Our first tomatoes are forming at last! I’m not quite sure which variety as a neighbour gave them to us, I’m just delighted they’ve got this far. Also coming along very nicely are the French beans, some are over 5’ now, the salad leaves and the cucumbers which got off to a bit of dodgy start but seem to have made a good recovery.
Outside we have carrots and scallions planted alternately as I read that carrot fly are put off by the oniony smell as well as the presence of a physical barrier – I’ll let you know but seem ok at the moment. The block of sweetcorn seems to have held up in the wind and rain we had through the night, as do the small celeriac seedlings are planted a couple of days ago. We’ve also got butternut squash, set to climb up diagonal poles, and beetroot, turnip and chard in the gaps in between.
Everything here is organic so I’m out on slug patrol every night, weather permitting, to physically collect any of these cheeky molluscs who are out to munch their way through our veg. I have noticed they’ve been attacking the French bean seedlings that are outside, but not the black climbing bean variety just along the fence. Not sure if that’s just a coincidence – I’ll keep you posted. Any slugs I’ve rounded up are duly despatched by the chickens in the morning.
Tonight we’re looking forward tasty salad leaves from the poly tunnel; they’re so easy and quick to grow, so much nicer fresh from the plot and growing your own avoids all the horrid packaging too!!
