Kitchen Garden Forum

Sweet Peas have been an absolute flop this year, only about 2ft tall.

Yes Stephen, life does have a way of interfering with gardening ! It's surprising what a couple of days of rain and sunshine can do for growth, especially where weeds are concerned.

I've just read in the paper that we are actually having a summer - but it's stuck in the middle of the Atlantic.

Colin, I sympathise.

Anyway he got the strimmer out great I thought he's going to clear his plot at last, well 20 mins or so latter he left after cutting 2ft weeds down to half size not even at ground level let alone clearing the weeds he had cut.

Our allotment rep is very forgiving and plots do untended. When I ask, there is always a story to go with it. Since we have been on our plot in 2006, most years have seen one side or the other thoroughly neglected. I get increasingly intolerant. The neighbour on one side arrived, cut back a huge swathe then let it go wild, he then negotiated a half-plot on the other side, saying the whole plot was too much for him and that too is now overgrown. He cleared one bed and nothing else.
I should add he's an engaging chap but just does nothing on the plot.

I lifted my first spuds today, as a test to see how they were getting on.
These are Sagitta, which I bought as first earlies but have also seen described as second earlies.
These are at 10 weeks. In the past I think I have left spuds in too long, not getting the best out of the new potatoes.

They look yummy, mine haven't flowered yet, but I may have a furkle around under a plant to see what's there soon.

Summer must be on its way: we had three painted lady butterflies in the garden today!

Hey tiger! I call it a tickle, my first aren't in flower but my 2nd are, not the Jazzy as recommended by Parnsip but another one. I tickled the 1st (Winston) & had a wee treat as well! I'm not going to tickle the Jazzy just yet but I know there are some beauts under the foliage but they can stand until the end if need be, even a bit of blight resistance I've found, but they are delicious, so some will be tickled before!

Dear people from the UK,
What does the summer look like for now?

We are expecting at least a one week long unbearable heatwave of 31°C to a maximum of 37°C with cloudy/overcast skies, which means top level humidity. [edit: yes on this balcony, near the brick and concrete it does get warmer for longer!]

What things do I have to look out for in the garden? How do I protect my plants from all of the upcoming weather conditions? What steps to take?

You could pipe some of that hot air up here to cool you down a bit!

Well, at least it looks a little bit hopeful. By the power of the lord I wish upon the UK, a piece of our next week heatwave, to rid us from our upcoming suffering!

I don't think we can complain around here: ok, it's rained a bit and it's not terribly warm, but there have been far worse Junes and we've certainly not had an excessive amount of rain. The beck in front of our house has been gently burbling away ...... Anyway, it's getting warmer.

Blimey Elmigo, you really do get a summer & well hot! I for one would never have considered you'd get those temps & your concrete building means likely hotter for longer. I shall share something my granny used to do with our crops in Aussie in summer - not scientific but beside the obvious watering, the pots on the patio had their own fan. No air con in her day but she would wet a baby's terry nappy & peg it onto the front of the fan! I'd be out there with the pots in a blink as it did drop the temp instead of blowing hot air around. My mistake as then I was on nappy duty as they dried out quickly but does work to cool the plants enough to stop too much evaporation. We fortunately had cooler nights being outback, so not quite child labour! I'd also water very early & very late so plants get some of the moisture before it dries off. I totally understand your love of tropical plants & great success with them now!

In Spain when it got really hot I retired to the village bar usually in early June and came out in September

Westi wrote:Blimey Elmigo, you really ... success with them now!

Thank you, this is really helpful and I think I can use an old piece of moist cloth to protect the potted plants. Also thought about tinfoil to reflect the light and heat. I have no idea how this works, if at all, as this just came up in me last summer when drought damaged all the trees in the country and nearly killed some of my plants.

Upside down bottle
Maybe this is helpful for some, but crops like lettuce like it best to stay moist all the time. Or maybe you are leaving for the weekend but can't quite leave your plants unattended. I just watched a video and it showed me this: If you have plastic bottles and make two or three very tiny holes in the bottle caps, you can fill them with water and stick them in the soil upside down. The holes release water very slowly during the day. Perhaps you need to turn the bottle upside down a few times before putting them in the soil, just to see if the water doesn't come out all at once. It has to drip slowly enough to get through the entire day of maybe 8 hours of sun.