We've all experienced enough rainfall this year to fill an infinite number of water butts, and probably complained about it too. Some areas of Somerset were heavily flooded again last night and today. I was lucky enough to get down the plot all day, working in warm sunny conditions until 5 p.m. this evening., so I will count my blessings.
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| Pupating in my Blackcurrant Bush |
The BBC (Breakfast Time) this morning announced that the weather conditions we have had in UK this year will become worse over the next 20 years and that the government will be adding another £2 billion to research into climate change. Funny that the announcement didn't come just before or just after the weather forecast. Are we just being drip fed the bare essentials as usual?
Most gardeners will have noticed many changes in the environment over the past few years, for instance the decline of the Honey bee and the difference in plant behavior. Will the Mayans be proved correct on the 21st of December this year.
My take on climate change, mainly for UK, (within the next 15 to 20 years) is as follows. Draw a straight line from the Humber estuary across to our west coast. Continue that line around the globe. Everything north of the line will be ice and snow with everything to the south being sub-tropical. The current weather patterns rain, humidity, movement of the Jet stream etc are the adjustments prior to the above happening. I'm no expert but having worked outdoors for almost 50 years, visited most continents and many countries on the planet, I've seen a few changes and know that most experts turn up after the event!! OK so I've lost the plot?
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| Blackcurrants for the Freezer |
Back to reality. I started off with some more grass cutting around my 2nd plot today and also around one of my fellow plot holders plot as he is working away for 3 weeks. Then it was down to a bit of weeding, seeking out the individual weeds that have escaped my attention, hiding away in those areas of the plot that go unnoticed. I decided to dig up a couple more of my early potato plants which gave me an 8 inch plant pot full of good sized potatoes. I then lifted half a row of Carrots (see photograph) and 2 fair sized Beetroot.
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| Pumpkins Escaping from Their Barrel |
The Lettuce which I sowed last week is just making an appearance, despite the weather conditions, so I decided to sow 3 rows of Dwarf french beans and 2 more rows of Carrots (Autumn King). All in all a pleasant day down the plot, with 2 good Lettuce and some more Gooseberries for tea, I toddled off home.
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| My Blueberries Need Some Sunshine |
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| There's a Honey Bee in There Somewhere |
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| Todays Harvest |
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| This Onion Didn't Like so Much Rain |
There's always tomorrow??
Your carrots look great - my container ones have suffered slugs eating all the leaves - don't know what's going on beneath the soil.
ReplyDeleteHi Elaine, sorry to hear about your container carrots. Its difficult to tell what condition they are in beneath the soil, without lifting a few to check. The foliage on mine last year were well devoured by beetles, probably flea beetles. I have hardly seen any slugs this year except underneath things (including containers) lying about on the plot, but plenty of snails. My carrots in the photo were from the ground which was repeatedly earthed up and they were not thinned out. I've just sown (yesterday) 2 more 15 foot rows of Autumn King so I will see what their later condition is like.
ReplyDeleteYou've got a great harvest there, of fruit and veg - how lovely!
ReplyDeleteAnd what a brilliant chrysalis! It's going to turn into a Magpie moth (if it gets that far)
Thanks Belinda, hope your harvesting is going well. Magpie moth, nice to know what it will become. I haven't had time to check that one out as I've been busy shelling peas and peeling carrots.
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