A very productive week as usual, with both labour, and our rewarding produce! We did all of the jobs on our ‘to do’ list and more, to include laying some shredded wood pathways around some of the boxes, and welcoming the donation of a compost bin from Helen, which is being filled with vegetable peelings, plant material and turf taken by straightening the grass edges.
On the menu this week is all that was mentioned last week, plus welcome, somewhat exotic additions of the very first cucamelon, and kale. As you can see in one of the pictures, the cucamelon is like a tiny version of a watermelon, and tastes like a lemony cucumber – very much in demand for expensive drinks in cocktail bars! The kale, also pictured, go by the names of ‘Emerald Ice’, and ‘Midnight Sun’ – the colours are starting to show now, and they should provide us with leaves from now on, throughout the Autumn, Winter, and into Spring. We have smugly celebrated the fact that the brassicas haven’t yet been made into doilies by the caterpillars, only to discover that they had sneaked into the radish patch and had been having a party there… didn’t know caterpillars enjoyed radish leaves that much, ignoring the luscious lettuce leaves next door!
Just take a look at the last picture showing how tall the sunflowers have grown! How on earth they managed to stay upright in all that wind we have recently endured is a minor miracle. For certain that amazing wall has something to do with it.
What’s next?
- Top fill the last raised box with compost
- Plant up box with module sown savoy cabbages if ready
- Keep chasing off the cabbage white butterflies from those brassicas!
- Water new seed beds and anything looking droopy!
- Keep picking anything that is ready
- Continue to prep the new growing area
- Dead head flowers for continuity/ spot weed any bindweed showing through, and hoe paths.
- Maybe tackle that pallet compost bin?
First cucamelon Donated compost bin Midnight sun kale Sheila and the sunflowers
