Beware: Mange Tout incoming

A hot weekend so gardening is largely confined to the shade at home (seed sowing), quick dashes to the greenhouse and evening sessions at the plot.  

On Saturday, I had a good couple of hours at the plot during which I focused on weeding, especially the large Poppy in the centre, Comfrey in the top right corner and around the Carrots and Parsnips.  I harvested some more Broad Beans (Bed 6) as well as the entire Garlic crop (Bed 0).  Around half a dozen had rotted off but there were some small-medium bulbs to take home.  I also harvested the Elephant Garlic on the edge of Bed 1.  Most are still rounds so will need to be replanted.  Meanwhile, the Garlic at home is still looking good so still in the two pots (now by the back gate).

In place of the harvested Garlic, I planted the 12 modules of Leeks.  The nearby Dwarf Beans are looking content.

I’m continuing to pick Mange Tout regularly to enjoy that while it lasts and gave a handful to my in-laws yesterday.  One of the two Courgette plants at the plot has started to produce flowers while the one at home is being eaten by a slug or snail so unlikely to pull through.  

While in the village yesterday, I saw some Tobacco seedlings for sale at the charity shop for £1 each so I bought three (although one pot contained 2 little seedlings).

Back at home, I picked my first cucumber which was delicious with some homemade carrot houmous.  I also spotted an error on my part in the greenhouse.  I had tied up some metal grids (shelves from a mini-greenhouse) at the far end for the Melons and Cucumbers to climb up.  What seems to have happened is that a Melon flower has grown through the grid and started developing into a fruit on the other side.  It was therefore between the polycarbonate and the grid and starting to develop a shallow groove from the metal.  I quickly untethered the bottom of the grid section which can now swing out as the fruit grows.  

On Sunday, I tidied up and topped up the pots in the greenhouse, using spent compost from other crop-less pots on the patio).  I gave them a good water before a busy working week ahead.  

In the afternoon, it was still hot so I sat on the bench in the shade with a glass of crisp white wine and sowed some seeds.

• More Borlotti Beans to replace the Mange Tout
• More Dwarf French Beans for the plot or a pot at home
• 2 varieties of Purple Sprouting Broccoli
• Savoy Cabbage
• Basil
• Lettuces
• Rocket
• Sweet Williams

At the time of writing (six days later), only the Sweet Williams and Dwarf Beans are yet to show anything.  

On Monday, after work, I gave everything a water at the plot as I wasn’t convinced about the reports of drizzle later in the week.  Before a couple of days away, I picked over the Mange Tout.  Six days later, I picked a whole punnet of it with much of it possibly tough/stringy.  I am leaving a handful of the ones that are past it to develop for seed saving as it has worked so well.

Worth noting that on Sunday (I think), as I was weeding a little in the back garden bed, a sudden gust of the wind caught the top-heavy Mange Tout plants and pulled their tendrils off the netting.  It was lucky I happened to be there when it happened - they almost fell on top of me.  I tied them up with twine.