[garynortheast]

Well the veg plot has exploded with growth. Broad beans have been eaten and I’ve cut the plants down but left them in the ground as they help to fix nitrogen in the soil. Several of them are sprouting from the base again so we may just get a second small crop of beans.

French and runner beans are sprinting up the poles. Quite a few of them are flowering and I noticed a couple of tiny beans on the runners yesterday. I’ve had to tie them all in well as it’s been really windy here, and they are being blown off the poles.

Our sugar snaps are absolutely covered in loads of mangetout sized peas. I’ve had one picking of them for a stir fry. I’d like to leave them to fatten up a bit before picking any more but I may not be able to resist. The main crop peas are also doing really well, the plants are also covered in pods, and the second sowings of both types are growing away strongly with flowers already coming on them.

I’ve been eating great big handfuls of cut and come again Salad Bowl lettuce, rocket, sorrel, and chives for a couple of weeks now. Tomato plants are looking good, both the ones in the veg beds and the ones in containers. I recently rooted a load of the side shoots that I’ve been removing from the plants. They were potted on the other day so I now have about twenty tomato plants in all! I may have to put a few up for adoption.....

I’ll get out for a picture update this week.