The sun has got his hat on! Hip! Hip! Hip! Horray......

    Yep, the sun has been shinning every day over the last week with some odd clouds making an appearance. In my department, La Creuse, a major drought has been called and severe water restrictions are now in place. The Petite Creuse river which runs at the bottom of my property is low for July. It is at the level we would normally expect to see in August. Does not bode well. Currently I have a reasonable amount of water in butts but I am rationing that to my melons, cucumbers, courgettes, my three poly tunnel tomatoes and recently sowed carrots and lettuce (carrot seed needs to be keep moist until it germinates).

Low river level

Low river level

So, what has been going on in the garden? Me dodging the sun mostly! Looks like the grass has decided it is time to slow down, no mowing! First of the second early potatoes have been dug up and the crop is very promising. More weeding (what else would  you expect?) and some more sowing. I have sowed more Touchon carrots, haricot vert and beetroot. I am still pulling lettuce although I fear I am going to run out before the next lot mature. Succession planning failure! The mange tout is now finished and has been removed. First lot of haricot vert is coming in and I should pick the first lot in the next few days. One row of carrots has been thinned out and the row looks very good. The squash is rampant and the outside tomatoes are doing well including the freebies I planted out the other week. Maybe a ripe one or two by the time of the next blog? I am hopeful for my outdoor (Wautoma) cucumbers. The poly tunnel ones were overwhelmed by white fly so the outdoor ones are the only cucumbers I have. The onion crop looks very promising with a large number beginning to swell. The main crop potatoes, Desiree, are starting to go over and it does look like the Colorado beetle strike has abated. My persistence in squishing larvae and beetles has paid off.
  On the animal front sheep are being sheep chickens are been chickens and chicks are escaping!! The chicks are growing fast.

SQUASH PATCH!