Harvest time

[Daisy]

I mentioned way back in the spring that we had very sadly decided it was time to give up our allotment. I still think it was the right thing to do, but with lockdown I had time but no motivation to make the garden and greenhouse more productive. Plus I missed out on getting compost, seeds, plug plants etc.

Anyway, Nature, as always, does her best and yesterday I dug up about 2Kg of potatoes grown from a sprouting supermarket one. I'd put it in a potato bag with whatever soil/compost I could find.

The one cucumber plant is producing far more than we can eat, the two courgette plants have kept us supplied for a few weeks and are still producing, the tomatoes have grown well and would have been better if I'd given then more attention. We've had a few helpings of French and runner beans from plants a neighbour gave me, but I'd written off the melons in the greenhouse. They were slow to germinate, slow to put on growth and kept threatening to curl up into crisps in the hot weather.

But yesterday I found 4 melons nestling under the leaves. They're smaller than usual, but I'm pleased to see them. I hope they get enough sun to ripen - it's doubtful, but I shall keep my fingers crossed.

[Fairyqueen]

Those potatoes look wonderful Daisy! I love home grown veg - it’s so much nicer than shop bought. I have grown tomatoes in a grow bag and they tasted so sweet. Not done any this year. I keep saying I’ll do some raised beds so my granddaughters can see stuff growing. I definitely will next year.

[Oma]

A nice little crop there Daisy , i hope the Melons ripen they do look good

[Gemini]

Wonderful crop Daisy!
I must do that potato thing. I know Oma tried it too.

We have LOTS of cucumbers and tomatoes in the greenhouse (why does OH grown so many each year??!!) We haven't checked under the melon leaves, a job for today.
We had lots of lovely raspberries earlier in the summer, and there is another crop of rhubarb to cut.

We had a small amount of sprouting broccoli. All her carrots, green beans, beetroot and basically anything planted in the new veg patch was devoured by slugs however. We can't put down pellets due to the risk of the hedgehogs eating them. We have various natural slug deterrent methods to try next year!

[Enfys]

I did that with a sprouting potato Daisy. Had quite a few little potatoes and 3 huge ones, will definitely try it again. The biggest success has been with my tomatoes....i pick a few every day. I made a batch of tomato sauce the other day, and must make some more. It was delicious and I have some in the freezer ready to use. So simple but so tasty with pasta.

[Gemini]

Lots of tomato sauces being made here as well Enfys

[Sunshine]

Well done Daisy. All that crop with limited enthusiasm, you’ve done exceptionally well. Imagine if you’d given it your all, you’d be opening a greengrocers shop.

[Nanto2girls]

Hubby only grows tomatoes now. Can't beat them straight out of the greenhouse.
A couple of years ago,he planted one or two potatoes in pots,and we had a decent crop.
Daisy,hope your melons ripen.

[Daisy]

Sunshine - things really do want to grow and if you look after them they'll reward you well. Ironically that was one problem with the allotment. Once the floods subsided each spring things grew really well and we'd always end up with gluts of various crops, and when people start crossing the road to avoid you you get the message - they don't need anymore beans, courgettes, potatoes, sweetcorn, tomatoes or whatever!

FQ - my OH made me some raised troughs to grow tomatoes outdoors - they seem to do better out of doors here. He used some planks of decking and they work really well.

Enfys - I was surprised about the potatoes. I cut one Vivaldi up so there was a sprouting eye on each piece and just stuck them in the bag.

Gem - you can always find ways of using the tomatoes, but I think too many cucumbers are a bit of a problem! When courgettes grow to marrow size I use them to make chutney.

[Gemini]

Daisy luckily GS1 is a big fan of cucumber! We give them lots and he has been known to eat a whole one on his journey home!

[Daisy]

Gem - My DIL2 and GD1 love then too, but I've even overwhelmed them this year!

Does your GS1 also like tomatoes?

[Gemini]

Weirdly NONE of my grandchildren like tomatoes Daisy!

Of course they have them cooked on pizza and pasta, and as ketchup however!

[Daisy]

Two of my grandchildren don't like them either. But GD1 would prefer little cherry tomatoes to sweets.