Passing the Baton

Some sixty years ago I remember watching my grandfather in the garden and him explaining what he was doing and why. How thinning carrots was necessary so that the remaining carrots would grow to a reasonable size. Why weeds were best dealt with before they grew much.

It wasn’t a big deal at the time and didn’t turn me into an instant gardener, but it planted a seed that would grow years later and become my passion.

Now my grandson is roughly the same age that I was then, sixty years ago.

I came back from the osteopath with strict instructions not to stress my back until things had had time to settle down. A bit depressing when there are so many tasks to do at this time of year. But my grandson stepped into the breach. More out of kindness to his grandad than interest in gardening but no matter. I’m hoping I’ve planted a similar seed in him.

Up in the polytunnel he watered the potatoes in tubs. Then he mixed the fertiliser in the big can, and together we poured out into a jug so he could feed the strawberries in the hanging baskets. I think he enjoyed doing that, even resisted the urge to water me with the spray!

Next, he planted out some brassicas in the net tunnel for me. I showed him how to get them out of the pots – stem between fingers so that it’s not damaged, tap the base of the pot. My main task was to tell him where to put them!

Grandson taking a sprout out of a pot. Great care and attention!

Planting out the sprouts in the tunnel behind developing cauliflowers

Fruit Looking Good

Blackcurrants Laden with developing currants

The red and black currant bushes are heavily laden. I’m hopeful we’re going to get a decent crop of apples too, this year. The star of the show has to be the strawberries in the polytunnel.

They’re managing to ripen in larger quantities than even my grandson can eat. And he’s pretty good at eating strawberries!

Cooling the Polytunnel

Great as heatwaves are, they actually hold things back as we are wilting in the afternoons. I can get very little done in the polytunnel when it hits sauna levels.

Misters cooling Polytunnel – potato tubs blocking the rear doors

To help things, I put the misters on in the afternoons. I wanted to open the rear doors to get a cooling airflow, but that involves moving a large potato growing tub. Just not feasible with my back problem at the moment. Still, the misters knock the temperature down by 5ºC and 35º is more bearable for me and the plants than 40º. Plus the cooling effect of the mist evaporating from the plants.