Flaming June ?

Tomatoes have started to appear - here is my first Cristal. I popped in tonight to water (even though it was bucketing down outside) and most of the plants are now developing fruit. Must remember to feed them at the w/e - this one is double the size already from when the photo was taken. The pepper plants are looking really strong and healthy too.

I added some shading to the greenhouse last weekend to protect the plants from the sun and took the advice of my lottie neighbour to leave the door fully open (day and night). Another job for the weekend will be adding string supports to all of the tomatoes. The aubergines in the potting shed are looking quite happy and the crystal lemon cucumbers have finally stopped sulking and started to grow - but I think it'll be a while before I get any fruit from them.

My Sunshine Blueberry bush seems quite happy and is laden with berries. I've put it in front of the greenhouse to help shade the tomatoes.


I'm really pleased with my melons. The addition of perspex and glass seems to be keeping them warm enough and they've started to put on some growth and are now flowering. Here is Temptation:


The sweet potatoes have started to put on growth. I'm not so sure that I've got their position right though. I was thinking that the greenhouse would keep them warm, but actually they end up being shaded by it and because the allotment is on a slight slope they are planted in a bit of a dip. Will definitely have to think about a better place to put them next year. They look a little weedy, but they'll soon get going. They are planted under black landscape material to help retain heat. The 'parent' potatoes are still producing slips, its getting a little late to plant them, as they like a long season, so I may put them into a pot in the greenhouse as an experiment.



Both of the Sunshine Squashes have both got their first fruit on, even though the plants are still tiny:


Looks like my first sunflower won't be long now - I've planted 16 (2 have been eaten) and 2 more have self sown themselves:


This is the seed head from the King Cup that lives in the pond:


Some more wildlife - I'm becoming obsessive about ladybird varieties at the moment:

7-Spot Ladybird:


2-Spot Ladybird:


Melanic 2-spot Ladybird




Bumble bee on comfrey ... have just discovered that the empty lottie next door has a huge clump of comfrey - shall be liberating a leaf or two once the flowers have died away:


Bugs on a dandelion clock:


Favourite Froggie: