The early part of last week was overcast with rain at times, but it was better from Thursday and I’ve spent the past three mornings happily plotting.
The Charlotte second early potato foliage has died right back so I’ve started lifting some. These are from two plants and were lifted by hand so I’ve no doubt that there’ll be more when I carefully fork the area over later on. They’ve come out of the ground clean and unmarked, and taste every bit as good as they look.
Regular readers will know that I never have much luck with carrots but this year I’ve actually managed to grow some. These are the variety Caracas which I sowed between two rows of onions to help avoid carrot fly. They looked, and tasted, good but I would have liked them to have been a bit bigger as they were only the size of of my thumb tip!
I’m please to see that the Mini Munch cucumber has fruit on it. The biggest is about three to four inches long and an inch diameter so needs to be left to get a bit bigger before picking. I’m growing this in a pot, with the stems tied to a cane.
I also have a Marketmore cucumber out on the plot which is growing well and has plenty of flowers.
The flowering teasel heads have been buzzing with bees
The Big Butterfly Count 2015 started on Friday and continues through to Sunday, 9th August. All you need do is spend fifteen minutes in your garden or local green space counting butterflies you see then submitting the results. Do please take part if you can.
I saw this Gatekeeper last Thursday when I was chatting to Trevor on his plot.
Happy gardening, and have a good week!
[Click on any picture to see a larger image]
Flighty's plot 
Awesome update well done on your carrots and all your other harvest have a blessed day
LikeLike
Linda thanks. You too. xx
LikeLike
Your Charlotte potatoes do look good. This is a fabulous variety, good in all respects. Have you seen many butterflies? They have been very scarce round my way – mostly just the white ones.
LikeLike
Mark thanks. I agree. I saw some over the weekend. That’s a shame.
LikeLike
Your spuds look lovely, mine never look so blemish free if I grow them in the ground, that’s why I’ve resorted to containers. I’ve got a couple of mini munch about the same size as yours, I’ll give them another couple of days and if they don’t put on much growth in that time I’ll pull them as they are. I didn’t know about the Big Butterfly Count, I’ll definitely take part if I get chance.
LikeLike
Jo thanks, container grown ones do generally look better. I’m keeping an eye on my cucumbers. Good for you. xx
LikeLike
Wow, immaculate potatoes, they’re wonderful. Well done on the carrots as well, they’re tricky beasts. I’ve managed a few this year, I’ve got nice green tops but I’ve a feeling they’re not very big underneath yet. Nice cucumbers as well. I think I need to put in a couple more plants, we always get through mountains of them. Glad you had a good week at the plot. CJ xx
LikeLike
CJ thanks, I’m particularly please with the carrots. I generally have too many cucumbers just from two plants. Me too. xx
LikeLike
Your crop looks as happy as you sound Mr F.
BTW for info, anyone on BCUK has been notified that the whole operation is closing and all blogs that people wish to keep can be transferred to WP. The instructions for doing so are in the letter we received. The links in the letter advise on the transfer tool protocols. Those who already have WP accounts can just go ahead with advised the process.
xxx
LikeLike
Menhir thanks. Shame about BCUK , but have to say that I’m not really surprised. xx
LikeLike
Wonderful post.. your potatoes look so good. Love the teasel and bee photo and the Gatekeeper one too! Have a good week :o) xx
LikeLike
Julie thanks. I was especially pleased with the bee on the teasel picture. You too. xx
LikeLike
Your Charlotte harvest looks wonderful; the carrots too. What satisfaction to grow your own food. Tomatoes and herbs are my limit in my garden and I go to the local farmer’s markets for their bounty. There haven’t been many butterflies here, except (as noted above) the white ones. The white ones are everywhere. There was a swallowtail fluttering around the other day. I so badly wanted to take a photo of it but was speaking on my iPhone at the time (and that is my camera!)
LikeLike
Liz thanks. It sure is. It’s a shame that we’re seeing less butterflies nowadays. I hope that you get to see, and photograph, another Swallowtail.
