Continuing Harvest

Last Sunday was very hot and humid, in fact there were very few allotment holders on site. It was also very dry in spite of the rain we had during the week. We have been fortunate this year as there hasn't been a hosepipe ban and we have been able to water freely. This is clearly a problem as we are all very conscious, these days, of water shortages and, for that matter, all environmental issues. Talking of which, the composting loo is nearly ready for use. It has been built for some time now, but as the concrete apron in front of the toilet had not been constructed and the floor inside had not been painted, it has not yet been commissioned. Apparently, the only thing now holding up the grand opening is the lack of a chain on the toilet brush.

WATCH this space for the announcement that the loo has been declared officially opened!

I have been protecting the corn cobs from the squirrels with plastic water bottles with the tops and bottoms removed. I have only protected half of them owing to shortage of bottles. Up to last week my corn had not yet been attacked but the squirrels are eating the ripe ones first. As mine were planted a little later, they will, no doubt get round to eating mine in due course, once they have eaten the riper ones.


Unfortunately the tomatoes have all got blight even the ones in my greenhouse. I have removed the diseased plants, and tried to salvage some of the apparently unaffected fruit even if not yet ripe. With luck the fruit will ripen without blemish. June is saying she is thinking of banning growing tomatoes outdoors for a year, in an attempt to break the cycle. I am not sure that it is proven that this works. I heard somewhere that watering the tomatoes thoroughly after a rainfall serves to wash the spores off the leaves and this is an effective means of preventing blight without spraying with chemicals.