This week’s glut is plums. Last week, I went to do the watering and came home with produce, after washing and de-stoning and getting rid of any with creatures, I had 2.3kgs of plums. 
We’re not doing badly with cucumbers either, 8 on Tuesday and some more tomatoes.
The weekend’s harvest was more of the same. Plums, cucumbers, courgette, crooknecks, beetroot, salad, carrots, spinach, spring onions, some tomatoes. No beans this week because we are waiting on the second sowing, but they are coming. As is the broccoli…
I’m very excited about the tomatoes….
We didn’t just collect plums on the stepladder though, we did some feeding but not much else. Next week, I’ll get some proper time on the plot and tackle some of the bigger jobs, so work this week was just maintenance in preparation for big change coming next week.
I’m absolutely convinced for the sake of my sanity if nothing else that I have sort out the raspberries, I want a clear path from the top to the bottom of the plot and the raspberries are slap bang in the middle of that path, as the photo shows. I have people ready to take some of them too but I’m still a bit sad about it. We worked so hard to save the raspberries last year and we both (Ma especially) got stratched and mangled while trying to do it, not to mention what felt like 100 bags of compost we carried to the plot to mulch them (it was about 20 but it was still hard work!)
If I’m like this over the raspberries, imagine how I’m going to be when we move the gooseberry bushes. I haven’t moved any of it yet but I’m sentimental about it because it’s been there longer than I have and it feels like I’m completely changing the plot. Which is even sillier than you’d think as the plot looks completely different now compared to last year. Change is inevitable but it’s the right thing to do to make the plot work better for me.
First let’s review July. the goals were
Now for August. It’s a busy month. I’m out on the 4th and 5th August for birthday drinks. I have the 7th to 11th off work and that’s mostly going to be about the plot, rubbish disposal and Joe proofing the flat! Then I have a peaceful two weeks until the Bank Holiday weekend when it’s Mike’s 50th birthday and Ben and Laura’s 10th wedding anniversary so Ma and I are having the boys for Sunday and Monday (it’s also Mike and Christelle’s 5th wedding anniversary but that doesn’t require babysitting!).
I’ve stir fried kale and beet leaves. I’ve put spinach in muffins, I’ve eaten salad practically every day. 
I’ve put cucumbers in my water.
I’ve made 
I’ve blitzed 
Say hello to the massive squash. Also say hello to the winter squash plant that is doing really well. The monster butternut squash plant which has seven squash on it and is spreading into the raspberries!
Over the week, I gave Kathy a courgette, a crookneck, a cucumber and a herb. Joe took a cucumber on Thursday, I picked another massive load of french beans, a cucumber and some plums.
I told mum that there probably wouldn’t be much to take home at the weekend. I was wrong. There were no courgettes, but eight crookneck squash, three beetroots, seven cucumbers, six tomatoes (which were eaten straight away and hopefully are a sign of tomatoes to come), four carrots, spinach, salad leaves, spring onions, french beans and loads of plums.
As for actual work on the plot, there was weeding, I finally sorted out the strawberry bed and cut off all the runners. I’ve planted a load of them up, for when I extend the bed and for Laura and Georgie, if they want them. I tidied up the crookneck, cutting off all the mildewed leaves and did the same to the cukes. I also tidied and tied up the tomatoes. 
Next week, we need to bring a stepladder to get to the plums, weed and water and collect food!
