It rained most of July ... even though we weren't affected by the floods that many experienced, it was still wet and dull and just horrid. Even now the sun has broken through, it's patchy - one day it's sunny all day and the temperature is up to the mid 20's (which, surprisingly enough, was the day we had chosen to spend at the beach!) and the next it's showery and much cooler. Still, at least we're not struggling in temperatures of 40+ as is much of Europe.
The rain did for the remaining potatoes - I left them in the pots just too long and they had blight. It doesn't appear to have affected the tomatoes, although the outdoor plants are looking bedraggled and unproductive. The strawberries, too, have suffered, although they were delicious while they lasted. In the greenhouse, I am just coming to the end of a regular supply of cucumbers (I had no idea how much better they could taste ... nothing like shop-bought) while the tomatoes (Gardener's Delight) are just starting to ripen.
The runner beans too are finally catching up ... and we'll be away for two weeks this month - how typical! But I've enjoyed the courgettes, lettuce, cabbage (Greyhound and Primo), carrots (Autumn King), peas (Kelvedon - now over) and beetroot. I just hope our visitors (using the house while we're away) know their onions (as it were!!) and can see what needs picking ...
We had a day at RHS Rosemoor yesterday ... I don't often see it this time of year and was delighted that at least some of their veg patches are no tidier than mine! Their greenhouse tomatoes gave me some ideas - I'd like to try Sungold as a variety next year, for example.
I don't know much about plants, and can probably only identify ones I've grown, but serendipity has played it's part this year, and one or two of my own veg patches are rather more like a cottage garden than I'd intended, with self-seeded flowering plants of different (and to me unidentified) varieties 'softening the edges'. DH puts in a lot of time weeding, edging and tidying ... but he's chosen to leave them and they are a lovely addition.
The rain did for the remaining potatoes - I left them in the pots just too long and they had blight. It doesn't appear to have affected the tomatoes, although the outdoor plants are looking bedraggled and unproductive. The strawberries, too, have suffered, although they were delicious while they lasted. In the greenhouse, I am just coming to the end of a regular supply of cucumbers (I had no idea how much better they could taste ... nothing like shop-bought) while the tomatoes (Gardener's Delight) are just starting to ripen.
The runner beans too are finally catching up ... and we'll be away for two weeks this month - how typical! But I've enjoyed the courgettes, lettuce, cabbage (Greyhound and Primo), carrots (Autumn King), peas (Kelvedon - now over) and beetroot. I just hope our visitors (using the house while we're away) know their onions (as it were!!) and can see what needs picking ...
We had a day at RHS Rosemoor yesterday ... I don't often see it this time of year and was delighted that at least some of their veg patches are no tidier than mine! Their greenhouse tomatoes gave me some ideas - I'd like to try Sungold as a variety next year, for example.
I don't know much about plants, and can probably only identify ones I've grown, but serendipity has played it's part this year, and one or two of my own veg patches are rather more like a cottage garden than I'd intended, with self-seeded flowering plants of different (and to me unidentified) varieties 'softening the edges'. DH puts in a lot of time weeding, edging and tidying ... but he's chosen to leave them and they are a lovely addition.
