Homecoming

A real cause for celebration - the first tomatoes are 'setting' (the fruits are forming). This plant hasn't even been put in its final position, but they are irrepressible.

I was only gone a week. Actually, I expected everything to look very different on my return, but it doesn't really. A few things - especially the smallest plants, seedlings in trays especially - have increased considerably in size, but most things haven't. Which is not to say the garden doesn't look different. While I was gone, there was a fair bit of rain, but also mild sunshine, which is good growing weather, and most things have survived and done fine. But it's just a week.

Beetroot 'Chioggia' sliced horizontally. It doesn't taste much different to red beetroot, but it's a lot prettier! Note, the stripes lose definition if you cook it in water - it's best eaten raw, or as here, baked into crisps (or deep fried, if you prefer).

I pulled the first beetroot almost the moment I arrived. A bit premature, as it turns out - the largest are still only ping-pong ball sized (I guess? I've never actually played) - so I'll leave the rest another week before trying again. But they are very healthy, beautiful-looking, and sweet to taste, so I'm pleased. Elsewhere, the garlic that was planted (most never was) is healthy and should be ready in a month. Likewise onions and peas. I'm a little concerned with the broad beans; the bed that wasn't thriving looks really unhealthy now, to the point where I might pull them out (or at least interplant with something in case they don't crop), and the one that was has lost most of its flowers but there seem very few pods. Maybe they're still small, I really hope that in my absence they didn't get shocked somehow - or was it the storm? They are most sensitive around this time, when the fruit is 'setting', so  maybe I was unlucky. Which is a pity, as they're usually trouble-free.

An aubergine! The first plant to go into the new greenhouse beds. I've never successfully grown them from seed before, so I'm really hoping this is my year. This is 'Little Fingers', with narrow fruits that will hopefully stand a better chance in this northern location. 

Brassicas need planting now. The potted plants are almost all very healthy but too large for their current homes - kales are providing a light crop already (see below). One or two have been killed off by slugs or snails, but that's to be expected. Lettuces are mostly fine, and will be cropped again in the next couple of days (I took a load with me while I was away, more than I needed, and there will be as much again to pick). Cucurbits look okay but again a bit constrained. Sweetcorn is so-so.

Three varieties of pea are flowering now. This is 'Spring Blush', which has very ornamental blooms as you can see.

My next major task is ordering a big bag - around 900 litres - of good compost (edit - I did this yesterday so it should be here in the coming week). The manure hasn't been a success, and I'm running out of other options. I need enough to lay the final no-dig beds, and preferably before July gets going. More coir, too.

I may not manage a large crop of parsnips this year - very few germinated - but I should have some. The ones that did grow are large and healthy, if crowded, as you can see.

Harvests
23/06 - 140g beetroot, 60g lettuce, 20g kale, 5g strawberry
24/06 - 25g lettuce, 25g kale, (250g elderflowers)*
YTD total: 1.47kg
*Once again I'm counting these separately, not including them in the total, because I didn't plant them