Garden Diary: Fruit and Veg Challenges – October

This week has brought further gardening challenges as my lack of mobility still hinders progress working in the garden. Last week I made a ‘muscle’ job list of work that we would probably need to employ some help with lifting and heavy digging. But as I wandered around the garden I realized that was just the tip of the iceberg. Don’t you just hate it when you have so much to do that you don’t know where to start?

Raised Vegetable Garden

Our raised vegetable garden is looking rather sad at the moment. I had high hopes at the beginning of  COVID lockdown that given all the various squash, melon seeds etc I planted during that period we would have an abundance of fruit and veg. Sadly, despite my attempts to protect the plants by anchoring them in place with rocks, covering with plastic crates the rogue blackbird managed to uproot most of them or what plants survived, failed to bear fruit as they were all male flowers. The courgettes also proved a challenge either due to white mold or the baby courgettes rotting as the flowers died off.

Only carrots, aubergines, and leeks have survived – oh, and the weeds.

Leeks

The leeks I grew from seed are actually beginning to resemble leeks. I am not sure if it will work but instead of banking them up with soil we made ‘collars’ from water bottles and filling with soil so the stems become white as they grow. Not sure if it will work as Gnome filled them to the top in one go… which means the earth will probably get inside the leek. Ho hum, we live to learn.

Strawberry Bed

The strawberry plants are looking tired, hungry, and thirsty. After the great start at the beginning of the season with huge strawberries, I wonder if we should dig them up and start again, or just cut right back and fertilize the soil?

Blueberry Bush

Because of the health benefits of Blueberries I’ve tried for three years to grow this bush but to no avail. I think it’s time I put it out of its misery and the poor thing meets its maker in the sky. I probably should add this to the ‘muscle list’

Aubergines Grow Well in Pots

I planted these seeds in May, planted on in pots, and am now harvesting the aubergines.

 

Purple Basil

I bought a tiny purple basil plant back in June for just €1.75. Little did I know how large it would grow or it would give such a wonderful display of purple flowers for the bees. As the flowers die off they turn to seed. I wonder if I cut the flower spikes back if the basil will continue to grow and produce more? We will see.

 

Orange Tree

This year our oranges are only the size of tennis or golf balls. They are meant to be Christmas oranges and should not even be ripe yet!

Lime Tree Growing in a Pot

Growing a lime tree in a large pot was always going to be a challenge but I thought it would be worth a try. Not enough water, too much water, or not enough nutrients. WHO knows.

Kumquat Tree Growing in a Pot

At least the Kumquat tree looks happy with several baby kumquats and lots of flowers

Squash Growing in a Pot

This is my only surviving squash plant.  Sadly, the leaves are already suffering from a bad dose of drey mold.

Squash Leaves with Grey Mold

Growing Tumeric in a Pot

Back in lockdown, a friend bought me some fresh turmeric. I completely forgot about it until I was clearing my workshop bench on the 25th July – and there it was hiding under some papers. I’ve never tried to grow turmeric before so I decided to try.