Now there's a surprise. The Whitsun bank holiday weekend was a washout. It was cold as well. However one week later and I have been digging away in temperatures up to 26 degrees. Having started with a 5 pole plot that was completely covered in grass, weeds and spinach I have now cleared half the plot.
On the back half the grass is about three feet tall so I gave it a spray with some Round-Up. I'm not keen on using chemicals but sometimes it's just about the only way. The council website promises to supply a plot covered in black fabric. However I wasn't fortunate to get any and from talking to other plotholders it sounds that even if you do have some it tends to disappear rather easily. Once again it's a shame that there are people like that around.
On the plant side the first potatoes have burst through in leaf. Hopefully it won't be long before they have enough leaves to keep the weeds down. The tomatoes are struggling a bit but as I said, it has been a tad cold this week. The beans are OK but as ever they are a target for slugs and snails. Plant three beans to each pole - two for the slugs and one for yourself. It seems to work and if more than one survives it can be moved to a scene of a particuarly savage attack! Perhaps this drier weather will deter them a bit.
The leeks which were kindly given to me are still upright and getting bigger so I'll look forward to having those with some boiled bacon in the autumn.
My daughter's flower patch is thriving. I can see a few flowers but it looks like there are a lot of weeds in there. I'll be able to tell as they get bigger. Her strawberries are big and green with the first hint of red on one or two. Now is the time to cover them with netting to stop Mr and Mrs Blackbird having fresh ripe fruit for breakfast, dinner and tea! So they are under green netting and hopefully safe from hungry beaks.
If this hot weather keeps going it won't be long before I'm watering again!
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