The weather continues to vacillate. It seems to have become confused as to what season it is, so it keeps trying out different ones, seemingly trying to decide on the best fit.
During the period of summery weather the plants kicked their heels and sprung into action. This is what they had been waiting for.
Climbing beans began to sprint up the canes. Some were a little wayward in the direction they took and needed guiding back on the correct path.
The sweetcorn is looking sturdier and growing quickly
Courgettes are bushing out and producing the first fruits. It looks as though the glut will soon be upon us.
I was weeding one patch of courgettes when I noticed the plants had tendrils, making me suspect that they were a climbing variety. A check of our seed list confirmed this so a frame was made using some of our hazel poles.
Elsewhere squash plants have set off on their determined exploration of their allocated bed. Given half a chance they will venture further so we will need to keep them in check.
Parsnips have put on lots of growth. At least they are well-behaved and will stay put.
Earlier, I thought that the broad bean flowers hadn’t been pollinated, but happily, I was wrong.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, we have problems with wood pigeons dining on pea plants so the peas have been protected under environmesh. They were becoming desperate to climb so the enviromesh has been removed and twiggy supports are now in place. Fingers crossed that the pigeons can find something else to eat. Preferably not on our plot.
There was space in one of the enviromesh tunnels so Martyn sowed some beetroot and spring onion seeds.
It’s not only the vegetables that are putting on a growth spurt; lavender is now flowering.
I’m also cutting sweet peas by the bucketful. The seeds were sown in autumn and for a long time, it looked as if they were not going to grow. I hope the later sown seeds will copy them and produce a second flush of flowers.
We dug the second root of our early potatoes. Again the potatoes were surprisingly large. I think the wet spring suited them. We were concerned that the wet weather would have also suited the slugs so another surprise was that the potatoes were undamaged.
On Sunday we lifted the first root of our other early potato variety. This root produced more potatoes but they were also larger than expected. The pointed cabbages had holes in the outer leaves so quite a lot needed stripping off leaving only a small amount of usable cabbage.
I also picked some ripe jostaberries. These were from the only bush that was protected under netting. The birds have stripped the fruit from the other bushes. Fortunately, there are plenty of berries still to ripen on the covered bush.
When Ruby comes with us to the allotment, she is always worried that Martyn will drive off without me when I get out of the car to unlock the gate. She likes to keep an eye on where I am.
Last week we had our usual walk around Nostell
We were pleased to see all four cygnets. They are growing quickly and becoming more and more swan-like.
Squirrels were foraging in the grass.
When we get home, Ruby likes to relax by squeezing between us. If we sit on different sofas, she has a way of making it clear that she wants us to sit together. My arms weren’t quite long enough to take decent photos using my iPad
Last week we enjoyed freshly harvested vegetables with some of our meals.
I also made a Thai vegetable curry using our onions and some squash from the freezer. I added baby spinach to my versions and used red curry paste as I didn’t have any yellow. 
That’s all from me for this week so as always stay safe and well.
Again I am joining Dave’s Harvest Monday on his Our Happy Acres blog
I bet your house smells divine with the scent of those sweet peas.
It’s just a shame that the flowers soon go over, Jo
Your garden looks wonderful! Hope the weather has been favorable. I love your use of twigs and branches for supports. Your garden is ahead of mine though the zucchini are abundant. My corn is only about 2 inches tall!
Seems strange to think that we are ahead of you, Sue
Oh my goodness, Ruby on the sofa is just so sweet. Bertie has anxiety about where everyone is when we’re out and about as well. Maybe a poodle thing? And he is always in a complete panic when we go out in the car until he is in his crate in the back, then he knows that he is going too and won’t be left behind by mistake and he relaxes a little. Fantastic harvests. I’ve been picking masses of sweet peas as well. Your lavender is amazing.
Ruby is always eager to get ino the ar, CJ whether we are going out or coming home. She heads straight for our car in the car park and bounces up anr the back wheel.
I see I’m not the only one that has to work to keep their squash plants from rambling everywhere! I have mine on trellises, but they don’t always want to stay put and try and go everywhere. Your plants do look healthy too.
Squashes are very determined to explire, Dave