Shrinking Violet

Autumn sown sweet peas

Mine are blooming now (sown last autumn) and I look forward to many pickings, and the wonderful perfume in the house.  They are planted in very deep troughs, with lots of compost added, which seems to suit them.

WHITE LEAVES

It sounds like a classic case of cold temperatures.  Cold can cause the leaves to turn white.  It may delay plant growth, but, providing the temperatures pick up and return to normal, it ought not to prevent further development. I presume, of course, that the plants that you bought as well as the ones that you raised from seed, had been hardened off before being planted out.  If not, then the cold would have been the result of temperature shock.

With regard to "pinching out"tomatoes - it all depends on the type of tomato that you are growing.  Those which are best trained to prevent them from using up their energy in side shoots, should have the shoots that develop where leaves branch from the main stem removed.  Bush varieties can be allowed to develop naturally.  (I find that such tomatoes, Gardeners' Delight, for example, benefit from a bit of training at the outset, so that side shoots are removed, and allowed to develop naturally later;  this makes it easier to ensure that watering reaches the roots and splashing of lower leaves is less likely.  Others may disagree:  gardening is not an exact science!).

What's the weather like in your area?

Well: who'd-a-thunk it?  The sun is shining, lots of blue sky, tho' drizzly stuff in the air comes and goes (good for rainbows).

If I could send this up to London I would - it's much warmer than predicted.  Thermometer outside kitchen window reads 22C. 

Lots of low cloud on the hills, though, so once again we may be blessed with the Porlock Vale micro-climate.  But I'm making the most of it!

Roast duck with orange sauce for lunch, smelling wonderful in the oven.  Followed by Diamond apple and blackberry puffs (own invention - hope they taste as good as they look!).  And a bottle of fizz to go with it. 

Happy Jubilee all. 

What's the weather like in your area?

It's trying to rain as I type - and the clouds have been rumbling for the past hour, so it looks like we will get a bit of useful rain! 

Village had its annual duck race (postponed from the early May BH because of the rain!) and rushed things on a bit to get it done before the weather set in.  Good call, methinks.  (OH is complaining of cold feet and aching legs because he was a "thrasher" in the stream to help the ducks along )

I managed to get my beans and peas in this morning.  Just have to hope they don't get washed away .

What's the weather like in your area?

Well - if any one can make granddaughter's flower better, then it's you, Frank. 

Very cloudy and threatening here, like it's been the past couple of days.  But, so far, it been more of a threat of rain then actual wet stuff;  things may change - we're predicted to have a bit of a soaking later today/tomorrow.  Jolly Jubilee weather?

What's the weather like in your area?

Re weather - cloudy and murky here today.  Mist on the hills keeps drifting down into the Vale, so it is rather damp and unpleasant.  Musn't grumble - at least plants aren't under stress from too much heat when they're planted out!

Re Frank's inability to see own posts:  I think figrat is right, and there's a glitch in the "ignore" part of personal settings.  I found I couldn't read any posts from Alina for no reason at all.  I hadn't even thought about ignoring anyone, but there it was!  So I "unignored" it - and now can see all posts. 

(I wonder if there's a gremlin in the system???)

Blue Lake Pencil Beans

Blue Lake Pencil Beans

Oh, yes!  Those spiral look so good - real architectural additions to a border.  If you do it - will you post a picture?

Blue Lake Pencil Beans

Can't you quickly build a wigwam/A-frame over them figrat?  I think that's what I'd be tempted to do.  If they are climbing beans - you'll get the crop,  If you have tried to thwart them in their desire to grow upwards, I'm not sure you'd get much of a harvest.  And if they were truly dwarf all along, all you'd have to do is to remove whatever structure you've erected. 

What's the weather like in your area?

Cloudy.  Warm this morning but now, late afternoon, it's noticeably cooler.  There's a dampness in the air, so we may yet get the predicted rain.

Fungus on peas

Weather Lore - and more

The wrong kind of birds

Community Orchard