'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!