First Harvest

It is now early June and the sun has been shining for weeks, the temperature has hit the early 30s and I have emptied two of the rainwater butts keeping my young plants watered.  There has been a major burst of growth over the past week and I am starting to harvest the fruit and salad that is ripening in the warmth and sunshine.

The peas are swelling in their pods, which are hanging heavy from the winding climbers

The broad beans have been flowering profusely for the last 3 weeks, and the bees have been busily pollinating them.  Huge purple black carpenter bees, alongside lumbering bumble bees have done their work, and despite a bit of brown spot on the plant, I have spotted the first beans

And even the french beans which went out into the garden a little early, have started to produce their first crop.

The canteloupe melons have been planted out and have been putting on new growth,

And the butternut squash plants are growing rapidly, and the first pumpkin has appeared.  A mite too early to start carving it yet though.

The ferny tops of the carrots have completely filled the enviromesh cover

And the broccoli, sprouts and cauliflower are thriving under the mesh, as it is providing some shade from the intense heat of the sun

After starting them in the greenhouse, the sweetcorn have now been planted outside in a block to ensure they are all pollinated, and we get the sweetest corn cobs

All the tomatoes have been planted out now as the night time temperatures are staying above 10 degrees, and after the tiny yellow flowers, I now have the first signs of the cherry tomatoes

Our fruit bushes are also bearing fruit now, in various stages of ripening.
The raspberries have just formed and are starting to swell

The little bell flowers on the blueberry plants have been replaced with the berries that are starting to turn from green to blue

Whilst shading under the leaves of the bush, the gooseberries are starting to ripen

And the rhubarb has almost taken over one side of the fruit bed

Even the grapevines that we transported over from England made it through the -16 degree winter freeze, and have not only put on leafy growth, but we also have the first grapes appearing

And finally our strawberries are bright red jewels in the veggie beds, sweet and juicy, best tasting when eaten warm straight off the plant.

And along with the spinach salad leaves and radishes, they have provided us with our first harvest.

Hugh Fernley had a great tip to store strawberries.  He advised putting them in a sealed container with some golden sugar and then to shake them about to break the surface of the fruit slightly which when mixed with the sugar produces a sweet natural glaze to the fruit.  He added vinegar too, but I don't think they need this.  Served with a big dollop of creme fraiche, they are amazing - so sweet and juicy, and an intense strawberry flavour - didn't manage to see how long they last with this method though as we ate them all!