30th Aug - 4th Sept

The Pond at Hilliers Gardens

We returned home from a great holiday where we had good weather all week, unlike the rain and misery that the garden and allotment apparently had to endure. In a way, that was good for my plants as I feared they would have wilted. The garden looks good, the grass has grown well while we’ve been away, but the sweet peas are still flourishing, more roses are out, and more red peppers have ripened. The front garden is still a mass of pumpkin leaves but I have not seen much fruit. There is a noticeable difference in the basil plants, some stems seem gearing up to set seed, and they look jaded.

 

1^st September

I went to the allotment and harvested 13 courgettes, and a batch of spinach and 2 good sized cucumbers. Unfortunately the sprouting broccoli was much the worse for wear, either from slug or caterpillar damage. It really has been a false economy to do without a decent netting system, although after all the other expenses, it would have been pushing finances to buy netting.

 

2^nd September

I thinned out the chardonnay carrots growing in the tub in the garden. Most are really small but I ended up with a double handful of carrots ideal for putting in a stew or casserole. In the time left, I doubt if I will get many large carrots, but there will be at least the same again, and almost definitely more.

I examined the turbo tomato plants, and sadly, one definitely has blight. To be honest, the 4-5 weeks of weather ranging from damp to wet told me that it was nigh-on impossible to resist it. Although there was a large degree of inevitability in it, it still is a kick in the teeth, especially considering these plants cost £10 for 3. I harvested the tomatoes, one vine being destined for the fire contained 11 fruits – of a good size too. Three other vines do not yet show signs of blight but you must allow time to see if it will develop so that you know if it is safe to eat. That is what I did last year and quite a few tomatoes came out blighted, but a good proportion ripened and showed no ill effects and we ate them without us developing any ill effects.

 

3^rd September
Two more courgettes from the allotment, plus some spinach and calabrese. Don’t get excited. The calabrese that a few weeks ago showed good promise, had bolted while we were away, and so I now had many, many small clumps of calabrese on the ends of many, many stalks. I set to with a pair of scissors and harvested a bowlful. Hardly the sort of thing to boil or steam and serve with a roast but at least it could be included in a stew or soup. I probably had about 3 clumps of it. At last I was able to pick some rocket. Only about a thick handful from all the plants combined, but a good taste.

For dinner, as a side dish, we had spinach, washed and torn up, cooked with butter and garlic in a covered saucepan for a few minutes – wonderful.

 

4^th September
No gardening work today but my wife made a beef casserole that included basil, onions, courgettes, carrots and red peppers, all home grown – great!

Next post: 13th Sept