Kitchen Garden Forum

What a lovely afternoon it's been!
I dug the first of the new potatoes today, wanting to clear some space so that I could plant the ridge cucumbers. What a buzz to see those clean smooth tubers in the freshly forked earth.
Then I transplanted the leeks into their final positions, put in the courgette plants and swiss chard. The broad beans and peas are just days from being ready.
I picked another pound or so of strawberries, gorged on the early raspberries and savoured deep purple cherries straight from the tree.
Then I turned the compost, finding loads of slow worms enjoying the heat generated by the heap.
All in all, a most satisfying time!

Sounds perfect! Hope it is repeated for you tomorrow.

Dear Marken, reaping the rewards of ones hard work, really does take some beating.

Hello Marken,
You are a bit ahead of us..out here on the East coast..

We are enjoying the Strawberries...I noted a couple of Raspberries just turning...one was far enough ready to say that I have enjoyed the first pick
Broad beans are a while off yet, but taller than ever
Early Onward Peas are just in pod...Radio Peas still eagerly climbing the sticks.

We have a few more Swift Potatoes to go at then on to Lady Christl...there is a bit of a log jam developing as some brassicas are keen to be where the Potatoes currently are....

The last vacant piece of ground was V trenched using draw hoe and 2/3rds of the Brussels Sprouts got planted out this morning and covered with wire...then it rained.

..and a ride out this evening to take Dad to check progress with things down the coast at our meadow fields...

Clive.

Marken - can you tell us the secret of encouraging slow worms into your garden? I think these are delightful creatures but last year was only the second year out of 30 that I've spotted one in our garden, which sadly isn't big enough to have much in the way of 'wild' areas.

Dear Clive, my Radio Peas are about 4 feet high now and look full of vigour.
I will always think of the kindness your family showed me when you gave me the seed, every time i grow them.

Hi Clive, We have been picking Peas (meteor and Green Hurst Shaft???) for three weeks now. We had our first all home grown veg meal 2 Sundays ago, complete with Stawberries for afters. It absolutely poured with rain here yesterday for most of the day, the first decent rainfall we have had in weeks.
Sadly, the cauliflower plants, which were absolutely lovely have now bolted and most have tiny curds about the size of 10p piece. Due to the extreme dry conditions I suspect, despite being regularly watered. You can't beat good old rain can you!
There are a lot of black and red currants ready for picking and the goosegogs arn't far off either.....jam sessions ahead!
Cheers.

Picked the first gooseberries today, and not a single scratch! Two other varieties still ripening up. First kohl rabi ceremoniously eaten last night, and two more ready to pick today, and another colander of strawberries picked this morning. All my first courgette fruits rotted for some reason but more on the way and the climbing beans are at last fulfilling their job description and beginning to climb. Yippee! Summer must be here. But I'm having to be ultra careful when walking around the garden - the place seems to be heaving with baby froglets hopping everywhere and I'm wondering how they manage to survive when they're so small as all the ground-based insects seem to be much bigger than their tiny mouths.

Primrose, the slow worms have always been in this garden. Generally we all just leave them alone and they seem quite happy. There are a lot of places where they can safely bask in the sun which they seem to enjoy. They are cold blooded and this allows them to reach operating temperature quickly and then go hunting for prey.
As a thought, does anyone know what they eat. I know they eat some varieties of slug but there must be something else?

Lucky you, Elaine, getting lots of rain yesterday. We are still waiting for it and, other than light showers and drizzle forecast for tomorrow, none is likely for the foreseeable future. I planted the last broad beans and peas today (trying to get them to crop at the time of our local Show in early September) and the ground was bone dry.

Otherwise, we are harvesting the first cabbages, kohlrabi, beetroot and it won't be long for the first broad beans, all grown in the more sheltered garden at home. The allotment, being more exposed, is a little behind but the broad beans are covered in flowers, so we are watering like mad to get the pods to fill! The peas are growing well but not flowering yet.

All is good here in Zummerzet, have picked new potatoes going back a month ago (grown in my two foot high frame). Carrots are on the secnd and third crop. Young onions are being picked and very tasty they are too.

The first broad beans have been harvested and will be on the table tomorrow night. Summer Cabbage (minicole) is doing very well under my newly built brassica cage and tasted good for dinner this evening.

Four or five pound of strawberries have been gladly digested for the last few weeks. Looking forward to raspberries and purple french beans, soon.

Hope to get cukes any day if the mosaic virus is not present, courgettes are looking promising too. All in all a very good start to the year.

CoMpO

Now on the third picking of Raspberries, got a little tub of them here at work for brekkie.

Well i'm hoping for a hand of Runner Beans this weekend coming.

Dear OH, Wow! Are they outdoors? What have you been feeding them on? Mine are barely starting to climb the sticks, let alone produce any flowers.

We had our first peas and carrot thinnings yesterday, which went nicely with the last of the asparagus, some spinach and roasted beetroot.