Tuesday 18 July 2023

Tuesday, 18-07-23

 Good morning, everyone.  The sun is still shining and, while yesterday the Beeb predicted a bit of rain, today it is saying sunny intervals and a gentle breeze.  We still need rain but it sounds good, nonetheless.

Two garden photos . . .

This is number two courgette, the one in a pot.  Quite apart from the fact that it is earning it's space in terms of veg, I think it just looks really good there as a sculptural sort of plant.  I really must try this one again next year, assuming the seeds play ball again.

By the way, I cut two courgettes from plant no. 1 on Sunday and had them sliced and spray fried - delicious!

This does my heart good.
The sungolds are starting to ripen.  This was Dad's all time favourite tomato and he always had several plants on the go.  I just have the one but it's looking very productive.

There are other plants ripening too but two of them have blossom end rot which is annoying.  I'm sure I am not overwatering them - I've been very careful about that - but I have read up about it on the RHS site and it suggests irregular watering so maybe I should water little and often a bit more consistently.
It also suggests calcium deficiency but says is is very rare for potting soils to lack calcium.
So, from now on, unless it is actually raining (or has been raining), it's watering late morning and a bit early evening for me (or, rather, for the tomatoes!).  

Can you advise anything else?

And here endeth today's lesson!

I ploughed through my list of Things to Do yesterday, having decided to move the two things that required me to go out to today.
So I . . .
Changed the sheets
Did three loads of whites/lights (that does include the sheets and the kitchen cloths as well as clothes and towels).
Dried them all outside.
Did all the ironing and got it all put away - three cheers!
Emailed the National Trust re changing my payment.
Audited the chest freezer - which didn't take very long but I am glad to have an up to date list now.  There's no need to do the upright one because there's not much left in it although I think now I can more some of that over to the chest freezer.  I'm on track to have that empty by Autumn.
Did a bit of weeding, etc.

A good day's pottering, I think.

Today is another empty day apart from those two things I need to go out for.  I need to work on the food/meal plans for next week and I have one load of darks to wash although they could wait - there's not loads.
So maybe I will go out for a walk this afternoon - that would be nice.  What do you like to do when the diary is empty - or is that an unknown thing?
Have a great day.  xx


21 comments:

  1. I enjoy a walk and pottering in the garden. Over the last few wet windy days I have got the sewing machine out and are appliqué ing some Christmas gifts! Going through my stash of fabric scraps can take all day and equally as long to clear up afterwards!!
    Suze x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can't it just!! Good fun though! The applique sounds great - what have you made? xx

      Delete
    2. I am making the first of two cushion covers for my friends who live overseas and have recently bought a campervan. The appliqué depicts this along with the two loves of their lives - cats and sunflowers!
      xx

      Delete
    3. That sounds absolutely lovely and I look forward to maybe seeing them one day. xx

      Delete
    4. Of course! xx

      Delete
  2. Yesterday I sat and finished a book of o er 700 pages which was better towards the end and I could speed up. Now have sore left hip from sitting too long-grrr. Catriona

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ouch - what a nuisance. Well done for finishing such a long book! xx

      Delete
  3. Reading and/ or walking for me. If only the weather would co-operate! Have a lovely relaxing day xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Weather does make a difference, I agree. :-) xx

      Delete
  4. Every time I see your tomatoes I wish we had planted some, but we're never successful, so we've given up. Maybe next year . . . (nothing like wishing your life away!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've given up on trying to grow them from seed - I get plants from a variety of garden centres and they're much more successful. I can't wait for the first picking - but will have to. :-) xx

      Delete
  5. Amazing trusses on those tomatoes.

    Still hardly any rain here - my purple broccoli are flagging

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm really pleased with how things are fruiting this year - so far. :-)

      I gather the weather is predicted to remain variable for a few weeks so fingers crossed for some rain for you. xx

      Delete
  6. Jo has posted just today about her blossom end rot, and possible causes/remedies: http://joeveryday19.blogspot.com/2023/07/many-vegetable-firsts.html
    Maybe that helps, or maybe you'll just feel solidarity k owi g that others have it too :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks very much. I've just been over and left a comment. xx

      Delete
  7. I am having trouble with the wifi today, comments has just refused to publish my last attempt and wiped it! But - agree, the sungold tomatoes are the most flavoursome.
    Alison in Wales x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are really lovely but there's a new variety, honeycomb, and the info says it's even more flavoursome than sungold. I'm going to compare the two and see what I think.
      The internet can be a right pain at times, especially when it's so slow that things time out. xx

      Delete
  8. Joy, Harvey is the veggie grower here (I just pick and process) and he puts a handful of bone meal and blood something in the holes when he plants the starters (much to short a season for seeds). I wonder if you couldn't do the same by putting a bit of each in the pot and mixing well into the soil? Since he has been doing that we have not had blossom end rot. Just what works for him.

    God bless.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think I could do that now, it would disturb the plants too much, but worth remembering for next year. I've written it at the back of my diary where I record everything I need for the following year - thank you very much, Jackie. xx

      Delete
  9. Your garden looks wonderful. I keep saying I will plant one but always get detered by the deer. Maybe next year!

    I like to just wander around the park and have a look. See what I can see.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My brother lives in NJ and he gave up on a veg garden ages ago because of the wild life penetrating all his barriers and defences. There's not a lot one can do, is there? xx

      Delete