The good news - I'm harvesting a few things - mostly salad crops, courgette, a range of herbs and beetroot. The bad news is - it hasn't been a good year in terms of growing veg. Firstly, I got a late start sowing seed (end of April), and late planting onion as well (top left corner of photo). Most seed sown direct into the ground were eaten (devoured more like it by pests). My 2nd sowing was devoured. Third time lucky? The bed pictured above has survived, however, my other two veg beds must have an extended family of slugs, snails and other pests that seem to manage to eat anything that's planted. The trials and tribulations of growing - and trying to grow organically!
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| Above and below: Beetroot Boltardy and Beetroot Chioggia. The leaves have been nibbled by caterpillars however the beetroot are growing well and are quite tasty. The Chioggia, an Italian heirloom variety, don't seem to bleed as bad (when harvesting / preparing) as the Boltardy. |
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| Above: Courgette All Green Bush - lots of large healthy leaf growth - however not as many courgettes as I'd expect. |
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| Above: This year I have 3 apples on my self fertilizing apple tree. My best year was about 13 or 14 apples. Its a small pot grown tree. |
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| Above: Tomato, I thought were Purple Cherry, however I'm not too sure as I took seed up to the community garden project and the plant labels all got mixed up. This year the tomato plants are outside so they're slower to develop but hopefully will still produce some fruits. (All plants, except apple & onion, were grown from seed.) It's great to be harvesting (suppose a little is better than none). |
Copyright: All words and photos are property of Kelli's Northern Ireland Garden.
Too many pests survived last year's mild winter and have been in force this year
ReplyDeleteAs they say "there's always next year"! My garden could not survive without those blue slug pellets, and even so I have many casualties. My one and only apple tree has been a big disappointment. I think I will ditch it and get another - and this time I will grow it in a pot.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many trials to gardening; I have almost given up several times, but then I see new plants at the shops and seed packs and I get all excited again! In September, I will be re-planting my winter crops. Hopefully it will be a little cooler then than in the 90's (now). Your beets look good.
ReplyDeleteCourgettes have been very mixed this year. Out of 4, two have produced very little, another has deformed fruit, but seems to be getting over it but the last has made up for all the rest! I don't think they like being neighbours to the sharks fin melons!
ReplyDeleteOur beetroot got demolished as soon as the leaves appeared! Have had good and bad.. oh the trials of gardening.. :o)
ReplyDeleteYour veg garden sounds a bit like mine this year - not the best I have had I must say. (see latest post http://awomanofthesoil.blogspot.co.uk/)
ReplyDeleteThat's very good looking vegetables! The beetroot look so cool!
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