Kitchen Garden Forum

Shouldn't upset you folk down South but I've done my month end figures and we've had the wettest June in 10 years at 180.6mms (7"). Dug my 27 Charlotte potatoes this morning, less than my ideal 2kgs per root at 45kgs but over double what I got last year.

Several cabbage whites are desperately trying to get at my brassicas in their cage! So far none have managed to squeeze through any cracks…
Still picking hundreds of blackcurrants - at this rate they’ll keep us going for the rest of the year!

I don't know what bit me on Monday, but very aware of it today! 3 bites in all & now all painful hard lumps. I don't think it was a stinging insect as no pain at the time which I would have noticed. Something was very happy living in with the grass & didn't like the disturbance.

Still got big hard lumps on my neck & arm which are pretty painful. I wish I knew what decided to bite me. I can't imagine what it was as did not feel any bites. The lumps are blistering a bit so hopefully on the wane as this might release the pressure & allow them to dry up. I need to go down to water tomorrow, deffo not going near the remaining grass area!

They don’t sound nice Westi! Hope they go down soon…

Notice some of the broad beans are white as opposed to green, still ok to use them?

I always thought there were green and white bean varieties, Geoff!

Please reassure me!

The new runners came & very happy with them & the packaging etc. I kept some of mine that were up & got rid of those looking sad & doing nothing; weeded, watered, etc & planted the new runners. They all but faded in front of me almost, it was quite warm but not hot like it has been. I velcro secured them all up the canes so unable to flop down, so secured & won't blow around. I nipped the seed off as their were loads of roots & didn't want to attract the furry fellows.

Will they perk up? Is this just like a shock reaction from them being hydroponically grown & now in soil? A bit too hot? I gave them another water before I left & will be down on Saturday, but it is supposed to rain Saturday which I'm sure they will probably like better...if they perk up! Cheers as usual!

The broad beans are off same plant it seems the outside skins are white, ok when doubled skinned nice and green inside.

Hi Westi - I guess only time will tell with your runners - were the roots very dry when you planted them, as from what you’re saying it sounds like they didn’t have compost round them like you’d usually expect?

There's loads of Hummingbird Hawk moths about this way at the moment. Saw the first one evening of June18th.....but now they are a many times daily sighting, saw three at once working round a Salvia forsskaolii. at the big garden.
..and in the home garden too, checking out some self seeded lavender that has popped up in the concrete by the garage.....
..and bees by the bucket load, last year at this time they were notably missing.

C.

We have them here too, Clive…. the insects seem to be loving this hot, dry weather.
There’s been a hot, strong wind blowing all afternoon and you could see the dusty soil, blowing off the allotments….something I have never seen like that before.
There is a small chance of light rain tomorrow morning, how we need it!

We had 3mm rain in a sharp shower on Wednesday, but I tally with the dust blowing.
Dug some Caledonian Pearl potatoes this morning, they are not quite as even in size as the Casablanca were but quite ok given their growing conditions.
The ground was a bit 'nutty' when they went in and whilst there are still some clods, the rest of the soil ran through the fork as dust.

C.

Finished mowing all my grass early this afternoon before it started yet again, 7.6mm and counting. Having doubted my own figures about June rainfall I looked in the data area of the Met Office (all sorts of nerdy stuff at https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/c ... omaly-maps) and found the chart below which shows how it has been picking on us. Sent it to a friend who walks a lot who replied "It explains why the Lake District fells are no less boggy than usual, whilst you can walk all day in the Dales without getting your feet wet, or even moist!"

Hi Adrienne, Thanks for answering.

They are hydroponic grown initially but then potted on in compost until they reach a good enough size so can be transported. They had great root growth almost filling their compartments & some of the vines almost reached my height so easy to tie in. I'm pretty sure they will be OK, my garden friend suggested it might have been that were packaged in the dark for a while for delivery, & it was 4 days from dispatch to receipt so a while without light. He felt they should be OK when they settle with the sunlight & the double watering should have been sufficient to reach below the roots & set them off into growth.

Will see tomorrow when I go down! Just not my year for runners maybe, but I will contact them for replacements if they haven't perked up.