Wow, the promised mini-heat wave arrived and we've had quite a few days of really hot weather. Temperatures around mid-summer's day have been into the low 30's and I've actually had to do a bit of watering on the plot.
The rest of the Winter squashes were planted out the 16th, really to coincide with the hot weather as they like the sunshine. I've put out six Butternut Hunter F1 and a dozen or so of the silver skinned Crown Prince that were so impressive last year. Fingers crossed for a decent crop this season. They have been spread out between the courgettes at one end and the Big Max pumpkins at the other. (See pic).
The next day, the 17th, I planted out my leeks which, to be honest, were looking a little threadbare in their tray. They were beginning to get a yellow tinge to the leaves through lack of nutrients and some insect or another had been having a free lunch on a few. Anyway, I dibbed them into the ground as usual and covered with some enviromesh which has also seen better days. If the plants survive the heat I'm sure they will recover OK. I've had to water them a few times along with the squashes - everything that has been newly planted as received a water over the past few days.
Everything is looking fairly lush, green and bright in the hot Summer sunshine. The main crop spuds are really growing fast now, they have put a spurt on in the last fortnight. I'm hoping that there will be a decent crop under them by the Autumn.
The heat has prompted some of the Little Gem lettuce to go to seed, likewise the spinach. Still, I've quite a few Lollo Rossa which are looking very good and, there's another tranche of younger plants growing on nicely. The broad beans are flowering and there are pods developing on some of the plants. I've continued to tie them to the canes.
The soft fruit has gone mental, the raspberries, gooseberries, strawberries and currents are simply everywhere. To be honest there's too much to actually deal with, I think I'm going to have to reduce the fruit for next year. I'm considering relocating the strawberries into large pots, perhaps just a dozen decent plants - they just end up a complete tangle when planted out in the plot. I've three rows of Summer fruiting raspberries and that's too much, I just can't be bothered to pick everything that's available to me. I never net them so the local birds get their fill but, there's so much fruit I'm sure they get sick of them too!
That's it for now. Bye.
