Down on the Allotment

Matron grows vegetables and fruit in a Hampshire garden. I've been growing veggies since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Some traditional varieties and old favourites as well as new ideas. I share my garden with my allotment assistant Daisy the Labrador. On Twitter as @MatronsVeggies

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Signs of Things to Come

It has been a long, hard old Winter and finally I can see light at the end of the gardening tunnel. Here is a tiny little courgette 'Soleil' just visible on the plant.
These heritage climbing beans 'Mrs Fortunes' are looking splendidly healthy in a big pot on the patio.
In the greenhouse, one of my surviving tomato plants 'Sungold' has started to set fruit. Any day now they will be turning yellow.
And these broad beans 'Aquadulce Claudia' just came out of nowhere! One minute I was admiring the flowers on top, then yesterday I realised these little beans were hiding at the base of the plant.
And what better taste of Summer can there be than fresh raspberries. These are only weeks away now.
These gooseberries are doing well, but sadly you can see the leaves have been eaten off by the dreaded gooseberry sawfly. I will have to be vigilant and try to get rid of them before I lose the whole plant this year.

17 Comments:

At 8:30 PM, Blogger Kath said...

Just picked my first gooseberries. A bit hard for eating but they are for wine.

Isn't it great to see some sign of the harvests you will soon be gathering?

 
At 9:12 PM, Blogger Shaheen said...

Oooh Matron I am so excited. Look at your dainty little courgette. And the broad bean surprise. Wonderful, mine in the garden are just starting to flower.

 
At 9:16 PM, Blogger Chicken lover said...

Matron, how good to see your veggies and fruit growing well. I have lots of spinach for cutting and mixed salad crops just in time for a birthday bash this weekend. My redcurrant bush is laden down with fruit also.
Happy gardening, Jane

 
At 9:45 PM, Blogger Peggy said...

Everything is looking great, you can look forward to harvesting soon.We lost our one and only goosberry bush to sawfly 2 years ago and I put in a new one this year you have just given me a timely reminder to keep an eye on it!

 
At 11:06 PM, Blogger Ruth said...

Aww I'm jealous so far all I can see a few strawberries. Enjoy the harvest.

 
At 12:02 AM, Blogger Nome said...

Wow, can't believe you've got beans and tomatoes already! My plants are waaaay behind.

 
At 12:58 AM, Blogger Hazel said...

I can't believe how far forward your courgette are, Matron!

Your beans are well ahead of mine too - but then it's not a race, and with very warm and very wet weather this week (here in the Midlands at any rate), you can hear the plants growing!

Do you grow currants? Although my raspberries are not a patch on yours, the redcurrants are turning.

I've given up on gooseberries - my plants were so poor, and the thorns so fierce, they were no fun to have around. I have to rely on allotment neighbours for swaps in order to make wine!

 
At 1:26 AM, Blogger Tira said...

Looks very bountiful!

 
At 2:40 AM, Blogger Cabbage Tree Farm said...

Fabulous! Everything seems to be coming along nicely there!

 
At 10:53 AM, Anonymous Ben said...

I'm so jealous of your raspberrys. I just lost 8 plants to root rot. :(

 
At 6:57 PM, Anonymous Damo said...

All very exciting Matron not long to bumper summer harvests.

 
At 8:59 PM, Blogger Carrie said...

Ah MATRON! I wrote all about gooseberry sawfly during the week, if only you had read it, may a leaf or two could have been safed...Anyway, EVERYTHING looks wonderful, our broad beans have just done the same thing (same variety) and now we have loads.

 
At 4:15 AM, Blogger Dan said...

Love those potted beans, they look great!

 
At 9:36 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

LOVE this time of year! The first signs of things to come - SO exciting.

 
At 5:32 AM, Anonymous kitsapFG said...

The excitement of emerging veggies and fruits is hard to contain isn't it?!

 
At 11:03 AM, Anonymous Allotment Blogger said...

Hmmm. I want gooseberries but we lose our bushes to sawfly every time I plant any - they seem to strip the plant in a few hours, long before we realise they are present. Love your heritage beans, they look great. We've been eating our broad beans for over a week now: gorgeous!

 
At 8:53 AM, Blogger clairesgarden said...

fabulous food!!
my goosberries often get all their leaves eaten off and they still come up again year after year.

 

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