More to harvest

You can only have so many pictures of beans, so this is one of a few of my onions. I have pulled up those whose tops were dry and brown, and those where the tops were bending over, and they are now drying in the greenhouse. These were the onions from sets - the onions from seeds are still growing strongly. The size is good, and they all look healthy. It's a mark of how early the season is that, not only have I started harvesting onions, but the sweetcorn are nearly ready.
 The peas and broad beans have of course now finished, but I am picking lots of French beans and runner beans, as well as beetroot, potatoes and courgettes. (If I had room, I would make successional sowings of the peas and broad beans, but this is not possible.) The French beans are all being cut up, blanched and put in the freezer as they freeze so well, and are a delight during the dark days of winter. The runners do not freeze well though, so we are eating them fresh and giving loads away. The potatoes (Kestrel, second early) - a small harvest, because of the weather? - are super baked or roast, not so good boiled as the skins come off and the potato tends to break up. But they are at least slug resistant. My butternut squash have gone mad - one now has runners ten feet long - which is I suppose a reflection on the weather, which has been hot and sunny - and dry. I have to water every 2 or 3 days. We had some rain the week before last, but none since, and the days have consistently been in the mid 20s C, with nights in the high teens.

'Knee high by the fourth of July'

There is an old American saying that sweetcorn should be 'knee high by the fourth of July'. This is mine - and it is knee high. I have planted lettuces in between, plus one spare courgette plant. All of these should be ready before they are overshadowed by the sweetcorn.

I am still picking broad beans and peas - enough to eat every day, plus quite a lot for the freezer. Also carrots, beetroot, lettuce, cabbage and new potatoes. The latter are a bit disappointing. The yields are small (mind you, I am digging them very young) but there is no slug damage as Kestrel are slug resistant. However, there is a little scab on some, and if you boil them for more than 15 minutes - barely enough to soften them - the skins come off. The flavour is good though! The broad beans only require 4 or 5 minutes, and the peas no more than a minute, if you cook them at all, as they are delicious raw.

Still to come are onions (sets and seed) which are looking good, courgettes, French beans and runner beans - both nearly ready - Swiss chard, and lots of autumn/winter veg - leeks, Brussels sprouts, swedes, parsnips. And of course the sweetcorn, which I am looking forward to eagerly!