My gardening activity is quite varied at the moment since most of the plants in my garden are growing at a different pace.
Picking Green Beans
I have had my first harvest of green beans and courgettes and I am still picking at the Black kale leaves which I like to include in my stir fries.
The tomato plants in the greenhouse are growing well and fruits have formed but none is ready yet for harvest. And the outdoor tomatoes are at a similar stage although smaller.
The rose bushes have blossomed and I have dead-headed the faded flowers to encourage another set of blooms. I am enjoying the burst of orange colour which the day lilies have provided for the last 3 weeks. My main flower border is evolving as the annual flowers are blossoming and in turn fading.
With the return of the rain I have had to tackle the weeds again which are now growing in my strawberry patch.
There are still a few raspberries to harvest but it’s the end of the redcurrant, blackcurrants crop which was mostly eaten by the black birds in the garden.
The pumpkin plants have grown a lot of leaves and are extending their shoots through my vegetable patch amongst my sweet corn plants.
I have noticed that a big pumpkin is growing nicely amongst the lush leaves and weeds. My squash is not growing so quickly and I haven’t spotted any fruit yet. I am growing a squash variety called Butternut squash which has a sweet taste and usually keeps well during winter.
Cucurbitaceous plants such as pumpkins and squash benefit from regular feeding which they need to grow big tasty fruits.
Two weeks ago I sowed more green beans in modules and I have just noticed that the seeds are starting to germinate.
Continuous sowing of vegetables will ensure a steady harvest throughout summer and beyond. It feels like we are now at the peak of summer and yet there are so many good things to come from the garden.
