That Was Summer 2012, That Was (Part 2)

The Vegetable Garden

We did pretty well in the veg garden this year, given the weather.  We grew some things from seeds for the first time, and as well as some old favourites, grew some things we'd not grown before.  Clockwise from the shed...

...'tates!  We planned to grow first earlies, second earlies and maincrop, but the weather was so epically foul that we didn't get our earlies out until the end of April.  It seemed to take forever for them to sprout, and they didn't flower until August!

We then had to dig them up sharpish, as they got blight.  However, we didn't lose any, and I was really pleased with that.  Joe, a neighbour who's lived and gardened in the village for over 50 said his 'tates got blight too, so I didn't feel too bad.

Out tomatoes, which went in the extra veg bed in front of the 'tates were grown from seed and nurtured in the cold-frame, where they lived a very happy life for a while.  Unfortunately the poor things got blighted very soon after they were planted out.  As we don't have a greenhouse, a tomato crop was never really going to happen.  They were so healthy and happy when they came out of the cold frame!

I've grown courgettes for the past few years, but this year I grew them from seed, which I am really proud of.  They were sown in little compostable pots and put to germinate on a sunny (well, relatively) windowsill.  Alastair watered them three times a day, and they had a 100% germination rate, which made for an awful lot of baby courgette plants!

I potted some up for us, and some for Mum and Dad, and they went into the cold-frame.  I would really recommend growing seedlings in little compostable pots, as it makes potting on much, much easier.

The remaining plantlets were given to neighbours.  Of course, as soon as they went outside, every slug within a 10-mile radius turned up and started eating them, leading to the purchase of this...

It works!  The poor courgettes' traumas weren't over yet though, as I planted them out way too early (20th May!), and in deep shade. 

The one on the right had had two weeks outside, and the one on the left had had two weeks in the cold-frame.





The poor little outside courgettes got dug up and returned to the cold-frame for some intensive care.  After some time in the cold-frame, I eventually planted them out, where they flowered prettily and produced a decent crop under the circumstances.

This year was our first year of growing broad beans, and we'll definitely grow them again.  I didn't grow them from seed, Dad planted some of his up for me, but they did really well and were a pleasure to grow.  I loved the beatiful, delicate, violet-grey flowers.

We also grew onions this year (or possibly shallots) from some sets that Dad gave us.  In spite of the fact I planted them too deep and they didn't appear for ages one or two of the six I planted out survived, and I used them in a stew I made just the other week!

Dad gave us a green bean plant (I don't think they're actually called that!) towards the end of the Summer, and although it looked like a very sad specimen indeed, it gave us a nice boiling of beans.

And finally...cauliflowers!  I grew them from seed, and planted six out.  Four of them turned into slug-snacks, but two survived.  I didn't get to taste either, but Alastair said they were nice.