Thursday, August 07, 2003
I really used to hate Summer, it was my least favourite season as I don't tolerate heat very well and sneezed the whole time too. Since I became interested in gardening though I find I don't mind it as much, and my hayfever symptoms have become less and less! Although I still hate the heat and the brightness in Summer I do love to see the garden coming to life. Eating fruit and veg in season just feels right somehow, and there's also the benefit that when I grow them myself I know what's gone in to them. No yucky chemicals in this garden! I really must try and gear our diet towards eating in season as much as possible in future, and cut down on the airmiles that the fruit and veg rack up all too easily too.
OK, what's happening in the garden? Cucumbers, that's what! I picked three today, and there are loads more not far off being ready. Hmmm, I could do with some recipes that involve cucumbers I think! Anyone know any?
I also have rather a lot of the Lemon Crystal cucumbers fruiting at the moment. They're ball cucumbers, and I'm having problems knowing whether they're ripe or not as I've not grown them before. Are they supposed to be yellow when they're ripe, as the name implies? If so they're not ready yet, I will have to go and Google on them and see what I can come up with.
The Tomato Tumblers in hanging baskets continue to produce lots of really sweet and juicy cherry tomatoes, whilst the other varieties have fruit but it's not ripening yet. I'm wondering if it's because the other plants are so bushy, the fruits are well hidden and probably aren't getting much sun on them. The Tumblers aren't bushy at all, mostly because I kept nipping out the limbs - the others got so bushy so fast I just didn't know where to start after doing it a couple of times!
Ohhh...and I have a courgette growing past a couple of inches at last, it'll be ready to pick in a couple of days :o) Moving the plants out of the greenhouse has worked!
Tuesday, August 05, 2003
Aren't these petunias a gorgeous shade? I didn't plant them, they self-seeded themselves from last year. I did have petunias in this pot last year but I'm sure they weren't this shade at all.
