Berries Galore!

Well, not quite; although we have had a couple of punnets worth of strawberries so far this year. This batch was picked today

It is a constant battle to beat the slugs and there are so many more that they get to first... they don't even eat the whole fruit, but damage them just enough to make them unfit for human consumption! Then the woodlice get in there and have a go at the decomposing ones.

Partly my fault as I have let the soft fruit bed run wild this year; I didn't cut down the raspberry canes, or remove the straw that I put down last year, or weed it, so I have created a haven for creepy crawlies to thrive in.

So much so, that picking anything that doesn't naturally rise above the mayhem is like a bush-tucker trial. These gooseberries had the added complexity of thorns hampering their collection (the redcurrants got pulled off during the process and are not quite ripe yet)

So, learning point for next year... keep on top of the general garden maintenance!

First Taters

Eleven weeks ago I planted my potatoes in sacks and today I uncovered the first batch of maris bard

I thought it might have been a bit early, but my lack of patience got the better of me... they are a decent size though so it's all good.

Something About Aliums

In a year when not much seems to be growing very well in my garden (hence my almost 3 month absence from posting), the aliums have come through for me.

Troy...

Electric...

and Iberian Wight...

... planted out in the autumn were pulled out of the raised beds earlier today and are currently sunning themselves on the lawn. Let's just hope the sun hangs around for a few days to help them dry out!