LikeLike
Your potatoes are looking really good, very clean! Your carrots look good in the photo too, it’s a pity they’re not as big as you wished. I have a teasel growing in a corner of my front garden right by the sitting room window. I can see bees on it during the day & hope to see goldfinches on it later on in the year. Have a good week x
LikeLike
Joanne thanks, they are a good variety. Well done, let’s hope that we hope see some goldfinches on the teasels. You too. xx
LikeLike
Hurrah for harvest time and good riddance to your plot blues. Love your little carrots, small but super tasty and wow, cucumbers! What a contrast between your climate and ours. We dug up some of the potatoes on our plot last week and they too were competely clean, I must try to find out their name. xx
LikeLike
Carrie the first more than makes up for the second. I hope that you get some better weather. Well done. xx
LikeLike
Charlotte is one of our favourite spuds. Yours look great.
LikeLike
Pianolearner it’s not surprising that they’re so highly rated.
LikeLike
Sounds like you are having a productive gardening season. I have dug up all my Charlottes, they really are an excellent spud.
LikeLike
Elaine I am now after a poor start. Well done, they sure are. xx
LikeLike
Well done with the carrots, Flighty – it’s quite a triumph to pull up nice plump ones! Mine were tiny too (the ones that didn’t bolt into flower), the hot weather doesn’t do carrots any favours. I thought this past weekend was excellent for gardening, just the right temperature to make being outdoors feel really pleasant with a touch of overnight rain. Wish it was always like that! Wishing you a happy plotting week! Caro xx PS. Only seeing cabbage whites here …
LikeLike
Caro thanks, I really didn’t think that they were much good until I lifted them. I agree, the past few days has been ideal plotting weather for the time of year. I do too. You too. That’s a shame, I hope that you get to see some of the others. xx
LikeLike
Those spuds look amazing. You’re making me hungry 🙂
LikeLike
Matt thanks.
LikeLike
Oh, how glorious your Charlottes are looking. I’m amazed they come out of the ground so pretty and plate-ready 😉 The carrots are cute, though, as you say, barely a mouthful if they are as small as you say.
LikeLike
Nikki they sure are. So am I. The carrots really are that small but maybe the second lot will be bigger. xx
LikeLike
Your carrots look great and I just love Charlottes. Well done for the Gatekeeper shot.
LikeLike
Chloris thanks and good for you. There’s been lots of Gatekeepers around the past few days. xx
LikeLike
Yum to the veggies, wow to the pretty butterfly. I hope you give us a post about your butterfly count!
LikeLike
Anna I agree on both counts. I will do a post about the butterfly count. xx
LikeLike
I grew a few Charlottes this year just to try them out and they were delicious, much nicer than my Foremost earlies that have a lot of scab. I haven’t had much luck with the carrots as per usual this year.
LikeLike
Zoe hello. Good for you, Charlottes rarely get scab and taste better. I sympathise as I generally don’t do well with carrots either. xx
LikeLike
Your Charlottes do love lovely! I tend to leave my carrots in the ground until they get bigger, the young ones are tastier though….
Your teasel is ahead of mine, how lovely that they are attracting the bees…
I haven’t seen many butterflies this year, or ladybirds, lots of ladybird larvae though, now the buddleia is out I’m hoping the butterflies will arrive.xxx
LikeLike
Snowbird thanks. These carrots don’t grow a lot bigger but there’s still some to be lifted so we shall see.
I’m always pleased with the teasels. That’s a shame, I hope that you do see more over the coming weeks. xx
LikeLike
I add my commendations for your excellent looking Charlottes! Do you like to eat those little carrots raw, or prefer them steamed? Good shot of the bee on the flowerhead 🙂 Not as many butterflies around here right now either ~ too dry for much of anything…. although I noticed one little Flighty’s Favorite flower blooming amidst nothing much else!
LikeLike
Glo thanks. I ate one raw but cooked the rest. Thanks. That’s a shame, I hope that you see more soon. That’s good to know. xx
LikeLike