Garden Update

[MaryN]

It has certainly been a busy season so far. Things seem to be a little behind, but growth is good and the crops I have had so far have been very acceptable.

Last year my brassicas - cabbage, sprouts and purple sprouting - were decimated by slugs. I was not amused. We got a bit of PSB out of it and the hens feasted on what was left, but it was not a good year. So, this year I decided on a different approach. OH was dragooned into building a cabbage pen covered with anti-butterfly netting. I'm pleased to report that so far it has been a big success. I have watched the cabbage whites fluttering outside but none have managed to get inside. There has also been the extra plus that I have been able to indulge myself in using a few slug pellets - usually a no-go with pets and wildlife - without any livestock being able to get in either. Win win. If anyone else has been having trouble with pests, this could be the way for you. Next year all brassicas and pest-sensitive stuff will be grown in a cage.

Cropping has been good so far. We glutted on strawberries, and I am now picking gooseberries (hate those thorns!), blackcurrants and loganberries. The pea crop has been tremendous and I am picking, podding and freezing every day at the moment. Looks like it might be a good winter on the home-grown produce front.

Happy gardening.