The Veg Plot.

[Sir Trev]

Lifted my maincrop Stemster spuds last night. Cracking crop considering the lack of rain this year. Same with the onions which are now drying before storage. My use of the sprinkler to soak everything every four or five days instead of a few watering cans every night seems to have suited them both.

[redtrummy]

Well my runner beans have succumbed to the excessive heat, partly compounded by us going onto a water meter and trying to save to offset the expected energy hike- not that I would have used an hosepipe to directly water the garden if requested not to. (I did empty my 9 water tubs that I did refill once)
So one of the main ingredients for the wife's piccalilli is now missing! Got most of the other ingredients though and the fruit trees are well laden to make various chutney's. We will survive!

[Sir Trev]

My beans are not doing great this year. They need watering far more often and I don't want to have the sprinkler on too often or a neighbour will dob me in I'm sure.

My four large water butt's are almost empty. I only use them to top up the (thankfully fairly small) pond now as I'm trying avoid putting tap water in it. Does mean I'm limited in watering options that don't involve back and forth to the tap at the other end of the garden...

[redtrummy]

Beans dead! However apples/pears in proliferation. Just sliced 14 kg of cooking fallings to turn into apple wine (hopefully) If we get cold this winter then we will have something to supply internal warmth!
I have to pick the 2 eating apple and one pear tree. The other pear tree is an Arabian pear and the fruit tastes exquisite, fruit removed today . Got to figure out how to preserve them - Freezer is full.

[Seeker]

A silly question about peonies. I was looking on how (much) to prune them and the article advised cutting right back to 2.5cm /1 inch.
This left me confused because cutting back 2.5cm from the end of the stem doesn't seem like much at all, but cutting back to 2.5cm from the ground seems drastic. I'm guessing, though, it will be the latter?

[Sir Trev]

I have some tuberous peonies that flower for about five minutes a year, and those get cut to the ground once the foliage starts looking manky. They come back every year bigger than ever, and trying to remove a clump is hard work - just a tiny bit of remaining tuber will grow back.

[redtrummy]

Cannot help Seeker. The only flower I understand is a Cauliflower

[Seeker]

Grasshoppers.
When I was lad living in Lincoln there was a field nearby and grasshoppers were common. Fast forward many years, I've been living in NE Lincs for the last 10 years and I've never seen a grasshopper in my garden (or anywhere else) - until today. I disturbed 2 as I was edging the grass, one small one and one bigger one. I wonder how they found their way?

After a quick google, they can fly - didn't know that. Although with hindsight I knew locusts could fly and they're the same family.

[redtrummy]

Great! I haven't seen or heard a grasshopper for a long time

[garynortheast]

I see them quite often round here I'm pleased to report.