Potato Harvest

Both Roseval and King Edward which I grew from bought tubers had to be lifted mid-August due to continuous attack of blight. It would have been a magnificent haul if they could have been left to bulk up for another month as the average tuber count per plant was over 10, so about 400 from just 36 plants. The potatoes that I grew from TPS fared better and I left them in the ground until early October. Below are three that did very well and I will be growing again next year. Of course the Landrace seeds are a mixed bag so very unpredictable but I'm going to save a few of these tubers to grow on as well. And the bottom picture is a selection of some of the ones that I've grown on from saved spuds of previous Tom Wagner trials.

Comparing & Contrasting

Beetroot grew reasonably well - not brilliant - this summer in spite of the weather, slugs and my neglect. I guess there are enough to see us through the winter. I think that 'Cylindra' may possibly be the better keepers so we've started making our way through 'Rhonda' first, but as to taste they are much of a muchness.

Squash 2012

One grand-daddy (21 lbs.) and a whole lot of under-achievers!

Ah...

...is this not Happiness?

Yesterday, sat in the sun with the hens and shelled my bean harvest. Today, went for elevenses in the woods at Mrs. Bun's truck/café.

First Egg!!

The months of waiting are finally over, Miss Moneypenny has laid an egg.
Image via AgenceEureka

Comparing Apples to Cucumbers

"Young broods of swallows come out. Cut 171 cucumbers; in all 424 this week. Sweet moon light!"
Gilbert White in The Natural History of Selbourne September 10 1791

Cucumbers were late in coming this year but now abound and they are all mine to eat as him-indoors won't touch them. As for texture and crunch, 'Suyo Long' could be likened to a McIntosh (Boy Scout) apple, 'Kyoto 3 Foot' a Granny Smith, 'Hmong Red' a Cox Pippin and 'Kaiser Alexander' an Egremont Russet.

Teapots of Note - No.2

"It is very strange, this domination of our intellect by our digestive organs. We cannot work, we cannot think, unless our stomach wills so. It dictates to us our emotions, our passions. After eggs and bacon it says, "Work!" After beefsteak and porter, it says, "Sleep!" After a cup of tea (two spoonfuls for each cup, and don't let it stand for more than three minutes), it says to the brain, "Now rise, and show your strength. Be eloquent, and deep, and tender; see, with a clear eye, into Nature, and into life: spread your white wings of quivering thought, and soar, a god-like spirit, over the whirling world beneath you, up through long lanes of flaming stars to the gates of eternity!"
Jerome K. Jerome Three Men in a Boat

The 'Stay-Hot' pot, with inbuilt cosy.

Bok-kok!

From bottom left clockwise - Miss Brody, Miss Moneypenny, Miss Havisham, Miss Wilberforce and Miss Marple. I'm hoping eggs are just a few weeks away now. Monday I took 7 litres of honey from the bees.

Clear Tomato Soup

"Cut in thin slices 1 lb. fresh tomatoes, and put into enough ordinary clear soup for, say, six people; simmer gently for 1 hour, strain through a clean cloth, re-boil, and serve with fried croutons, about two-shilling-piece size, piled with stiffly whipped cream, one to each person on a separate plate. The cream softens the acidity of the tomatoes and greatly improves the flavour."
Agnes Jekyll A Little Dinner Before the Play

They are coming thick and fast now.

Back on the Menu

Ratatouille!

BlackCurrant Harvest

"The Black Currant, by it's viscid, sweet, aromatic juice (thickened over the fire), makes a 'robb' of capital use for relieving sore throat, or quinsy. This old-fashioned 'robb' or 'rob', is an inspissated fruit juice mixed with honey, or sugar, to the consistence of a conserve, and is to be preferred before the berries themselves."

Meals Medicinal by W.T.Fernie, M.D.

I didn't realize until recently that it is still unlawful to possess, propagate or sell the black currant bush in many states and inspectors are ordered to condemn and destroy any that they find. This would account for the absence of black currant flavoured product in Canada during my childhood - the exception being blackcurrant pastilles imported from Britain (yum!). This year we've put away 4 bottles of schnapps and a jar of jam.

Wet Wet Wet

This photo sums up 'summer' in the garden so far. In the greenhouse I'm growing mushrooms and mould, outside I'm battling potato blight, the slugs ate all but half a dozen carrot seedlings, red currant and cherry fruit was nonexistent and I don't think there will be much honey. On the plus side, I haven't seen a cabbage white in three months! Nor have I had to spend any time watering the garden. They say it's all going to change this weekend and we will have bright sunny weather just in time for the olympics. Hmm, I would have wished it contrariwise.

My well camouflaged helpmeet.

Lambs to the Slaughter

Well I kept these seedlings in the greenhouse until I couldn't put off transplanting any longer. They looked big enough to fend for themselves, able to survive a few nibbles. But, voilà, the slugs are operating in much the same way as the fox - killing, beheading and leaving the spoils strewn around uneaten! Grrr!

And this from B. in the morning's epost.

Hairy Glandular Trichomes!

More potato flowers. This to show the more hirsute varieties, particularly 'Boy's Pig'which has little hairs on both sides of the leaves as well (click on picture to enlarge). The hairs or trichomes on potato leaves release phenols and phenol oxidizing enzymes which react to form a sticky substance which hardens to entrap small-bodied insects. I think the first round makes them woozy then in the struggle to escape, they disrupt a second type of trichome which releases polyphenol oxidases. These oxidize the phenols into quinone and it hardens like cement around the feet of the unsuspecting creature. So, more hairs = less aphids! I will save seed from this one particularly furry plant for next year.

First Tomatoes

Jaune Flamme from the greenhouse.

Solstice Update

The TPS potatoes are all flowering now (see below)and peppers and tomatoes are fruiting. Perhaps the first taste will be in two or three weeks?
Beans are very slow to get going (the double whammy of slugs and cool weather), only now beginning to curl around their support.

Breaking News!

Fiirms??

Things That Like This Weather

1. Spotted Aleppo 2. Red Deer Tongue 3. Moroccan Little Cress
4. New Red Fire and 5. Escargot

ReStocked

Saturday we picked up 6 little pullets about 8 weeks old. Great fun to have feathered friends in the garden again.
Pictures soon...

Front Gardens of Note No.3

(yes, they are plastic)