Bye Bye Courgettes

The end is near for the courgette plants, they have grown so big that there isn't enough air flow around the leaves and they have mildew so they need to be taken out. The squash leaves are beginning to die off and we will harvest our butternut squash soon. The suash and courgettes have cross pollinated (i think) and we have some very odd looking veg growing!

The beans are still cropping well, enough for two more dinners this week although that will probably be all. My sister has had some more veg after the first lot went down very well. The carrots I cropped today are stumpy (what happens when thinning doesn't get done) but taste delicious. Last night I realised at about 8pm that we needed veg for kebabs, out I went with a torch and picked a fat courgette - a great feeling to have such fresh food available.

We've really enjoyed the past few weeks of crop gathering, and we know with better planning we could crop for much longer. Over the next few months while we have no crops in the ground we are going to try out the River Nene Vegetable Company which according to a friend of mine is very good. Check out their website, they do deliveries over a wide range of East Anglia, I'll post how we get on.

Ahhh

Have spent a few manic moments on the web I have come to teh decision that the peas are simply dying off - they were late in and i don't think that they got a fair chance at growing - note to self to get them in earlier next year. I've having lots of fun (in between finishing my MSc) drawing up a planting plan for next year, it does rest on us still being here next year of course!

If I can get the greenhouse built then I'm going to do some major tomato growing and try to grow an eggplant as well. I think I'd like some little cherry tomatoes and also some bigger plum toms, I have a rainwater harvesting system all figured out as well using 2 litre water bottles. all very cool - a little project for the winter me thinks.

Post Holiday Greens

Well we got back from a week in Cornwall to find that the veg garden has taken over the whole top of the garden - its really very impressive. I went out there yesterday and cut enough beans, courgettes (+ 2 marrows), tomatoes, carrots and beetroot for us for the week and a lovely fresh veg box as a moving present for my sister (so much more useful than a vase!). We have two very fat butternut squash but we aren't sure how to tell when they will be ready to eat.

The best thing about the garden now is that our giant eden project sunflowers are now in full flower - they wave gently in the breeze as they are so tall. It really brightens the garden. Sadly I am losing one of the mints, the thyme and the lovely vine - i'm not sure what to do but i'm sure its because of all the wet weather we've had this summer. The pea plants have turned brown and yukky, everything was ok before we went away, but i suspect a form of mildew so might have no option but to treat.

The Eden project has given us lots of ideas for gardening next year, we're going to do better at the companion planting, and try onions and potatoes. I might even try to grow a pumpkin for hallowean next year - i'm going to put down a little path down the centre of the patch and sow plants which don't want to be swamped - carrots, onions, leeks, beetroot & beans one side and then the courgettes (2 max!) the other side bounded by peas and potatoes. I've also decided to try and move the shed and build a greenhouse - news not recieved with much enthusiam by 'him'!