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Everything keeping me going on every visit. Most recently the sweet potatoes went in to a newly rotovated row with 3 bags of sand mixed into it. Had 7 plants to put in (2 T65 and all 5 Beauregard) that had been in GH a month or so to sprout roots. Raked it into a ridge and planted each leaving a small depression to hold water as they evidently need plenty. I have bought a few metres of black cloth to keep the heat in as soil temperature (20C+) is supposed to be critical to success with them.
According to Gardeners World they like lots of organic matter and slightly acidic soil. However the reading I did (which is Agricultural from the States), they said not to add any, so I haven't. Never the less the soil got a fair bit of compost added in March anyway. The last few nights have been slightly less than 10C so I had a bit of fleece over them to protect from cold and strong sun by day for the first week.
Quite a problem with black fly on broad beans and nipping out the tips hasn't saved some of the less robust plants so I have removed them. The first few pods have come to decent size (about a kilo so far) but the plant tips were trimmed off way too soon so the majority will be a bit late all supposing the damage isn't too great from the black fly
Continue to pick the spinach and salad leaves although bolting in progress so will switch to Little Gems soon as they are forming hearts. Radichio are also of a size that will support some selective leaf picking too.
Struggling in GH to get all organised but yesterday repotted a lot of peppers and some more Aubergine so they are less stressed. Those in grow bags are doing much better but all needed more shade which white shade paint has sorted remarkably. In just a short 30 minutes the temp dropped by around 5-7 C so now it is going to be more humid and less susceptible to red spider mite I hope. A good amount of stored paraphenalia has been removed to soread the plants a bit. I have a curtain to install but getting the bolts undone to attach wire for it to has proved impossible so far. In rearranging everything I removed good 8 large slugs which although not obviously causing a problem are best out of there.
My latest batch of Nemaslug has been delivered so I applied it yesterday crossing fingers for rain as the soil is quite dry and I had a minimum of water to apply it. Today is ideal as it is gently raining so they will get settled in and do their job. You really notice how after 6 weeks the plants start getting attacked again and my outdoor peppers have been stripped of leaves despite slug pellets as well. I use an organic one but prefer not to. Snails of course are still in evidence and may be the culprits so I regularly seek them out from under the sage and spreading plants like lavender and rhubarb which are going manic at present.
First of this years potatoes are Accent from last seasons growing (self chitted) and more recently some Mimi.
All spaces for toms outside are populated with types from cherry (Tumbling Tom)to large Costoluto and Red Cap. Finally got some Sub Arctic plenty and Gardeners delight going and in ground too.
My picture shows a path alongside fence of sweet peas, eating peas, spinach and lettuce fading to allow squash to take over. Background of self seeded sunflowers and lavenders. Pots are japanese maple, osteospermum and chives in flower in rear.
