Saturday 21 August 2021

Saturday and garden photos

 Good morning.  Yet another really dull start but the clouds are high (at the moment) although the forecast is for light rain showers.  Oh, well, it saves me having to water so much!

Yesterday ended up as a very quiet day.  Slimming World was good, as always.  We had a different leader as Jen is on holiday, and I think I'm getting the hang of the booking in and paying thing now.  It's just when the unexpected things happen that I need help.  I was a bit upset that I hadn't lost as I felt I deserved to but it happens!  Got to take the slightly rough with the smooth.

Apart from that, I ended up just doing homey things.  That means I really MUST get to the allotment today.  Apart from anything else, there's runner beans to pick and baby plants to talk to (not really - just in case you think I'm slightly bonkers!) and I'll probably do a watering in case the forecast is wrong.



I'm really happy that the dwarf French beans are all doing well, even the four that I thought I'd lost have recovered.  It just means the cropping time will be staggered across more week which can only be a Good Thing when one cooks just for one!



The cucumber has been amazing.  There are two that must be cut today in this photo and there's still more coming.  They have definitely paid back their initial cost and some!






The Autumn raspberries have started to ripen.  Not so many this year as one of the plants seems to be stunted and isn't producing fruit.  No idea why.





I need to remove the netting, strip the ripe berries and leave what's left for the birds, I think.  I'll pop some in the freezer (blueberries, not birds!).
Then I've got to work out how and when to prune it.






The flamenco apples are getting huge and are colouring really nicely too.  I'm looking forward to finding out what they taste like and even more to how the plant will produce next year.


All three baby rosemary cuttings seem to be surviving happily.  I will have two of them out at some point and pass them on to friends, I think, but I will wait until winter is over before doing anything drastic - rosemary doesn't grow all that fast.
I don't know if anyone can help - this is the passion flower that came up unexpectedly a few years ago after several years when I thought it had died after being planted on out of its pot and into the ground.  I'm training it over the archway, as you can see, and it's looking nice but . . . when does a passion plant actually start flowering?
Does it have to be a certain size, thickness, age, should I prune it at some point before it flowers?  I just don't know but there's no hint of buds and it would look so fab if it did flower.
It is supposed to be suitable for our climate so I don't think it is that.


I'd better stop and get the day started.  Have a good day, whatever the weather throws at you and be safe and happy.  xx


7 comments:

  1. Looking good, Joy! Please will you let me know the dimensions of the planter in the first photo? It's just the sort of thing I'm looking for. Do you remember where you bought it?

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    1. it's about 65 x 30 x 30 (cms) and I got it via Amazon. I've found it here:
      https://www.primrose.co.uk/66cm-timber-heritage-sage-green-classic-trough-planter-p-107293.html?cPath=2_10809_813_10801#size=&shape=802&material=813&colour=11704&type=
      and I've seen them in lots of garden centres locally so worth taking a look, I think.
      Or enter '66cm Timber Heritage Sage Green Classic Trough Planter' into Google or Amazon - that should take you there

      xx

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  2. Things are growing quite well in your gardens! I know you are eating well!

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    1. I'm certainly enjoying the whole thing from planting to eating. It's so very satisfying! :-)
      Thanks. xx

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  3. Such healthy offerings in your garden and allotment! My raspberries are very hit-and-miss. Some years I have a good crop and then the next very few. This year was pretty good although not enough for jam.

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    1. It's going well, despite the ups and downs. Not to be compared with your wonderful haul of goodies but it's not about comparison, it's about personal pleasure and achievement, isn't it?
      I agree about the raspberries. I know the photos look great but last year they were so much better. It's the same with the apple and pear trees - there's a good crop but last year was so much better.
      xx

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