Sunday, August 31, 2014

Turning point

The beefsteak tomatoes are finally turning red and ripening despite a lack of sunshine and a rather damp month. Autumn's in the air.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Ballerina Tutu

The name of this datura belies the toxicity of the tropane alkaloids contained within. The flowers don't last long and wilt quickly in full sun. This one lacked the strong moth-attracting perfume of the white one grown a few years ago (2011).

Monday, August 25, 2014

Amaized (?)

Harvesting daily cobs of juicy sweetcorn a little earlier in the year than usual, thanks to the near perfect weather conditions in July.

Friday, August 22, 2014

Winter hedge fund

Lots to harvest at the moment but also a good time to plan ahead for winter and plant out young kale plants, under netting to protect them from peckish pigeons.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Sweet

Harvested the first couple of sweetcorn cobs and was eating one, smothered in butter, about an hour later. The recent storm had blown a few of the plants sideways, so it was time to put a curtain of netting around them to prop them up and protect them from badgers and other predators.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Lycopersicon esculentum

                         It's been a good year for cherry tomatoes.

Friday, August 08, 2014

Running away

Into the season for runner beans now and the more they're picked the more they'll produce: Much like sweet peas, once the seed starts to develop the plant stops producing more flowers and pods. Courgette plants behave similarly and one of them has now shut down because one of the fruits was allowed to develop to the size of a marrow. The dill is now flowering. All parts; leaves, flowers and seeds are great for the kitchen.

Tuesday, August 05, 2014

Big roots


Harvested some early parsnips that had self-seeded on a patch where the broad beans grew, which needed clearing to make way for some winter crops. Beetroot hasn't done brilliantly this year and there probably won't be enough for pickling, but there are always enough to brighten up a salad or stain a bowl of rice or couscous.

Sunday, August 03, 2014

Little Roots

Harvested the first baby carrots, more climbing/french beans and some lettuce.

Friday, August 01, 2014

Plum Month

                                    Into August; plum month.