22 July 2007 - The sting

A late afternoon persual of the plot.

Potatoes in need of further weeding and earthing up - accomplished using the compost mound. Sadly, the courgettes (zucchini) planted on the mound have given up. (And yet, on a plot, nothing gives up - it simply becomes future compost.) On the far side of the mound, the pumpkin thrives. Leafspan of four feet and a couple of future pumpkins. We remain unsure of whether a pumpkin is one of those plants that needs, ahem, a 'helping hand', to germinate. Judging by the swelling bulbs, however, we suspect the pumpkin has taken this matter into its own hands.

Kim, in turn, turns her hands to killing young weeds (also future compost) in both active beds. Radicchio seedlings coming up. Small leak seedlings, too. Peas thriving, aided by supportive twig structure, and now protected by a netting roof. Celery (from the St Stpehens Horticultural Society - aka St S Gardening Club - see blogs passim) thriving.

We need more carpet, to kill weeds around the beds. Donations welcome.

Weather here has been mixed, remarkably so. Much rain, soil clay-ey. Sun and rain over the last week. Elsewhere, but not quite far away enough to be complaisant, floods are occupying central England. Many pictures of people cycling through four feet of water. Plucky lot, the English. Our river, the Ver, swollen, but not yet bursting its banks.

Harvest today of radishes and final batch of original spring onions. Kim says radish leaves sting one's hands.


Learned:
1. This season is a test-run. No need to mourn the failures.

2. Preparation is key. Like wallpapering. Preparation for next season starts tomorrow. The future belongs to those who double-dig.

3. We need more carpet.

4. Weeds are stronger than non-weeds.

5. Having guests is all very well, but they don't tend to dig. Apart from Australian nephew, who reports by text, that his kitchen cupboard grows bigger onions than our plot.

6. Tim Tyndale, if you have any conscience, please come for a digging weekend. Free food and beer. And you can hang out with The Neighbours when you're not digging.

7. We still need to secure the perimeter. Tim?