greentapestry : End Of Month View ~ June 2015

Tuesday 30 June 2015

End Of Month View ~ June 2015

Allium christophii/Star of Persia glowing in this evening's sun
June is departing on a fabulous note - a warm, warm day followed by a long, calm and sultry evening. Although the sun has now set it's still warm now. This post will be short as I can feel myself glowing as my computer emits additional heat. The month though as a whole has been like May on the cool and windy side. Even earlier on today there was a fair old breeze swirling about, enough to make the rotary washing line swivel.

My word or should I perhaps say phrase for the month is "back to front". I have a dahlia flowering before the first of the sweet peas has opened as much as a petal, which is most perturbing. I associate dahlias with late summer whilst sweet peas are high summer. Something has gone wrong somewhere! I think that is because I sowed my sweet peas later than I usually do so have made a note to get them in at least a week or two earlier next year. The sweet peas initially looked quite weak and almost anaemic but have responded to a seaweed based feed and are now quite robust plants.

The garden has not received as much attention as it deserves this month as the allotment has consumed most of my time. I've been thinking quite seriously on this division and am slowly coming to the conclusion that something must give as I'm not doing justice to either. I'm thinking about enquiring about whether my plot could be split which would give me less to maintain. Something to decide perhaps not in the next month or two, but perhaps before the end of the year when my allotment rent is due. In the meantime apart from cursing the pernicious marestail which I swear I could knit with, I'm now enjoying the fruits of my labour. Our Wimbledon tennis viewing this afternoon was enriched by strawberries picked from the plot. Raspberries are now ripening along with the red currants whilst the other currants are not far behind. The gooseberry bushes are dripping. It looks as if there is going to be a good crop of apples this year.

On the vegetable front I've picked the first courgettes. Beans and peas have just started to flower.The sweet corn and pumpkins seem to becoming on nicely. Potatoes have still to be harvested. The shallots are perhaps less productive than last year. All in all I've grown less variety than the last couple of years which again may be a reflection of trying to do too much as well as the result of deliberately sowing less.

There have been a couple of plant purchases including the most tactile pennisetum orientale 'Karley Rose' as well as a geranium and a rose to be featured in another post. Going back to the garden I would be grateful if somebody would remind me to have an astrantia cull later in the year. You can have too much of a good thing.

Thanks as always to Helen who enables to share our end of month reviews over at 'The Patient Gardener's Weblog'. I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone else has been up to in their gardens this June.


15 comments:

  1. Sounds like the garden is in full swing - I have picked a few finger sized courgettes and a couple of cucumbers - the sweet peas are coming on thick and fast - these are our rewards for all the hard work we put in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The plot is certainly getting into gear Elaine. Yesterday's haul included strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, potatoes,courgettes and one mange tout pea :)

      Delete
  2. I'm also wondering where to go with my allotment, I just don't seem to have the time it needs at the moment though I'm hoping that things calm down soon and I can get things back on track. My dahlias are budding up too but I haven't got any in flower yet, though none of my sweet peas are flowering either. I love that variety of allium, they always remind me of fireworks with all the little star shaped flowers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As you know the allotment requires regular hard work and attention to keep on top of it Jo but I don't seem to have the time to keep on top of what I've got. Other things get in the way :) I hope that you get can get 'back on track' soon as I know how disparaging a runaway allotment can be. The allium is my favourite :)

      Delete
  3. My veggie garden has not had enough attention either. The main garden is taking so much time, with not doing any while going to hospital each day with the undergardener. I'm so glad you're enjoying your own strawberries with Wimbledon - how do they manage to play in this heat!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You've certainly not had much time to call your own this year Pauline! I hope that you've been able to make some inroads on any tasks you had to set aside. I'm not sure how the tennis players cope. I'm melting just watching.

      Delete
  4. We are struggling to keep on top of the allotment I share with my daughter this year. I keep saying I will have more time next year as I move into semi retirement!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't reassure myself with similar thoughts Brian as I'm now a lady of leisure. Great to have somebody to share your plot with :)

      Delete
  5. I would love to be able to grow astrantia but don't have enough moist shade. In our heat, it needs extra water that I just don't have. My shade is dry. :( I have berries I grow but the birds always eat them before I do. That's ok. I can't create a wildlife garden and then complain when they show up. :o)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Plenty off moist shade here but I'm sure you can grow the sun lovers that I hanker for :) I'm sure that you've found some desirable plants that thrive in dry shade.

      Delete
  6. Don't those alliums last for ages. We used to neglect our garden on favour of the plot but using weed control fabric has helped us balance out time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The alliums are certainly good doers Sue and still look good even when the flowers are over. I think that weed control fabric may be the answer to some of my problems at the allotment :) If I could go back in time I would have not gone for raised beds but it's easy to say that in hindsight :)

      Delete
  7. Keeping both the garden and an entire allotment plot going is always going to be difficult. It would be great if you can split it in half.
    It is a bit of a backward year here and very frustrating at times but hey, we can hardly interfere with mother nature can we? Astrantias are gorgeous but as I'm now finding out, bulk up relatively quickly over a short couple of years. I was perhaps a bit too hasty in introducing so many varieties into my garden!

    ReplyDelete
  8. The more I think about splitting the plot the more it appeals Angie providing it can be split the way I would like it :) Astrantias certainly bulk up fairly quickly and some varieties are are a little too generous with their seeds but I would not be without them.

    ReplyDelete
  9. My veg garden is behind and just starting minimal harvests...and my sweet peas were a bust....great to hear your veg garden is producing.

    ReplyDelete

All your comments are much appreciated and treasured. I wil try to reply to everyone who leaves a comment, but it may take me a few days, especially when I start spending more time in the garden and at the lottie. I know that you will understand :) I am sure that I will also visit your blog if I have not already done so. If you have any specific questions I will either reply to them here or you can email me at : thegreentapestry@gmail.com

Namasté

- Anna.