the "cross cut" back....and that seemed to leave the roots vulnerable anyway.

The Sq Ft beds in the garden continue to provide a good mixed salad each lunchtime. I have harvested and cleared a lot of the squares on the first bed. We have had some good meals of beans, turnips, etc. But the kohl rabi was not a success, nor the fennel (only one plant there!). The Pak Choi grew well but something eat it before there was any heart and then it bolted. I suppose it was too hot for it. Pea tips have been a disappointment in both beds. But it does seem a very good way to have a variety of salads to choose from without them all bolting.

I extended the strawberry bed with some potted up runners. Hopefully I can do this next year as well and the next, ad infinitum, and never have to buy plants again!

In the tunnel the cucumbers have done well, and so have the tomatoes. Lidli was a success as always, and the orange one (forgotten its name), but I wont bother with Gartenperle again. I don't like the funny pink colour....and it doesn't taste of anything.
The Gardener's Delight in the garden beds continue to delight!

Some courgettes have been a success. But the squashes have mostly died from lack of real water. The butternut squash though seems to have just taken off so I am hoping there is time for it to get some size before the season is over.

The sweet potatoes are growing all over the place.....we shall see what's what when we dig them up!

Down at the plot the maincrop spuds, under black plastic, are all dying off now. So, next time it is dull I'll dig a row and investigate. I did have a sneak preview at one end of row one and found a LOT of slug damage....so perhaps it won't prove to be a good method for our plots. More later! They seem to have produced lots of green "tomatoes"! I know they are related to the tomato family, but I have never had such a profusion of these before!

I do have a mountain of work to do at the plot, and am hoping for a good week there the week after next. We have visitors next week, and DH is still needing a lot of attention; although we are now three weeks from the op and he is getting around a bit now with only one crutch. I will still be doing all the dog walking for at least three more weeks...probably longer. This is tiring me considerably so cutting into energy for the plot!