It's raining - Yipee!

I've already been soaked this morning (while collecting bricks for my new raised beds) so I've had to accept defeat and stay at home! The rain is doing the gardening for me. But what to do? It's an opportunity to write a book review that I have had in mind for some weeks, since my birthday washed up this self selected present. (Somehow during the growing season it doesn't seem right go on about winter activities like reading, but I've been itching to post this entry.)

I have from time to time scouted around for more information on seed varieties and histories of imported plants (like potatoes and tomatoes) and found it hard to come by. For the former seed catalogues have been the only real source (although some books like How it All Began In the Garden have some tit bits). For the latter internet articles can be found (Anna Pavorda's book "The Naming of Names" is a noteworthy introduction to the general topic.)

I've noticed that seed catalogues offer the old trusty varieties at a considerable discount to the rest. Either they are more popular or else they are "out of copyright" I reckoned. But how old are they? Well Christopher Stocks has applied a bit of critical research to the history of each fruit and vegetable and goes one to detail the first known reference to each of these trusty types and many more. All in one neat little volume. I have grown quite a few of these oblivious to their pedigree. How different it feels sowing a row of seed when you are fully aware of who developed it and who it is named after, and where and when. Webb's Wonder, Glaskin's Perpetual, Cox's Orange Pippin, all have a new dimension when you know a bit about Webb, Glaskin and Cox, and their role in a bygone age of fruit and vegetable fanatacism. I feel the author has done me personally a great service for carrying out this research and publishing it and I wholeheartedly recomment the book to anyone interested in growing fruit and veg. (It's now in paperback at £8.99 ).

ps Don't be put off by the title as, with only a few exceptions necessary to explain the pedigree of current varities, by intention all varieties listed can be obtained in 2010.

Here come the greens

...and the reds.

Beans Top the Poll

The Painted Lady runners have been racing to the top of the poles:

The Scarlet Emporor are not far behind but producing lots of flowers already

For comparison purposes here's the bean 'wigwam' today (with the railway embankment behind)

And let's not forget the humble broad bean which is already producing food for the table:

Peas Please Me (and courgettes too)

Pride of place has to go to this regal flower. I'd just been congratulating Soilman on his when, on my very next visit to the plot, I was greetedby this cheering sight:

Peas, have been a tale of two halves this year. Mangetout Oregon Sugar Pod has proved worth sticking with:

Compared to Petit Pois Waverex which has been an underperformer

Heres's the two, side by side, like two squads lining up for the anthems before a match.

Honeoye

Strawberries before Wimbledon? Ace!

Bank Holiday Plot Update

Thought it was time to get back to basics. Here's the state of play today:

Potatoes:



Beans, now released from their experimental duties:

More beans and behind them peas. They look a mess because the twiggy supports are a mess


The view from the end. Behind the rhubarb, all you can see of the early leeks (to the right) is the holes. They're not as big as Matron's but believe me they are there - soon to be joined by the late (Musselburgh) leeks.

Last but not least, as I've been working on this today, is the brassica patch. Not much to look at yet, but the defences are up so transplanting can start.


Now bad news. I've bought in six different varieties of tomato (which in a couple of wet grobags have been anchoring down my plastic "walk in" green/Wendy house ) . Of the six one has been causing me concern:


Today I steeled myself and chopped the offending plant down. It looks like blight, to me. If the rest go the same way I won't be growing tomatoes again. (I last grew them about 15 years ago)


Now something almost miraculous. Here's a picture of our apple tree. About four years ago we squished our Christmas mistletoe berries over the bark of our apple tree, more in hope than in expectation. We watched. Nothing happened. Lo and behold I was spending part of my bank holiday removing the under/over growth from our back lot when I spotted these non characteristic apple leaves - Cue the Allelujah Chorus...


Here's Edinburgh Castle and the Firth of Forth just discernable in the background, taken while walking the dog this weekend:


Last of all. I'm throwing away my "instant" pH tester. It's been telling me the soil is acid, no matter how much lime I've put on it. This week I finally got around to doing the chemical test for the first time ever. The result looks pretty clear to me!



Boy going back to work is going to be boring tomorrow.

Flower Show

Missed the coverage from Chelsea last night - busy planting out onions, leeks and fennel. Despite the rain and hail I whipped out the camera to take this low light snap of a neighbour's rhubarb array. How can you resist that???

Here's another favourite!