Did loads more weeding and a little digging where the weeds were starting to creep onto my plot from next door. In the pic I have planted some late peas which have since started to flower so might get a crop from them.

Also put in 2 rows of spring cabbage yesterday but didn't have the camera so will get a pic next time when they've hopefully established a little.

Kale is looking really good now, sprayed with soapy water to get whitefly off and crushed all eggs from white's. Chard next to it is established but not growing much as yet. A few swede's are ready for picking going to try one next Sunday. Spinach and beetroot also ready for picking but haven't needed it yet.

At last I have ripe tomato's although the plants dont look too healthy, not bothered so long as I get a crop.

Will get some more pics Monday and do a proper update as going out for lunch now....

Today did a bit more weeding and planted out 2 rows of Chard. So the picture here is pretty much all winter veg - From right to left - Swede's, Chard, Curly Kale, Beetroot, Chard, Perpetual Spinach and Carrots.

Land is looking a little more full now although the picture doesn't show the spare space where the potatoes were.
Harvest some more Calabrese, runners, Sprouts for dinner. The runners are tasting stringy now, no idea why I'm not leaving them on the plant to let grow, picking them quite young but not tasting very good.

Carrots are getting some slug damage so I'm going to lift all good sizes at the weekend and put into sand for storage.

I also plan to erect a net and plant out the Spring Cabbage which are at 2 leaf stage so can be put out ok.

The new carrot bed, top left of pic is growing ok although
germination doesn't seem all that great. I remember thinking the same when I last sowed out so will give them some time.

The Turnips, middle bed, are almost ready to pick and use. Will sow some more at the weekend these grow very quickly.

The top right bed are Sprouts and calabrese, both of which are giving a great harvest.

Messed up on my sprouts as I planted out an early variety without realising. I am having to pick some now as they are blowing, I only hope enough will be left for winter.

Quick Review / Re-cap

Here is a little review of what I've had so far out the plot, what crops didn't do so well and what varieties I wont be using next season :

Beetroot Globe 2 Wont be using again, supposed to be quite large but never happened, only really golf ball size with a few a little larger.
Beetroot Pronto Not harvested yet but germination good and growing well.
Broccoli Summer Purple Definitely growing again, prolific harvest and still picking. Not real broccoli though it grows as spears.
Sprouts F1 Brigitte Early variety and been picking already although not many. Very strong taste but not too much to be said until they are all ready in the winter.
Kale Nero Di Toscana Precoce Not tried any yet as not quite ready to start picking. All growing well though.
Cabbage Savoy Not ready to pick yet, only planted a few to try.
Cabbage (spring) April Still in modules at home almost ready to put out.
Carrot Autumn King Excellent harvest, good sizes even in stoney ground and good germination. Would grow again very tasty.
Carrot Early Nantes Less impressed, didn't grow as fast as I expected for an early, but germination was good and tasty. Will grow in a tub next year to see if better.
Cucumber F1 Burpless Tasty Green 3 cucumbers from 2 plants. Produced lots of cukes but most were eaten by something.
Onion Forum F1 (set) Good Size all harvested and hung, strong flavour. See no reason to try another these are very good.
Spinach Bloomsdale Bolted too easily, only had 1 harvest. Am growing perpetual now.
Swede Ruby Not ready yet but great germination and swelling nicely, easy to grow.
Broad Bean Giant Exhibition Longpod Very nice bean but ok harvest. Might change next year. Suffered from bean weevil, blackfly and choc spot.
Runner Bean Butler (stringless) Grew slowly but great harvest from them, although stringless the last couple of bags have been very stringy. Will be changing variety.
Potatoes Annabelle Early Would never consider changing. Not the biggest harvest but the best tasting variety. Will be growing next year, and more of them.
Potatoes Cara main Good harvest, blight resistant and a lovely flavour. Not much to say as the slugs have devoured them all.
Swiss Chard Bright Yellow Only just planted out from modules.
Turnips Not harvested yet but almost ready. Cant remember variety

I wont be changing varieties of those I liked because I believe in tried and trusted but I might expand a little and grow another variety of the same thing. Once the end of the plot is cleared will have alot more room.

Going to the plot tonight to water etc, will get some pics.

Haven't a great deal to tell really, been weeding alot and spending time getting my onions dry and bagged. Pictured here although have just dug up the last lot so drying them during the nice spell. Got another bag at home so wont be short of onions.

Swede's are swelling up very nicely now, and Kale is growing well, although has suffered a little this weekend due to lack of water. I went down tonight (Tuesday) and watered them, they really needed it. To the left last beetroot is growing and to the left of that the Spinach is looking great. In between the Spinach and the beetroot will be the Chard when I plant it out.

And to the left of the carrots, where my main spuds are, will be the Spring cabbage, but I'm going to put these under nets.

Turnips are doing really well also, thinned for the last time.

Harvested another bag of runners, another bag of Calabrese, some carrots and more sprouts. Was going to leave but some had blown. I have sown an early kind which is why they are ready.

Below is a random picture of our little garden prior to a party we had Saturday night, it's about all I remember....

