16 June 2011

So, what's in the tunnel?

It's surprising how big it is in there, but fortunately I was prepared and grew a few (!) plants in advance. Because it's next to the old tree and there are 'issues' with roots at the top end, I've decided to mainly grow things in pots for now. And because I'm not sure whereabouts in the tunnel I want to grow them, I'm supporting them with canes. I know, I know, it's asking for trouble but I have got plastic bottles or pots on them.

So after potting a dozen French marigolds (from the local garden centre) to attract pollinators and deter nasty things like aphids, the following are currently in the tunnel:

Tomatoes
Gigante Liscio x 2
Costolutu Fiorentino x 11
Roma x 7
Garden Pearl x 4
Japanese Black Truffle x 4
Chocolate Cherry x 6

Some of these are bigger than others though and probably only half of them are in there final (cannabis!) plant pots - for anyone worried about the cannabis connection, see the previous post!


Chillies
Ring of Fire x 5
Hungarian Hot Wax x 5
Jalapeno x 4
Padron x 3
Cayenne x 3
Unknown/unlabelled x 7

I bought a couple of different ones from the school garden open day, only I can't remember what they were and the others are a result of my poor labelling! Could have sworn I'd sown some Joe's Long earlier in the year though...


Cucumber/Gherkins
Miniature White x 3
Bimbostar x 1
Paris Pickling x 1
Unknown x 1 (but it's going to be one of the above!)

and I planted a couple of pots of basil. Now when I was there this morning the camera gave up on me, but fortunately I went back later in the evening accompanied by my assistant keen to see the new polytunnel:


But it's difficult to capture everything with the lens I have in there, but despite having 70+ plants in there, it's in no way crowded.

Other jobs today...
I'm fighting a battle with squirrels or mice to get the few strawberries that have been ready so far, but I managed to get a couple first thing this morning.

Watered the polytunnel.

Made a frame for the cucumbers/gherkins to grow up.

Planted on some tomatoes and chillies, and the marigolds.

Planted some peas (Telephone). Sadly my dwarf ones have been eaten after I proudly boasted earlier this year that mine always grew without netting them, and then the tall ones I planted either didn't germinate or got eaten.

Planted some radish, lettuce and two types of salad leaves, undercropping the beans and peas.

Then picked up various squash plants to plant out up at plot no. 2, stopping off home for some lunch of home grown salad first.

Plot no. 2  grows weeds exceptionally well, and after the rain at the weekend I was in danger of losing the potatoes yet alone the onions!


This was taken a couple of nights ago, just as the light was fading hence the flash, but it's difficult to see the spuds in there! Fortunately I'm pleased to say it's much better now and you can see both the potatoes and onions. And the potatoes have been earthed up!

I then planted out some courgettes (All Green Bush), pumpkins (Crown Prince) and a squash (Gem Store). Then my time was up and it was time to get the kids from school, but I managed to find another four strawberries to take with me.

Around the plots
At this time of year there is a fair amount going on:

Alium bed, the giant ones going to seed, the others just coming out now

Broad beans, with potatoes behind, comfrey in flower and covered in bees and the entrance to the plot is somewhere behind there!

Blueberries, and if I don't get some netting over them they'll be going the same way as the red currants - i.e the birds are going to eat them.

Foxglove, suffering from a lack of water and only about two foot high.

Gooseberry bush - it does so well, I just wish I liked them!

Lettuce intercropped between the french beans to the left and (hopefully) peas to the right

Self-seeded phacelia
'Cottage Garden' up on plot no 2, with a cosmos in the foreground, with cornflowers behind and some carnations fighting for some space with them, dahlias (going out of shot to the left) and foxgloves and gladioli behind. This is how I always hope the garden at home will look, but it never does!

7 comments:

Unknown said...

wow ... I need to retire :(

Sue Garrett said...

Our birds love the redcurrants and the blackbirds are always disgusted when the netting goes up but they seem to leave the blueberries alone - famous last words!

At least your polytunnel means you have no excuse not to garden in the rain!

Matron said...

Oh how wonderful to have a polytunnel! I could grow another 100 tomato varieties to satisfy my addiction!

Nutty Gnome said...

The polytunnel is looking good and your crops are nice and healthy too ....nice to see your onion beds were looking as weed covered as mine! :P
Bloody squirrels scoffed all my cherries - not impressed :(
Tthe tea house is very, very nearly finished so a blogger meet invite will be forthcoming shortly :D

Lucie said...

Nice polytunnel! Are you going to plant more vegs in the future or stick to those that are already there?

RobD said...

I'd like to point out I'm not retired, I'm having a 'career break' ;>)

Yes I do plan to grow more stuff in the tunnel eventually, just not entirely sure how I'm going to go about it yet and given the time of year it was easy to shove a load of stuff in pots in there whilst I have a think about it ;>)

Looking forward to the Summer House Opening Nutty. Thought I was going to have to have one for the polytunnel - and it's not pleasant in there in this weather!

Mo said...

Blimey! There's a lot going on! I love the polytunnel photo :)
Of course, everything else looks wonderful too but that photo spoke to me.
Well done :)Mo