There are some upsides to all the rain, first of all the ducks love it. Their pond is full and they can spend their days dibbling in the mud. I may be imagining this, but I reckon they lay more eggs in the summer when it’s raining. Secondly, onions and garlic need a good dose of water to form bulbs and finally brassicas do better in cool and wet! Downsides – it makes the weeds grow, the squash are not happy and slugs are multiplying again.
Me and the youngest teen were at the Armadale monthly market on Saturday. We experienced a wide variety of climatic conditions – rain, wind, rain and wind, still and warm with midgies! Luckily this didn’t put off the customers and we had a very good day. Armadale is our best market because we can take the full range – baskets, pendants, cards, eggs, jam and veg. I’ve sold several baskets recently so I think I might have to do a bit of weaving in July. It’s easier in the Summer. The willow is dry and has to be soaked to make it pliable. If it’s warm the soaking time is a bit shorter and more effective. Cold willow is more prone to cracking.
Everything in the greenhouse and Polycrub is growing well despite the dreary weather. The Polycrub is getting a bit out of hand. The tomatoes could do with a good prune and the paths need a weed. The greenhouse is in an untidy, in between phase, there are over Wintered plants in there as well as Summer crops. I’ll be planting courgettes and French beans together in there next, this is always a happy partnership. After Wednesday I have two weeks of no markets so a big tidy up is on the agenda.
Outside the potatoes are growing well. The onions and Spring onions are a bit pock marked after the hail last week but they’ll recover from that (I hope!) The net tunnel proved it’s worth as nothing in there was damaged.
This week’s Croft Shares will have kale, courgettes or broccoli, mange tout/sugar snaps, onions, salad leaves aaaaaand new potatoes! These potatoes were planted in January in the greenhouse for an early crop. It won’t be a huge portion but some of the outside potatoes seem to be nearly ready so there could be more in a few weeks.