Vegetable update

7 August 2009

For a long time now I’ve either been in Linz, doing work about Linz, recovering from Linz, or blogging Linz, it seems.

But now? Vegetables, baby.

Things are all a bit different down there at the end of the garden, so let’s get an update:

TOMATOES
- The tomatoes in the ground are bearing little green fruits.
- The cherry tomatoes are thinking about flowering, but seem to be more interested in growing 5 feet high.
- The tomatoes in the pots are beginning to flower. They are also being kept company by a sunflower that grew from dropped bird seed.

AUBERGINES
- The aubergines have gone all furry and cute and soft; it’s like I’m growing little lambs. They now have flower heads, which look somehow auberginey.

CUCUMBERS
- I definitely have a thing for cucurbits. I know not why, but they excite me. I understand them and like the way they grow.
- Three of the four plants have really taken off; the fourth is healthy, but behind them.
- There are a number of little cucumbers growing, currently cornichon-sized, I’d say.

BEETROOT
- The first row are magnifico; arias should be sung about these roots. A few are soon to be harvested.
- Mangold fly has persisted, but not been a problem as I’ve removed the affected leaves, stopping each time to exclaim “Look at that!” at the sight of the maggots within the blisters.
- The second row of beetroot has bucked up its ideas, but still looks a bit weedy-wet.

CARROTS
- Hard to say whether these roots are aria-worthy, because they don’t pop out of the ground like beetroot. By the look of their frilly green tops and what little I can see of the tops of the roots, I would say that aria-composers should sharpen their pencils.
- The second row of carrots looks on course to being just as good.

SWEETCORN
- Nothing like as good as 2007, but much better than last year, when I only got two laughable spindly plants. They’re not as tall as they should be, but – for the most part – look healthy. Maybe I’ll get some small cobs from them?

RUNNER BEANS
- I’ll be harvesting some beans today, as there are a number dangling down ready to pick. These have been more fun than I thought they would be, so next year I’ll grow some more against the fence. I’ll also be ready right from the word go with my little plastic protectors to ward off hungry slugs. It turns out that they don’t like the idea of crawling over a sharp plastic edge to get their food.