July is fast coming to an end so I thought it was time for another garden update. It is not proving to be the best of summers. There has been lots (too much) of rain but thankfully temperatures are not as low as last summer, but it is not looking like we will have bumper harvests.
In the greenhouse, tomatoes and cucumbers are producing but not in big quantities so there has not been surplus for pickling. My cucumbers (and also the courgettes and squashes) have all got this strange virus – it looks like mildew, but starts as perfect circles and increases and multiplies till the whole leaf is covered. I keep taking off the affected leaves and so far the plants are surviving. One variety of cucumber (marketmore), shows no sign of the virus so I may concentrate on growing that variety next year.
In the polytunnel, the early broadbeans did well as did the Charlotte potatoes which we are about half way through. I have some beetroot to harvest and also started harvesting these purple kohlrabi. We all prefer them raw to cooked so will probably have the rest with salads. I just planted some more seed in the hope that I can get some to crop in late autumn or over winter for next spring.
Kohlrabi
Outside the first of the runner beans are appearing ( I put five plants in the poly on a wigwam and they are really not happy, and I don’t know why), and I am hoping for a better crop than last year. The dwarf beans are really suffering, probably because it is not warm enough. I did plant a couple in the greenhouse and it turns out this was a good idea because they are cropping well! Cabbages do seem to enjoy the wet and we’ve been enjoying the first (variety Greyhound), and I am hopeful that we will get a decent crop of red cabbage. Courgettes are small and slow.
We’ve had a few nice summer raspberries but the loganberries are proving very popular with the blackbirds!! We’ve picked over 2kg of blackcurrants and there are still some more. The kids are enjoying blackcurrant cordial and it’s a “bribe” to get them picking some of their own! Blackcurrants are always one of our best croppers.
Murtagh's Meadow 
Abundance!
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Though not quite as much as I would like – at this time of year I like not to have to buy any veg!
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How lovely. Didn’t realise that cucumbers had a big yellow flower like courgettes! Don’t like cooked kohlrabi so must try raw. Birds ate all our blackcurrants & left about 6 redcurrants as usual. Must try netting again next year. And I love runner beans – yours will taste wonderful as per all your produce….
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Birds got our red ones too – we happened to be away the week they were ripe and didn’t get to net – next year! For some reason they are not as keen of the black ones. The logan berries must be more tasty!
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The leaves on our courgette plants look like that every year. We just leave them, and they’ve always been fine. I’d be interested if you find out what it is though.
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Any I have missed for a couple of days become almost totally covered in grey so I am worried that it would spread to the courgettes/cucumbers too if I left them on.
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Glad the excessive rain has not discouraged all your plants.
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.. though at times it is discouraging me!!
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Crossing my fingers for some good weather for you!
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Thank you!
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We have been lucky so far this summer with lots of courgettes, raspberries and beans (broad, runner, climbing French), but not a great potato harvest. However, our greatest success is the peppers… I have managed to grow more red peppers so far this year than ever before – hurrah for our new conservatory (known as the limery).
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Well done on your success. My peppers are only flowering!
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Your fruit looks delicious! Great photos. š
It looks like you have powdery mildew (a fungus not a virus). It comes from the soil, so your removal of infected leaves is good (burn or trash them). Prevention is the best thing … starting next year in spring when infection happens. Here is an article with natural controls: http://gardening.about.com/od/naturalorganiccontrol/f/How-To-Use-Milk-To-Control-Powdery-Mildew-On-Plants.htm
Good luck!
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Many thanks for link Eliza – I will certainly look into that:)
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Looking good, and I understand how skimpy this year has been! I didn’t plant much veg, as I’ve mostly given up on it here. Agree with Eliza on the powdery mildew, too.
Been a great year for raspberries, though!
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I know what you mean about not getting bumper crops. Some years are better than ohters, and this year is one of my “less productive.” I am hoping my fall crops will do better. I have salad greens under lights inside to move outside once august rolls past. My pole beans are going crazy but most everything is finding our “wet” and “humid” summer not too good for growing.. My cherry tree is losing it’s leaves and it worries me since we just got our first crop this year. I was so thrilled to be picking cherries, but I ponder maybe it will all correct next year. You know there is always next year-lol. I love currants too:-)
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I was just saying to my other half I think it is going to be an early autumn – I just closed up the greenhouse for the night and it is very cool out there and I have seen leaves turning too!
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How fortunate are you to not have experienced powdery mildew before now…we get it most years on pumpkins and courgettes, often cukes. It loves moisture, unfortunate for us here in Ireland. The milk spray is helpful, but I’ve decided to search far and wide for resistant seeds next year. Very frustrating and I think it is hard to eliminate once it settles into the garden. Definitely don’t compost the leaves and be careful when removing leaves as it spreads through contact/spores.
Your raspberries are incredible! What a bounty! Our tomato plants have just now begun to produce more than we can eat in a day (yippee). Our broccoli is nowhere near the size of yours, looking good š Thanks for the lovely peak into your garden!!
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Your welcome Melissa. I have read that you can make a mix with bread soda for the mildew. Also horsetail tea may be an option but still something I need to look into:)
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I too read about the bread soda but have not tried it. Let me know how it works for you if you get a chance to give a go.
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Just heard that it worked for a friend of my mother’s, so will definitely give it a go this week.
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Looks like I have much to learn about varieties to plant that will cope with the cold and damp… (seriously looking at a few options down Arklow way… hopefully with a bit of ground!) š
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Any kind of brassicas will do. The knack is variety. Something always does well!
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With your guidance I can’t go wrong!! š
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š
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