Kitchen Garden Forum

That's very flattering OH. Hope he didn't spoil his shot when you made him jump.

Regarding everyone harvesting all their crops, I forgot the sunny West too. I'm only jealous because we've had such a cold dreary June here. Saying that I'd better get out there and mow the lawns while it is fine.

Well it has been fine long enough to mow the lawns and cut the hedges without getting electrocuted. I've also transplanted the brassicas from their seed bed and put up cages and nets over as much fruit and veg as possible. After seeing all your efforts at bird and insect protection on here I decided I should try a bit harder. I usually leave them to it, but with an increase in wood pigeons and several blackbird families I don't think there would be much left for us.

It's been very quiet on the forum this week. I hope everyone is alright.

PLUMPUDDING wrote:It's been very quiet on the forum this week.

Not a lot to report from this front.
Picking raspberries and a few other bits and pieces every couple of days, and trying to keep on top of the weeding as and when the changeable weather permits.

I don't post a lot as a rule, but we are away in Spain I'm sitting in our fly free you have to have your patio area covered in this part of Spain as you will get eaten alive by the dreaded fly negra at this time of year, I'm watching the flies bouncing of the netting as they can not see it then the swifts swoop on them missing the netting by inches they turn sideways to get closer to the netting, our fly free is made out of timber the top is covered in antisun plastic sheets the front and side is covered in mosquito netting, as we are in a fruit growing area there is a lot of flies as well as snakes wild boar, wild dogs, giant toads up to a foot long ,umpteen lizards off every colour ,the occasional linyx and I did see a wolf one night but only one person believes me as he has seen one himself

Raining again, and cold
I'm tempted to put the heating on, but I'll make do with sitting in the house with my jacket on

More rain here this afternoon too, but it's ok, as the weather forecast for today is dry...

At least it is fairly warm, so we are luckier than Alan.

It sounds a bit wild where you are Robo. I think I'm happier where the only wildlife I encounter is the occasional hedgehog and bat if I go out at night. The hedgehog that has taken over the outside nest box in the hen run is still there and growing fast. Must be all the slugs.

It has just started raining heavily here. Funny, Aldi have wet suits as their special this week - perhaps to wear when you have a barbeque

Funny enough we had rain here last night it must of lasted around an hour

Putting the heating on wouldn't really be an option we've had 10 hours of power cuts since Wednesday morning and, more worryingly, it flickered like mad (enough to reboot computer) for a while before each break. Doesn't seem to have done any damage.
As it's month end and I read all my meters I can look at June sunshine. Solar generation for June was 89% of June 2015 and only 84% of May 2016, may explain non-ripening Tomatoes.

Started digging up WILJA, quiet a few splits in them, some small brown splotches, don't think it is scab.

A switch has been thrown on in the raspberry area!
About six pounds of raspberries this evening.

Did home garden stuff today - in between taking the washing on & off the line!

In the greenhouse my Aubergines are looking very healthy & bushy but no flowers, my chilli is in flower & bees in & out, loads of trusses on my black & yellow tomatoes, & tiny cucumbers appearing. (I took 2 early little ones off the cucumber plant as they had just halted growth for weeks & I expect even if better weather the would have failed anyway). Loads of flowers on my melon, but to date none set.

Had a fly invasion as well, which was so bad I had to face the spiders & check nothing had died in there - nothing found but it was a pretty sheepish look after I came face to face with a big (read 2cms at least) black spider daring me to move some pots! The dog's runners are climbing nicely outside, last broad bean sowing are up & King Edwards are fighting the blackberry from the school behind for height, but I sorted that without any blood spilt!

I don't expect now we voted out it is any good to SOS our French friends to blow hard & move the gulf stream a little bit more North??

Westi

Not much rain at all this weekend for a change

Managed to get the grass cut and edged. Looks quite respectable again for 5 minutes

The strawberries are almost over, but loads of flowers on the raspberries. New Polka plants this year and looking good so far.

Peppers are looking good in the greenhouse, and everything in the garden is growing well. Especially the weeds

Went to two fuel comparison websites, fed in the same information to both of them. Both came back with the same company. One saving £280 a year. The other £24.

Hmm Shallot Man!

That doesn't give hope for any accuracy or chance you'd get the higher offer. Or maybe the zero on the end of £28 was a typo!

Westi