The all new 2019 growing your own thread!

Mnd

3 cherry tomatoes tonight

MysteryMe

5 further strawberries harvested.

I have one courgette plant in a large pot and harvested my first one. I have allocated it to the parrot. The couple of slices he had today he loved, didn't waste any. Usually he takes a bite and slings the rest so they must taste really nice. There are two more growing that I can see so I will have those.

I also have loads of green toms, cherry, standard and beef. I will have a closer look to see if any are close to ripening

Suffolk_lass

Returned from our weekend away to celebrate the end of term (and end of work for DH) to full-blown courgette apocalypse. Picked 12 - I will have to freeze them chopped and ready for soup so we can start with small ones again for our evening meal. I will also make a cold soup I think - using the last of last year's frozen tomatoes, shop cucumber, garlic and chillies (my version of gazpacho).

Harvested the first of hundreds (!) of cucumbers - a small, tennis ball sized one that is yellow (well, a bit white at the moment) - meant to be like that.

Our bees that should have died out seem to have acquired or made a queen as there is evidence of food being laid down, brood and expansion of numbers. After the neighbouring Village's bee-man was so disparaging (probably not intentionally, but definitely a huff) I do confess to feeling ever so slightly thrilled and a bit smug.

We had our broccoli, last of our second showing peas, and our first runner beans last night with a bit of chicken for supper last night. The broccoli had gone from nowhere near ready to going to seed in four days :eek:

First tomatoes and dwarf bean (Speedy) are imminent.

We are harvesting all the onions as the shallot tops have wilted and the ones to see us through winter were showing signs of neck thickening or trying to throw up a seed head so they are all out now. I'm done until this evening. Hopefully the thunderstorm last night (weather forecast was for none, hah) will keep all going until I water then.

The summer pudding with the blackcurrants, gooseberries and red-currants is sublime

Primrose

Two days ago I had courgette flower bed. After this intense heat and plenty of watering it has now become a stonking great marrow. I wish my bank balance grew as quickly!


My peppers are in pots against the house wall which really absorbs this heat. I'm having to mist them and cover them with fleece during the height of the midday sun. Despite being sun lovers ever they are drooping .

-taff

The courgette plant i thought had been eaten to extinction has recovered and may even have a courgette by the next time i see it. Picked three little cucumbers from the greenhouse and i have baby runner beans to pick at the weekend i think.
I'm very happy with the toms,and the rest of everything that's growing. Next year i will have more beds and will grow more.
I have some kohlrabi adds to put in too at the weekend...

unrecordings

I'm laying low - far far far too hot for me...

MysteryMe

I've got at least three cherry tomatoes ripening. Another couple of days and should be ready to pick. I'm starting to get slightly concerned with all the tomatoes I potentially could end up with.

I will need to pick another courgette as it is a good size. Two more on the way.

unrecordings

I've successfully kept tomatoes into January. With a little rotation & meal planning I've gone pretty much six months without buying tinned or fresh - although this year I've developed a taste for snacking on cherry tomatoes (which granted isn't a bad thing at all). Alternatively, cook up a very simple sauce, just onions, garlic, herbs, tomatoes and freeze into convenient portions - small portions (the equivalent of say one average tomato) are great for just lifting a dish without going down the full tomato sauce route. We generally pour it into a baking tray, freeze, cube then bag it.

MysteryMe

Thank you, making a sauce and freezing it is something I could do.

Great, panic over!

euronorris

Picked another cherry tom the other day, and two more this morning. There are more ripening also.


I think one courgette plant (in the trug) is done for. New leaves are yellowing and drying up before even reaching the size of my palm and all new flower growth has aborted, turned yellow/brown and dropped off. The other one, in it's own pot, seems to be recovering a little. A flower even opened yesterday, but it was a male, so no joy. Fingers crossed it continues to bounce back.


And I finally....finally...have my first broadbean set! I think something has been eating the flowers before they can set. No evidence of slugs/caterpillars etc, so I am suspecting birds. Had plenty of flowers, and they bloom and then the flowers would just disappear! lol Not even dropped on the floor. Just gone! lol


My tomato 'transplants', as I call them, have firmly recovered and are all flowering, so with any luck will also produce lots more toms!


Melting! Just, melting. The met office promised a thunderstorm, rain at least, at 1pm....still waiting!