Sunday 14 June 2009

I have finally given up the ghost on my onion-related veggies. According to the SFG book, the nitrogen from the horse manure which I added to the soil mix last autumn was just too much for them. The growth went into the leaves instead of into the bulbs. So I ended up with strong, healthy green parts, but pathetic looking bulbs. So I pulled them all up and stuck them in a salad. The garlic are mildly better, although they too are rather small. I've pulled them up too and they're drying on the terrace. We live and learn.

So I have a few empty squares. Have got some new compost ready, so I'll add that and then we'll start some new veg for late summer and autumn. The mangetout are scrumptious and the aubergine seems to be recovering in its new position, especially as it's been under cellophane and getting extra warmth. June here is being very cool, rather like last year. But I already have small green tomatoes on both bush and beefsteak plants and the cucumber plant is taking off like nobody's business, as is the butternut squash and another pumpkin variety which our next-door neighbour kindly gave me. The potatoes are flowering and beginning to look a little tired - maybe in a week or so I might be able to get our first new potatoes out? They'll have been in since the beginning of April. We'll see. The strawberry plants have been fruiting a bit - but perhaps not as much as I hoped. It maybe though, that they're young and need a couple of years to establish themselves. I'm going to buy some strawberries this week and make some more jam. We've run out.

I'm really glad that I left so much room between the beds; the plants are growing so big, one really needs the space. I'll do another video soon.

Wednesday 3 June 2009

I have to say that I'm thrilled to bits about these kohlrabis which I picked today. They are huge and very heavy. I just hope that they're not tough. I'm going to make a kohlrabi and potato soup with them.
I have replanted the aubergine in their place, as it just wasn't getting enough sun back next to the beef steak tomato. Where the aubergine was, I have sown some more bush beans.

Have discovered that I probably put down too much horse manure (excess nitrogen) last autumn than was good for onions. None of my onions look too good - in fact, all they've done is to grow upwards, rather than outwards in the bulb. So I've used them for salads as in spring onions and have sown radishes there instead.
Kohlrabi obviously likes horse manure, but onions don't. Not too much anyway.

The other disappointing thing is the carrots. I only have one square of them , but it's possible that the soil isn't clayey enough for the rather short, rounded carrots which I sowed. They are taking forever. Apparently only the long ones like loose, friable soil. I thought that the SF bed wouldn't be deep enough for long ones. So we live and learn. Never mind - I can buy both carrots and onions from the local farm.