Today is supposed to be the start of summer, after the weather that we have had for the past week this is very hard to believe. Last week, the temperatures were in the mid 20's c, then Thursday it all changed, hard frost every night for a week. We had been lulled into a false optimism, courgettes, French beans and sweet corn had all been planted out, only to die of frost bite, potatoes have all been burnt, even the ones in the tunnel, this will set them back but not kill them, however the courgettes and French beans are beyond the kiss of the sun, they are dead. Even the Kiwi vines in the tunnel have been affected, but they will survive. Things that we would have expected to have suffered are fine,
the first two strawberries were picked today and were very sweet, with lots more to come in a few days time.
Carrots that had been doing so well have suffered from slug attack, this included a heritage variety which was rather pricy, unfortunately there were very few seeds in the packet so we will have to make do with Autumn King. Slug traps have now been laid, better late than never I suppose.
Bluebells in the woods are now in bloom and
we have a lovely bank of violets in flower, the primroses continue to brighten up the banks.
Daffy duck, our favourite Muscovy duck is sitting well on her clutch of eggs, she has taken her sitting very seriously this year, hopefully she will hatch her eggs OK, last year she failed.
We now have two incubators full of eggs, one contains hen eggs, the other one duck and half a dozen goose eggs. The young quail continue to thrive as do the Hubbard chicks which have now double their size in just ten days.
With the change in the weather it enabled us to catch up on a few craft projects,
Simon has carved me a primitive wooden statue for the garden, so far we have not named her, I'm hoping for another couple of these when he can find suitable wood.
I have painted another couple of signs on the slates that I had got from the local charity shop, and we also picked up a stone statue last week at a car boot sale,
the guy selling her called her Mother and Child.
The forecast for the weekend is rain, at least we seem to be free of the frosts now, so maybe we can chance replanting the vegetables that we lost.
Those slates are great! Well done! ove Simon's carving too. So early to have Strawberries.
ReplyDeleteLast year I kept admiring signs that we saw in several Secret Gardens of Sligo, when I saw the slates I couldn't resist buying them. I'm chuffed with Simons carving.
DeleteOh Dear, such optimism. One of your years should know such things. Mother Nature has her play every now again. Actually, i think she is starting to get dementia and cannot remember the season. Its all over the place here but at least this week we have true autumn chill and we are starting to pull out woollies and throw rugs. Im impressed by the carving and will look forward to more. How small is this world that we buy the same statue on the same weekend.
ReplyDeleteI got caught out our first year back here Lynda and planted out my sweet peas the first week of May, two days later we had a frost! but they did survive. I still cant get over us buying the same statue at the same time even though we're 10.000 miles away, it's a bit spooky really ! Or maybe we just have the same taste.
DeleteI'm going to think of you when i look at mine so its a lovely co-incidence and yes just a little bit spooky.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing the same Lynda, if you ever make another trip to the homeland of your OH we will have to try to meet up.
DeleteBluebells and strawberries! Heaven. Like the carving too
ReplyDeleteI think the caving is female but will wait and see how the next one turns out, then we will have to name them. The strawberries were lovely, looking forward to the real harvest.
DeleteHow do you keep the slugs and snails at bay? Our strawberries are flowering in the poly-tunnel.
ReplyDeleteWe use Doff an organic slug control, it's not cheap but it works without harming other species, we also use salt barriers, and Simon does regular night patrol chopping in half any slugs who have taken a chance.
DeleteSimon's carving is fab! You say it is a she but looks very phallic to me, maybe a fertility statue? Love it!
ReplyDeleteBeltane blessings to you both.
I love it as well Irene, we will see how the next one turns out before deciding if it's male or female.
DeleteBeltaine blessing to you and yours as well. Here's hoping for a good summer, but not too hot.
I'm afraid my squash, sweetcorn and courgettes are not looking like they will survive. The slate and carving look great, what a talented pair you are.
ReplyDeleteYou have plenty of time to replant Chickpea, what went wrong? I'm sure it wasn't frosts in Cornwall.
DeleteThanks, I think Simon enjoyed doing the carving and I love painting flowers, keeps us out of mischief when it's wet.
It's so easy to get taken in with the weather only to find out that winter isn't quite done. I've been caught out before so I'm rather cautious these days and I haven't planted anything out yet, the greenhouse is very full though. At least it isn't too late to start everything off again, I'm sure they will catch up, especially being sown and grown in a polytunnel. How lovely to have strawberries so early in the year, I think they're my favouite thing that I grow.
ReplyDeleteYes, we love strawberries but I think the favourite is asparagus, it's such a shame that the season is so short and the plants take so long to establish.
DeleteLove the slate signs. Also strangely impressed by the Daffy pic. The round bottom end of the blue barrel sits round her like a kind of halo! Good luck with the incubation(s).
ReplyDeleteDaffy being a very individual duck chose her own spot for brooding three years ago, then it was just a barrel on it's side, now it has a floor and a door, she comes to find it every time when she wants to go broody. Glad you like the signs, still needing old wood for more statues!
DeleteWe are having a wonderful year for strawberries. I hope yours do well. And I hope Daffy has a successful hatching! Baby ducks are so cute.
ReplyDeleteDaffy is still sat but nothing seems to be happening. Your strawberries look fantastic.
DeleteDaffy looks quite content on the nest, I am wishing her great success. Have you tried beer for the slugs. The love it in a shallow dish and go into the dish and drown. We have had very warm weather here with no rain but we still could get a frost so no seeds planted yet. Too bad about your carrot seeds
ReplyDeleteWe are going to candle her eggs on Sunday if nothing as happened. Yes we have used beer in the past, glad your weather has improved. We have replanted carrot seeds but so far none have germinated.
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