tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18727426.post-1160146605307203122006-10-06T15:56:00.000+01:002006-10-13T23:17:49.623+01:00<b style="COLOR: #006600">CATCH-UP REVIEW ON 2006 SO FAR</b><br /><br />In the U.K. we had the hottest July on record. The dry days affected flower set on the runner beans. This year I grew them over a walk-through arch to save space and make picking easier. I constructed the arch from Willow Cane - <I><A HREF="http://www.the-organic-gardener.com/growing-runner-beans.html" STYLE="TEXT-DECORATION:UNDERLINE;">see my pages on runner beans</A></I>.<br /><br />But the hot July was followed by an overcast and often wet August. I needn't have worried about the runner beans. A bumper crop emerged for harvesting in September and October. It's just finishing now but I have 3 shelves in my deep freeze full with bags of beans.<br /><br />Once again my autumn raspberry variety <a onmouseover="window.status='Suttons Seeds - U.K. '; return true" onmouseout="window.status=''; return true" href="http://www.the-organic-gardener.com/Suttons-AF" target="new" STYLE="TEXT-DECORATION:UNDERLINE;COLOR: #ffcc00; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #66aa66;font-weight:bold;TEXT-DECORATION:UNDERLINE;">All Gold</a> is producing a good crop. There's still fruit waiting to ripen today.<br /><br />However the wet August and September has put a dampener on things with some fruit spoiled and others quite literally tasting watered down. But I'm still getting handfulls of good tasting firm fruit - and eating them does make me feel better. <br /><br />This variety seems to be very resistant to Botrytis. Where there is some infection I pull off the fruit but adjacent fruit usually remain perfect. <br /><br />Also they haven't been attacked by birds, perhaps their yellow colour is less attractive.<br /><br />My next door neighbour got a bumper crop of plums. My plum tree is only small in it's second year but it gave a very promising crop of fruit. I've put in several apple cordons and one has fruited in it's first year. I've pruned them now.<br /><br />Also this year.<br />I grew several potato varieties, in the garden and in potato bins and tubs. I'll be comparing them on my website.<br /><br />My crops following a green manure and organic fertilizer have been boosted.<br /><br />Not so good - <br />a tomato variety 'Italia' grown outdoors.<br />It provided a sizeable crop of green square shaped tomatoes. The only problem is that they didn't ripen.<br /><br />But I find the square shaped fruit a big advance when it comes to slicing.<br /><br />Finally the grass has benefited from Fish, Blood and Bone, <A HREF="http://www.the-organic-gardener.com/organic-fertilizer.html" TARGET="_BLANK" STYLE="TEXT-DECORATION:UNDERLINE;">organic fertilizer</A> and, a new push mower that can quite literally be run over the grass. It's easier to use without cables, and maintain etc... and so I tend to do it more often. <A HREF="http://www.the-organic-gardener.com/organic-fertilizer.html" TARGET="_BLANK" STYLE="TEXT-DECORATION:UNDERLINE;">See growing lawns</A><div class="blogger-post-footer"><A HREF="http://www.the-organic-gardener.com"><I>See Website</I>: <B>The Home of the Organic Gardener</B></A></div>The Organic Gardenernoreply@blogger.com