Not a lot happened in the garden in July, everything is taking its own sweet time about growing and I just have to learn to be patient, I know that everything will get there in the end.
It has been a colder than normal winter this year, and we have not had the amount of rain we would normally have, but having said that we did have enough rain in July (42.4mm) that I didn't have to water, which is always a good thing.
After five very fretful weeks of wondering if they had rotted in the ground the potatoes finally decided to start sticking their heads up out of the soil.
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| Kestrel |
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| Royal Blue |
I lost my first planting of broccoli to aphids, the one time of the year I didn't think I needed to worry about them, but they are everywhere at the moment. I am keeping a very close eye on my second lot and spraying with soapy water when needed.
The peas are making their way up the trellises, and the strawberries are flowering and fruiting.
The tomatoes that popped up all over the gardens in the front yard, have so far survived any frost we have had, I can't leave them there so in the next week or so I will be potting them up. After last summer's disaster with the tomatoes (Verticillium wilt) I'm not going to risk planting any tomatoes in the vegetable garden for the next couple of years.
The peas are making their way up the trellises, and the strawberries are flowering and fruiting.
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| Red Gauntlet |
Harvesting
Zero, zip, zilch, nada. It looks like the winter crop, will now be a spring crop, as long as I get something I'll be happy.
Planting/Sowing
It will be at least another four, maybe five weeks before I can start planting or sowing seeds.
I'm thinking of adding sheep manure to the vegetable beds as a soil conditioner. Has anybody tried this, or have any advice as to what the best soil conditioner is.
Don't forget that the next GSC will be on 31st August, I will see you all then.
Don't forget that the next GSC will be on 31st August, I will see you all then.
