Thursday 9 July 2015

What's new?

Despite the "roller-coaster" weather we have had, with temperatures lurching from one extreme to another, a dearth of rainfall but a surfeit of wind, the plants are (surprisingly) apparently managing all right. I never cease to be amazed at how well they cope!

I'm keeping the succession going in the veg-plot.

My Leeks look as if they are ready for planting-out:


Would you say these are "pencil-sized"? We are always advised to delay planting until they are that size...


Pencil-sized or not, they have to wait for another few days. When my Kohlrabi are lifted, then the Leeks can go in.

The Broad Beans are nearing the end of their days too:


Both types reached a height of about five feet. From a distance they don't look too bad, but if you were to look closely you would see that they are very ratty - and full of Blackfly too! Furthermore, there are no pods left on them. They have to go.

They will be coming out at the weekend, and in their place will go the PSB for next Spring, and maybe a couple of Cabbages too.


The Sweet Potato plants are growing rapidly. There are three in this container.


They have all reached the edge and are trying to climb out.


After I took this photo I draped the plants around the inner edge of the container and pegged them down, so that the stems remain in contact with the compost. I have no experience with growing Sweet Potatoes, so I'm unsure about when they will begin to produce tubers. Presumably not until late Summer / early Autumn.

I have some good colour in the garden now too. The Calendulas are really good, and very varied in colour; the "Bishop of Llandaff" Dahlia has opened a few of its bright red flowers; the Hydrangea has turned fully pink now; the Verbena Bonariensis I bought as a tiny plant this Spring is four feet tall and producing lovely mauve blooms, and the Buddleia is showing colour at the tips of some of its branches:


My purple Oxalis ("Burgundy Wine") has never been better:


Last year it was severely damaged by hail and heavy rain, but this year it seems to be thriving - and rain has definitely NOT been a problem.


This plant has great "colour contrast" potential. Its deep, even purple foliage makes a good foil for other more flamboyant colours, like the warm russet of this fern:




It's not actually a very busy time. My gardening work is mostly watering. With so many pots this is essential. Other than that, it is mostly "sit back and watch things grow". Nice!

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P.S. If my friend Dominika is reading this - Thank You for the seeds, which arrived yesterday!

10 comments:

  1. I'd say your leeks are definitely pencil sized, they're looking very good.

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  2. I was thinking it wasn't a busy time either, then I went away for four days. I've been busy catching up. Though to be fair it isn't that there is so much to do, but so little time to do it. The days have been so hot, that I won't go out past a certain point. So I have to cram it all into the early morning.

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  3. I obviously planted my leeks much too early - more like grass blade thick rather than pencil thick. Probably why I lost several of them after transplanting. That oxalis is wonderful - such a beautiful colour.

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  4. Your leeks look wonderful. I found a sweet potato plant for sale after reading your experiment. We have it growing in the green house. It looks a similar size to yours at the moment. Sarah x

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  5. All of your plants look great! I have always felt that sweet potatoes would do good here but they are another one of Phil's dislikes and I can't see growing them just for me. Too hot here and I am kind of glad I didn't do a garden this year. It has been hotter than normal and going out is just not what you want to do except early morning here.

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  6. Funny as I was thinking how busy we were.

    When we plant out leeks they are more like grass than pencils.

    Sweet potatoes look just like morning glory - they must be related

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    Replies
    1. Yes they are related. Sweet Potato is "Ipomoea Batatas", and Morning Glory is generically Ipomoea.

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  7. I need to plant up more leeks you've just reminded me though mine are much thinner than your fine specimens. I can't believe your broad beans are finished mine are only just about ready for picking but I desperately need the space.

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  8. Your BB get very tall Mark! Nearly as tall as me. I'm away for a few days at the moment and just before I left I noticed all my spring-sown broad beans were ready for picking, so hoping they've not got too big and tough when I'm back.

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    Replies
    1. Oh, I meant to say, glad to see the sweet potato trial is going well.

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