Well I took delivery of a trailer load of horse manure yesterday and she wanted the trailer back before the weekend so had to shift it from the trailer to the end of the plot. The end being the other end from trailer. Luckily my son came and helped, against his wished but he helped nonetheless.

This is the trailer that was full and below is a rather disgusted Alex

stood next to the deposits.... Mind you, I loaded most and shifted via the wheelbarrow, my arms do ache..

So what did we do today....

We weeded endlessly, we checked out the growth in the pond, following the plants my parents gave us, which are now starting to grow nicely, there isn't much sign of life. I'll get some spawn next year but for now, nothing.

Thinned the turnips for the second time, these are growing really fast which is good, look forward to using them in some stews and casseroles. Dont like them roasted, too strong.

The last carrot sowings have not germinated at all well, not yet at least. Weeds may have strangled some seedlings as they are growing strongly in that bed.

Showed Alex how to harvest runner beans. I picked one and then said "ok over to you". He then picked about 10 more and said "ok thats it, there are no more". Of course we gardeners know better so I took him around again. By then end of it we had a carrier bag full of fully grown beans.

Then showed him how to harvest broccoli and I thought the idea of using my penknife may have given him cause for excitement, but by then he had had enough so I did it myself and we called it a day.

Took the runners and broccoli and donated to my neighbours who love their veg. After all, my freezer is full of beans and if I eat another broccoli spear, I swear to god I'll end up looking like an oompa loompa.

At home I have ditched my courgette plant. Started out well but the last 6 courgettes have all rotted after reaching around 3 inches. It also looks unsightly on the patio and we have a party Saturday so binned it. Next year will grow them on the allotment.

Spring cabbage coming along nicely as is the Chard. Neither will be ready to plant out for 2 weeks yet. Chard is looking great, the bright yellow will be nice.

No ripe tomatos although one is slightly pink, but that could be because its embarrassed.

Chili's fab.....

Now, before I sign off, this is a couple of pictures of Alex, who is stood by the sunflower he planted earlier in the year, it was 6 inches high at the time....

And for perspective, this is the dung movement we did today....

Squashed a load more cabbage white eggs and found a few caterpillars which I got rid of. Checky blighters have started laying the eggs actually on the purple sprouting now !

Harvested enough veg for the week, broke my runner bean slicer so ordered another one, although I have grown the stringless variety I still like to remove the sides and slice them, these tools work great.

Last carrots showing nicely now, as are turnips which I thinned for a first time. Swede's bulking up well even though they are surrounded by weeds.

Dug up some cara's. They are all red which is unusual as they are only supposed to have red eyes. Taste great though so not complaining. Still a little small and they are a late maincrop so will leave a couple more weeks before I dig them up.

Bright yellow chard at home is growing fast and the stems look great. When I water then they fall over though, and although they aren't leggy, they seem weak at this stage.

Next job, string the onions which are now dried out, that's for the weekend if it's nice.

Tied up the sunflower which is about 10feet high because we are now due high winds, typical.

Still no ripe tomato's.....

Plot is looking a little sparse but there is plenty growing. Carrots are showing nicely in the bed and the turnips are also growing well.

My son planted the sunflower on the right a couple of months ago and I cant even touch the top of it now.

Weeds are coming in from the plot next to me which is annoying, the council say the plots are all let but I dont believe them as many are untended. Apparently if they are left like this they will be let again but they aren't even mowing them regularly anymore.

My sprouts are ready for picking which is a bit wierd, well the ones at the bottom anyway. Picture here shows they are a nice size. I picked a few to try but will leave the rest til later in the year, unless the birds take a fancy to them.


Kale shown here is growing well now, although at every visit I'm
picking loads of cabbage white eggs of them and they are not covered. I may need to cover them if this keeps happening as it's very tiresome. Slugs have had a feed too, pests are everywhere.







Savoys are growing fast next to my main crop carrots here, which are ready for eating now, in fact tried a few they are Autumn King and taste very nice. Some pretty strange shapes though as my ground is very stoney.







Picked a bagful of runner beans today, some of which I had for tea and the others I have put in the freezer. Really going to have a big harvest from these.


This is a pic looking back from the runner beans. As you can see there is some spare ground between the Kale and the carrots. There is some Perpetual Spinach growing there and there will soon be 2 rows of Bright Yellow chard which I've set at home in the greenhouse. I also have around 50 Spring Cabbage to put in which are also at home so the space wont be empty for long. Just past the Kale you can see my Swede's which are a bit of a mess, the weeds are really surrounding then and I need to let them grow a bit before I can weed properly. The broccoli is lovely I've had shed loads from it already and still growing like mad.


This believe it or not is the floor of my shed. There are about 140 onions, doesn't half smell ! I will be stringing these when they have dried out completely.









Picture here of the veg I harvested for tea, missing the carrots that I also had. Didn't eat all the beans though, froze lots.









Quick picture of the pond, Dad divided some of his pond plants and gave me some to put in, will hopefully grow nicely next year for the frogs, because at the moment I've not seend one.








OK, below is at home....


These are my two Chili plants, on the left Hungarian Hot Wax and on the right the hot ones - Apache.


Cant wait to get cooking with these but not quite ready yet.









This is one of my Cherry Tomato plants at home, loaded with trusses of tomato's but as yet not one has ripened.