Also a reply to Murmuration relating to our harvest this year.
Murmuration, we've had an unusually cold, windy and rainy summer. (Well all of those are normal "summer" weather around here, but this year there was no let up until *finally* last week, when we had a few days of warm sunshiny weather. Back to the cold, wet and windy today.)
Anyway, gooseberries and blackcurrants gave us bumper crops. We started picking early potatoes late in June and are still going strong. I always soak the seed potatoes in garlic water (chop a full bulb of garlic, and immerse in a litre of water, keep somewhere dark for at least two to three weeks, and check from time to time that the "bits" stay immersed, as any bits exposed to air can attract mold.) They seem to be doing ok, as are my onions. I am experimenting this year with being more lenient about weeds - I leave some, especially the shiny, gorgeous ones, because I know their roots are bringing good nutrients up. I've noticed the best garlic were the ones closest to the nice shiny sowthistles that I left in place beside them.
Carrots did not do this year. Plums did not do this year. But that is how it goes. Lots of variety, there is always something that loves the conditions and something that hates the conditions. You win some, you lose some.
Learning all the time, trying new things all the time. Best wishes with your own!
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Murmuration, we've had an unusually cold, windy and rainy summer. (Well all of those are normal "summer" weather around here, but this year there was no let up until *finally* last week, when we had a few days of warm sunshiny weather. Back to the cold, wet and windy today.)
Anyway, gooseberries and blackcurrants gave us bumper crops. We started picking early potatoes late in June and are still going strong. I always soak the seed potatoes in garlic water (chop a full bulb of garlic, and immerse in a litre of water, keep somewhere dark for at least two to three weeks, and check from time to time that the "bits" stay immersed, as any bits exposed to air can attract mold.) They seem to be doing ok, as are my onions. I am experimenting this year with being more lenient about weeds - I leave some, especially the shiny, gorgeous ones, because I know their roots are bringing good nutrients up. I've noticed the best garlic were the ones closest to the nice shiny sowthistles that I left in place beside them.
Carrots did not do this year. Plums did not do this year. But that is how it goes. Lots of variety, there is always something that loves the conditions and something that hates the conditions. You win some, you lose some.
Learning all the time, trying new things all the time. Best wishes with your own!