August in the Greenhouse

In the greenhouse, patience is finally paying off and we’ve been enjoying the first of the cucumbers. There are plenty of green tomatoes (no sign of them going red yet) and some interesting black ones (a friend gave me some seeds earlier in the year – I think they are called black berry).

Tomatoes

Cucumber

Tomatoe – black berry

The bees are enjoying the oregano that is flowering. And we are still enjoying some alpine strawberries.

Carder bee on Oregano

Alpine strawberry

I’ve seedlings started for some autumn and winter crops for the polytunnel including lettuce, mangetout and these leaf beat. There are more winter crops to go in, but I have already planted in some calabrese, which I have had mixed results with in previous years. After a poor summer in the vegetable garden I am hoping for a better autumn! Optimism when vegetable gardening in an Irish climate is essential.

Leaf beet

 

 

Pepper and tomatoes

In the greenhouse, plants have benefited from our mild September. Despite going in late (we were still finishing the greenhouse) the miniature peppers are now a wonder red and the kids love them just as they are.

Minature red pepper

The tomatoes are looking healthy. They are the best tomatoes I have every grown, even if they are still green. I can see lots of jars of green tomato chutney in my future. They are just beginning to go red so we may be lucky if the weather remains mild. Next year, I will have no excuses and will hopefully get things in on time.

Green Tomatoes

 

 

Cucumber glut!

In the greenhouse, the cucumbers are doing well. Today, I picked fifteen of them. And their are plenty more to come.

Cucumber harvest

The plants are slowly taking over the greenhouse. It is probably just as well as the late planted tomatoes, while they have some green tomatoes, are not looking as if they will do so well.

Cucumber plants in greenhouse

Luckily, as far as the cucumbers go, I have a lovely pickled cucumber recipe I got from a Latvian friend and have so far made about eight jars. The recipe involves cutting the cucumber up and combing with salt, sugar, vinegar, oil and some dill. The mix is then left overnight and then pack into jars the following day. These are then sterilized using a water-bath canning method.

Cucumber pickle

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greenhouse update

While the greenhouse is not one hundred present finished, it is now a functioning growing space. The tomatoes, while still small are looking much healthier and the cucumber plants are rampaging away, with the first cucumbers beginning to form. I’ve also planted some herbs; hyssop, sage, dill and oregano. The dill is planted around the cucumbers as it is supposed to encourage root development.

Cucumber plants

It’s a lovely space to work in, bright and yet airy. I can see many happy hours of planting and potting-up ahead of me.

 

Greenhouse

Greenhouse – side view

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My husband has fashioned a lovely, sliding catch for the door which he made from some bits of recycled white oak and the top of a brush handle.

Door catch