Friday 28 August 2009

The End is Nigh!

When I came back from my long weekend away I was devasted at the state of the garden. Everything had got out of hand. The plants were either going to seed, fallen over in the wind (which we still have!), being eaten by various insects and/or caterpillars or dead or dying! The tomatoes are well and truly blight ridden but those green ones that looked healthy which we picked before I went away are beginning to ripen and we have actually had some to eat! A miracle! The courgettes were nearly marrows and now they have turned up their toes and all but two of the plants have decided to have stem rot and given up the ghost! The cucumbers are just about hanging in there but I doubt I’ll get many more cucumbers. The herbs have gone to seed overnight as have the oriental mix lettuces and although they are attractive that isn’t what I wanted. In fact the garden needs urgent attention. Weeding, clearing up and cutting back. And it isn’t even September yet!

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The radishes which have/had lots of leaf before the caterpillar attack, but no radishes even after two months!

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These eggs on the nasturtiums didn’t last long! There is great satisfaction in wiping out the dreaded caterpillars before they even get to work! Below are courgette flowers full of rain water! DSCF2317 DSCF2314

Blight! Need I say more. The picture says it all!

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Some of the green tomatoes and the ones that have ripened to date.

DSCF2334 Enormous courgettes!

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The clematis has gone mad and is twining it’s way through the fennel and the camelia. And the lawn desperately needs mowing but the weather is awful! Malam! Malam!

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8 comments:

  1. Plenty of work to be doing Val!

    Is it just me that thinks your garden looks fine? Ha ha, I guess that's good enough evidence of how I keep mine! :D

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  2. uuuuggghhhh. I'm sorry about the tomato - but glad to see you were able to harvest tons first!

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  3. yap you really need to get it done. but i must say the courgettes and tomatoes are alluring.its not that bad either. i am sure it will be great after fixing a little bit.

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  4. Ouch! It hurts even to look at some of the pictures! Back to work, Valeri, back to work! Ha-ha. I should say it to myself. I still can't start working in the garden after coming back from Hawaii. Island life made me lazy...

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  5. Believe me the pictures just didn't do the mess justice. Looking at them I thought the garden looked OK but when I went outside I knew it wasn't! Thank you for your comments. As always they are much appreciated! Val

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  6. The plants really missed your attention, Val. But now you are back, so things will get back to normal.... not before a few back-breaking chores! Have fun Val,
    ~bangchik

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  7. There's never any rest with a garden is there Val ? I think that's this year's weather has been a challenge too. At least you are reaping some edible rewards for all your had labour :)

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  8. Valeri I sympathise I still haven't got back on top since my two week break at my Dad's. There's always another year though.

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