Thinking about rain....

   Well, since I last published my blog it has not rained (a few spots that only just about made to the ground one evening!). The ground is now starting to dry out more than a couple of inches down. I am having to water every evening and my water store, five large butts, is lasting two to maybe three days but the produce is demanding more. Cubits (courgettes, squash, melons) require regular watering as do the peas and they really need quite a bit of water. The lettuce I am watering twice a day and in the poly tunnel I need to check three times a day to make sure the plants are not drying out. Now I have started I have to keep on going. Pah! One of the downsides of gardening I guess!
  Still attacking weeds. Lots of hoeing. Now sowing seeds for the winter - swede, Kohl Rabi, cauliflower. Another week or so and I will have another go at sowing winter/spring cabbage. 

   In the outside garden the potato harvest has begun in earnest. The second earlies, Rosebelle, have now been dug up and replaced with autumn and winter leeks (Jaune de Poitou and Blue de Solaise) and the main crop of Belle de Fontenay potatoes need to be lifted too. Better do that before it rains! Too late! (see below) Started to pick courgettes. The shallot harvest has been gathered and has been laid out to dry (pickling shallots RED SUN and french, JERMOR, what I call banana, shallots).

2013 Pickling Shallot harvest variety RED SUN

Autumn and winter leeks

      



The Hundredweight pumpkins have set fruit (fruit or vegetable?). 

First One Hundredweight pumpkin

Guess what? My new barbecue arrive and yes, it rained. (19th July) As I write this I am looking out to the front of the house to a steady, gentle fall of rain. I really need to be careful what I wish for.