Heatwave Ends, Jobs get Done!

The heatwave broke at the weekend with rain for which I’m grateful. There was a time when I coped quite well with the heat but now it just wipes me out. Even under strong Spanish sun gardening was possible. 8 to 11 and 5 to 8 with a six hour lunch and siesta. Happy days!

Roses in flower

Obviously watering just has to be done and in hot weather the polytunnel was getting watered morning and evening. Just one problem with the evening watering, horseflies. Horrid nasty things whose bite leaves me with nasty lumps itching for days. I seem to be particularly affected by their bite.

I’d sown a little spare space in the polytunnel with White Icicle radish. Very fast, roots two or three times the size of French Breakfast with good flavour. They’re replacing French Breakfast on my list.

Year for Fruit!

This year looks to be turning into the year for fruit. We’ve apples and pears swelling and don’t seem to have lost any in the ‘June drop’ Taking the trouble to properly clear around the stem, feed and water has paid off. All I need to do now is make sure sheep or foxes don’t get to them!

The jostaberries and blackcurrants are about to overwhelm us with fruit, so long as I net the jostas because the birds like them. Not so much the blackcurrants. That’s despite the sawfly attack on the jostaberries. They also went for the redcurrants which won’t produce much this year.

The tayberries are really laden – best year we’ve ever had if they carry on like this. The blackberries look very promising too.

The Elder rising above some conifers in flower. Berries to follow in due course.

It’s not just the cultivated fruits. The birds will be getting a load of hawthorne and rowan berries. The elder is heavily laden with blossom and the rambling roses with flowers. They will be loaded with hips later in the year. All I’ve done for this bounty, is plant them.

Pumpkins & Squashes

Pumpkins and squashes planted through weed matting.

Finally got my pumpkins and squashes planted out. They really should have gone out some weeks ago but between hot sun, black weed matting and horseflies..

The area was layered in a cut of comfrey over the grass with a layer of cardboard over that under the weed matting. Slow release fertiliser was spread prior to planting.

Varieties:

• Pumpkin Jack O’Lantern
• Spaghetti Squash
• Squash Uchiki Kuri

Happy Summer Solstice!

Here in North Wales, today, Thursday and Friday all have sunrise at 04:51 and sunset at 21:47 giving us 16 hours and 56 minutes when the sun is over the horizon. On Saturday we lose a minute of daylight as the days progressively shorten.

Anyway, the Summer Solstice marks the beginning of summer. Let’s hope it’s a good one.