Potato report 2020 and the rest too...

   Herebe the potato report for 2020 (figures are rounded up to the nearest whole kilogram):

1st Earlies AGATA: 22kgs (1.5kg seed potatoes)

2nd Earlies DOLWEEN: 14kgs (1kg seed potatoes)

MAIN CROP DESIREE: 60kgs (5kg seed potatoes)

   So is it a good year? Bad year? Indefferent year? I think a good year but not in anyway spectactular! Looking back at last year the yield is about the same though this year my weighing has been more accurate! Lol! The Desiree potatoes having been in the ground the longest suffered from beetle grub attack and I guess a good seven or eight kilograms were spoiled by the grubs or my skewing them with my fork when lifting. Anyway just as many into storage as last year so I am not complaining.

Rainbow over Champeau

   I hear you ask "What has a rainbow to do with gardening?" "Nothing I reply. It just pretty and I was there when it happened!

   So what has happened in the past week or so? Not a lot. My main energy effort has gone into lifting the Desiree main crop potatoes, sorting and packing into hessian sacks. That task is now complete. Dug up a few carrots and the back end of the haricot verte. On the chicken front another chick has been lost this time from the middle group. Cause unknown. Mrs. Buffycross has three chicks left from six. We suspect that one of the dogs killed the other three. All five hens from the first group have now been removed to the main group with Mr. Chick. He will exhaust himself I suspect!! Lol! That leaves three cockerels which are destined for the freezer come next Tuesday. Egg production is low, two to three a day but the hens are heading into a molt.

   It is unlikely I will produce a blog over the next three weeks as I am going to the UK to visit my youngest daugter and give her a helping hand as her baby is due anytime now!

Relief!

    Some relief in the hot weather. Rain has arrived. Not a massive emount but at least it is cooler. There is cloud cover and since the down pour some showers. Every drop helps. Certainly it is noticable that plants have perked up. Will it be too little too late? Time will tell.

Blacktail Mountain water melon

    So what has been going on over the last week. Looking back at the log not a lot it would seem. Gathered some beetroot seed, cut a very sorry looking cabbage and finished digging up the Dolween potatoes. Big job to do now is to harvest the Desiree potatoes for winter storage. Desiree potatoes in the poly tunnel dug up. A very good crop of large and clean potatoes. I will certainly be planting some in the poly tunnel next year. Cucumbers have stopped for now but hopefully there will be few more. Onions are now all out of the ground and are hanging up drying off before being put into winter storage. The tomatoes are doing ok, Gardeners Delight and Jens Orange are doing very well this year. Champeau Sanquine beetroot sown in the poly tunnel in an effort to get some beetroot. The chickens destroyed the ones I have planted and sown outside the poly tunnel. The chickens have really taken a fancy to the Noire Crimee which is a shame because they are the nicest! The chickens seem to get confused by the orange colour of the tomatoes and leave them alone. More haricot vert sown in the effort to get a late autumn crop.

   On the chicken front all is good. Getting close to the time to cull some and put them in the freezer. Mrs Buffycross and her six chicks continue to survive!! Spoke too soon. Three killed by I believe Barny dog. Egg production is poor, generally two or three a day. I put it down to the hot weather.

   So as always plenty to do!

Disappointment, surprise and some joy!

    I have been disappointed by my Red Sun shallot crop which is on the small size this year. Probably did not help that the chickens destroyed half a dozen sets soon after planting. Also I have had to harvest them early due to the drought. Oh well not so many pickled onions this year! Also I have been disappointed by my summer brassica crop. From looking very good in the spring they have now turned into virtually crispy cabbage with the lack of rain and the high temperatures. I may get some but I have my doubts.

   The surprise has been my cucumbers, variety Tamra and Marketmore. They have done really well outside of the poly tunnel. I was not expecting to get such a good result with them. I guess the weather has helped. Hot! Hot! Hot! Just got to keep watering!!

  The joy is with my Black Mountain water melons. They are coming along nicely and as long as I can continue to water them they should turn out well. The other joy is my Giant Pacific pumpkin and giant it is! Hopefully it will survive the drought and ripen.

  So what has been down in the heat of the day? Not a lot! I am watering the water melons, cucumbers, Giant Pacific pumpkins, lettuce and courgettes. Everything else has to take its chance and I am afraid that I will loose my winter brassicas (Early Purple sprouting, sprouts).

Picked mixed tomatoes, dug up potatoes, cut cucumbers and picked haricot vert. Need to start digging up the Desiree potatoes and dry off and store. That is going to be a labour of love! LOL!

  On the chicken front all continue to survive and the chicks (there are three lots!) are doing well. It will not be long before some head for the freezer.

   The weather continues to be hot, hot, hot with no sign of rain until next weekend if we are lucky.

Giant Pacific pumkin

Squash

Mrs Buffycross and her chicks

Gasp!

    The sun continues to shine, the ground gets drier and harder, the vegetables suffer! It has been a hot week. Temperatures reached the upper thirty degree celcius. Short term these temperatures are not so bad but the average over the last two or three weeks has been in the thirties and is not good. In my department, la Creue, a code red, a drought situation, has been declared. Great care to be taken with the use of water. My water butts are all but empty and I am now only watering the water melons, cucumbers, lettuce and Giant Pacific pumpkins. Everything else has to take its chance. My brassicas are suffering!

    Winter leeks have been planted but they will not like the dry weather thats for sure. Cucumbers and courgettes being picked and I have started to harvest the Sturon onions as the leaves die back. The onion crop is good with good sized bulbs but nothing to big or too small. I am very pleased with the onion crop. Haricot vert being picked. Not as much as I would have liked to see but it was a struggle to get them to germinate in the first place! I have started to pick tomatoes mostly Champeau Gardeners Delight (grape variety) which are doing well compared to the Champeau heritage varieties. Cucumbers are good but the chickens have found them! My Giant Pacific pumpking continues to grow and it looks like it is going to be a monster.

    The chickens are on strike. Only two eggs a day rather than fiver or six. I do not blame them Too hot! Chicks are growing well and it will not be long before some end up in the freezer.

    There is no sign of any rain in the forecast. A dip to low 20's and then back up into the mid 30's. Need to make sure there is beer in the fridge. It is going to be a scorcher.

Courgettes and cucumbers 

Black Mountain Water Melon

Haricot vert and Sturon onions