I’m going to change my name to Aquarius.
It’s been yet another week during which most of my time at the allotment has been spent attached to the watering can. About a third of that time has been actually watering and two-thirds waiting for the can to fill.
Still no sign of the council investigating the problem, let alone fixing it. With no rain, high temperatures and drying winds, the last thing we need is a poor water supply.
Just in case you think I’m exaggerating about how dry it is. Below is the grass, or lack of it, in the park.
The photo below is of the bowling green. Maybe it should be renamed bowling brown.
The lawns in the walled garden at Temple Newsam don’t look much better.
What we would give for a whole day of ‘proper’ rain.
In the garden, we have a small area behind the greenhouse where we have tomatoes growing in a raised bed.
More tomatoes and cucumbers are growing in crates. They are being kept well watered, and at least they seem to be enjoying the weather.
You may be able to spot the pot of leeks in the cold frame. They are desperate to be planted out, but each time we plan to do this, high temperatures are forecast and we decide that they have a better chance staying put.
Martyn is experimenting with some collars in which to grow lettuce.
At the allotment, we have to take a break from watering to harvest a few things.
We had lots of small cauliflowers that were likely to spoil rather than grow any larger, so we cut them and froze them.
Another time-consuming job is picking berries, so we had to have a break from watering. We even managed to thwart the wood pigeons this year and harvested a modest amount of cherries.
The small punnet of potatoes came from three roots, which is a poor return but not unexpected. The tops were cut back twice by frost. They had warm daytime temperatures and cold nights. Then they lacked moisture as we just left the potatoes to look after themselves, we just couldn’t water everything. Latterly, we have had some high temperatures that don’t suit the development of potato tubers. All in all we are bracing ourselves for a poor potato harvest.
Some of our cabbage was used in a turkey dish with one of our winter onions and garlic.
We had an afternoon walk at Temple Newsam, where the borders in the walled garden are filling up. The delphiniums in particular were spectacular.
More importantly, in Ruby’s mind was that she is back to enjoying ball games.
At Nostell, the swan family was gathered in their favourite preening location so we had a close-up view. All five cygnets are growing quickly.
A squirrel was undeterred by their presence. It obviously hadn’t witnessed the rough treatment meted out to ducks when the swans object to them being close by.
That’s all for this week, as I need to perfect my rain dance. Until next week, stay safe and stay well.
Again, I am linking to Harvest Monday on Dave’s Our Happy Acres blog.
It is feeling very 1976-y isn’t it! Those delphiniums though – wow, what a display! – and the little cauliflowers look excellent.
You’re already picking loads, but the potato harvest is bad news. Poor little Ruby, but lots to keep her interested at the allotment.
Post the video of your rain dance and we’ll all join in 😊
If I remember rightly, Belinda stand pipes were put out in 1976 altjough the weather broke before they were used. I’m far too shy to film my dancing.
Looks like you have a lovely assortment of fruits there! Too bad they can’t get the water situation fixed at the allotment.
I think yhey may get tound to lookinh=g at the water supply midwinter, Dave acting in iy is a different matter
I’ve never seen such a planting of delphiniums! Lovely and thank you for sharing. Very nice harvests given your adverse conditions. It’s hard to imagine those lovely lawns so brownish. Are the plastic collars to protect the plants from chewing insects, slugs and snails?
The collars are to try to protect from slugs abd snails, Sue