Mid Summer Bits and Bobs.

[retropants]

I've just pulled up and binned all my tomato plants. They were loaded. Didn't pick a single one, blight got there first. This is the first time in 30 years of growing them that I've lost the entire crop. Then I dropped a ladder on my toe, it hurts like heck. Today is not a great day! It can only get better, right??

[Shallot Man]

retropants. don't bank on it.

[Colin2016]

"The only butterflies I have seen this year are the white cabbage ones."

Neighbor has a buddleia whish is attracting loads of butterflies not just cabbage white but colour ones as well.

[Monika]

Retropants, so sorry to hear about your tomatoes (and your toe!). That must be awful, to lose the whole crop. Will you grow so-called blight resistant ones next year?

Our butterfly tally has been dire this year: lots of large and small white, but only the occasional red admiral, peacock, small tortoiseshell, speckled wood and one gatekeeper which was a new one for our garden. The buddleias are just coming into full flower and the weather forecast is better for next week - so, fingers crossed, we might see some more.

[retropants]

thankyou Monika, I guess I'll be purchasing some 'ferline' seeds this autumn then! Although, some good cooking (paste) tomatoes - blight resistant - would be useful, does anyone have any recommendations please?

[oldherbaceous]

The blight strain seems to be a very strong variant this year….I’m growing Ferline this year, they are not completely immune to blight but they are still going….I cut any leaves off that show any blight…luckily it has not affected the stems!

Hope your foot is feeling a little better today, Retropants.

[retropants]

thankyou OH, it's not too bad now. I'm expecting an epic bruise!

I had been taking the infected leaves off, but it did reach into the stems unfortunately. Until yesterday, I thought I may have saved at least a few, but they were all going brown and the fruits were showing signs also. I've disinfected the canes and toppers.

I still have the 2 basket tomatoes at the moment, so at least we have those for DH's lunchboxes each day.

[Stephen]

Retropants
I have lost a whole crop of tomatyoes to blight, so know how devastating it is, you have my sympathy.
So far, (touch wood) only one set of outdoor ones have suffered. My hanging baskets are OK as are the greenhouse ones.

As for your toe, I hope it is better today. I wear steelies for gardening, mostly as they are cheaper than anything else and designed to stand up to the treatment gardening gives them.

[Westi]

The self sown cherries are OK but showing a nip of blight which is unusual which supports OH's post of a strong variant! Got it in the tunnel as well but so far managing it with the leaf trims. The weird thing in the tunnel it is not the plants in the middle that you would expect to be more exposed to spores blowing through but the ones behind the front & back sides. Must have had a whirl wind in there maybe??

[robo]

I lost my tomatoes to blight for the last three years last year I save some by spraying with James fluid and pulling all the effected leaves off even so I had to discard 38 large tomatoes , this year I spent £20 on three types of blight resistant ones up to now they are clear and doing well,I’ve 6 hanging baskets out side with cherry ones in them but no sign of blight

[retropants]

Stephen & robo, disheartening isn't it?

Oh well, onwards and upwards I suppose. Thinking of next year already. This year has been a tad trying. No carrots (slugs). No green beans (snails). Not many lettuce (slugs, snails & bolting in the hot spell).

Garlic is a good size and kaelttes looking promising. Leeks however are very puny!!

I reserve judgement on the sweetcorn, to date, they look ok, although slugs ate the silk tassels, so I'm not sure they were pollinated successfully.

[Westi]

I can't believe next weekend is the bank holiday, but don't need that as a reminder really as also note the light evenings are shortening rapidly & the geese are flying over to the marsh. It hasn't been much of a summer this year, but I have some good stuff while some of the more predictable like lettuce have been more challenging with lots of rust.

I've moved my carrots into potato sacks & into the broken cold frame so OK from carrot fly & slimy things but still quite small which I assume was just not enough sunshine as they certainly had the rain! Spuds were saved from blight but it hit early so no good sized bakers but at least I got some spuds. All the calabrese bolted but I got some cauliflowers & cabbages (Obvs all at once). French beans were very successful but the Runners are tough & don't have the right taste for some reason. Onions, garlic & shallots were small, celeriac, beets & turnips attracted the slimy things or just produced tops. Toms are not so prolific & fighting blight with them so thanks for the tip re: Jeyes fluid robo - might just work with the least affected which fortunately are my bigger toms, but I won't be making too much pasta sauce.

Oh well, 2021 is another year so fingers crossed & I will also have more time as decided to retire completely. It's not nice anymore, so many stressed & affected staff from the Covid crisis & so much change in the atmosphere of the place. Sometimes decisions have to be about you & although I know I will feel guilty about bailing it seems the right time.

[retropants]

Westi, after spending a year on half working half furlough, I've taken the decision to go half time, well 5 hours a day instead of 6 and a half. Leaves me more time for my little soap business and gardening. I knew the company is very busy, but I've spent almost 19 years putting them first, it's time to look after me now.

[Monika]

I was lucky to be able to retire at 53 and have never regretted it. I loved my job and thought I would miss the people, the buzz and the commute by train through lovely countryside, but, 30 years on, I still know I made the right decision. So, go for it, Westi and count down the days, retropants!

[Westi]

Thank you for reaffirming my decision. It took a long time to actually loose the guilt to move forward, but it was strange Covid times as well that muddied the water. At the end of the day I have given 34 years - well 35 when I leave, & the folk I love & support from this time still know where I am if they need me. Their problem is the lack of trust & being anonymous if they use the services available so they just don't dare risk it. I'm sure it is just fine, but when you are on the edge you trust no-one that hasn't been in your team (& not many are in their team now as staff moved around to cover). Funny old thing is the first team work - the bond is forever!