07 June - Sweet Corn, Cucumbers & Squashes.

This week we've had some unseasonally high winds that have whipped across the site. Luckily I had taken some time to support my broad beans with canes so they weren't damaged, much to my surprise, as they are easily snapped. There were leaves everywhere and the runner and French beans lost their tenuous hold on their bamboo canes though I'm sure they will re-attach. (Pic - broad beans supported by canes).

After the winds, the forecast predicted some sunny and warm weather so I decided that it was time to get planting out again. The first crop to go in was the sweet corn. I've around 30 plants, most seem sturdy enough but, they looked good last year too though they remained relatively stunted and poor. I'm hoping for better results this time around. Two cucumbers have also gone in too; I usually stick these into a cold frame but I've decided to see if they do OK on open ground - Marketmore are supposed to be an outdoor variety anyway. (Pic - Lettuce, two cucumber plants and the sweet corn).

I had originally planned to plant my leeks next to the brassicas but, as I had a nice space between the sweet corn and beans, I thought I'd move the frame and protection and plant them there. I did the usual thing, trimmed the top of the leaves and the roots a little, created a hole with a dibber and watered the leeks in. The metal frame around the leeks was then covered in enviromesh to protect from leek moth which appears later in the year.

Now for the Summer and Winter squashes. I planted four courgette, variety golden Atena, near the bean poles then in the bed next door I laid out 9 Hunter F1 butternut, a single hybrid from saved seed, 10 Turk's Turban and two pumpkin, Big Max. It's definitely been a bit colder this season as the squashes are much smaller than they were this time last year. Even when kept in the greenhouse, I didn't have to pot most them on as they didn't grow so well though the pumpkins were put into larger pots as they were poking out of the bottom as usual. (Pic - squashes planted out with plastic funnels to aid in watering & feeding).

I thought I'd have a poke around the early potatoes today as being as it was Sunday and I fancied some for lunch. Sure enough, they are looking pretty good so, I dug up a few. Rocket really live up to their name and they can be taken from ten weeks after planting. I'll start working through the rows now, my 60 plants will take a few weeks to get through and, by then, my second early potatoes, Maris Peer, should be of a decent size. (Pic - First early potatoes 'Rocket', planted 21st March and dug on the 7th June).

That's it, bye for now ...