It's been a long time! July so far

And on to July.....

Starting off with the greenhouse. Toms are now HUGE! I've a fair few tomatoes on them already though none are looking like they are about to ripen. They've struggled a little with all the warm weather (even though the greenhouse door stays open all the time) as I only get there a couple of times a week. They're coping though! As they have reachet the top of the greenhouse, I think next step is to chop the tops off so they can concentrate on growing the toms.



The apples are really looking smashing now. I'm so glad that I left a few on to grow. Can't wait to taste them. I wonder when I can pick them? First pic is late June/early July...



Then...



Now! Looking really good!


I've had loads and loads of soft fruit this year.

Raspberries - a bit disappointing really, they were'nt particullarly impressive and actually tasted a bit watery. I may replace some or buy some tastier ones for next year.
Loganberries - good amount and taste, they shrivel quite quickly though so you really need to be on the case with the picking or they go mushy!
Tayberries - good amount for a baby plant, but taste strange. I'm not sure I like them, they're a bit 'perfumey'?!
Blackcurrants - smashing! Tasty, huge and lots of them!
Redcurrants - Great, lots and tasty!
Whitecurrants - turned out to be redcurrants too - nevermind!
Gooseberries - super. One green bush and one dessert red. The third is an old donated bush. I think it's at an end now so will dig up soon. If it's not productive it's got to come out!
Rhubarb - fab!
Jostaberries - still not many on the plant but really nice. A cross between a blackcurrant and a gooseberry.
Strawbs - lovely and lots more than last year. Some more tasty than others.
Blueberries - just ripening now. I've moved the pot up on to a table to try to avoid some crreature eating them all just as they ripened like last year.
Apples - you've seen.
Plums - One looking healthy but only a baby so no plums, and one died :o( (maybe dried out?? Dunno!?)
Greengage - baby, no fruit yet.
And finally Blackberries - Wow! So yummy and HUGE! The best fruit I have grown this year!

Blackberries ripening.

The logan and blackberry bushes.

Ripening blackberries again.

Loganberries.

A mixture including my dessert gooseberries.

The first fruit bounty. I had to pick them in the rain so they were a little mushy. Most have now been made into 'Redberry' Jam. Mmmmmmm!

My monster blackberries.

The blackcurrant bush.

On to veg. My spuds have looked a little sickly this year. I don't think it's blight, but who knows? I have some blight resistant plants and some not. I'll have to have a look and see which ones have come down with the sickliness. So far it has been Red Duke of York and Swift, though the spuds have been fine.

Speaking of which!

These are my first carrots from the plot that were grown in modules. A little forking, but overall they are great. The tastiest ones by far are the little round Parmex ones. Yum! Lots more of those next year!

These are called Purple Dragon I think?? Look good, though not as tasty as the Parmex or the white ones.

I planted the sweetcorn in the same bed as the pumpkins and squash. They are growing well and the squash are romping around in among them.

This pic was taken yesterday and the cob are just opening.

Courgettes have gone in really late. They are so prolific though, that I'm sure they will catch up. I've put 3 different varieties in this year and only one of each!!

The pic below is of my overwintered Japanese onions. I over ordered (as usual) and so have dug loads up to store. Now I know that they aren't supposed to store well but my plot neighbour stored his and has only just finished eating them from last year! So as I've soooo many I'm going to give it a go. I've been drying them out in the greenhouse and all is looking good. I think I'm going to get some of the apple packing boxes from the supermarket to pack them away in as I want to store them in our garden shed and it's not frost free.

Wee Willie Leekie :o)..... He looks rather mischievous I think!

The cut flower bed.....

This was soooo covered in weeds that a lot of my bulbs didn't manage to flower well. Thank goodness for gladioli! These are amazing. I think lots more of them next year! I weeded it yesterday but my camera ran out of battery so you'll have to wait for a pic of 'after'.

Sweetpeas and nasturtiums (self seeded).

I've loved these peas. They taste okay, but look fantastic!

The roses have opened.....

....and are covered in mildew :o(.

Along with the lilac poppies we also had a couple of stray, massive red and purple ones too. I shall keep the seeds of these too.

The lilac ones again.

One of the gladioli. Absolutely amazing! I brought home a bright orangey-red one yesterday too.

And that's it for now until I can get my stupid camera to charge!