August 2011

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Total August harvest = £78.30 / 16.75 kg

Full details of weekly harvests at bottom of page.

Week 17:  August 21 – 27

Total for week = £58.78 / 12.20 kg (2010: £54.40 / 5.62 kg)

A new record week – 12 kg, over 4kgs more than the previous best (8.1 kg in August 2010).

This is a wonderful time of year to have a vertical allotment. The south facing window sills are producing more chillies and tomatoes than we can eat and the balcony is churning out runner and French beans. The excess produce makes great presents for friends and neighbours. We also have plenty of aubergines, peppers, squash and basil – and all taste so much better when you can harvest them literally moments before you eat.

Apart from buying the odd onion, we are completely self sufficient in veg at the moment.  Hugely rewarding.

 

Although I love growing things to eat, how it looks is also important to me (and the neighbours). This year I’ve been trying to brighten things up with more ornamental flowers – albeit carefully chosen for their beneficial  insect attracting properties! Here the verbena and (very tall!) cosmos is adding colour to the entrance to our flat (and the street).

 

Week 16:  August 14 – 20

Total for week = £8.93 / 1.62 kg (2010: £53.32 / 8.10kg)

We get back from our summer hols on 20th. Veg looks great and there is harvesting to catch up with! Next week will be a big one. The hanging baskets have produced an amazing crop of cherry tomatoes:

And the tromboncino are doing well, too:

We harvest some strawberries as soon as we get home….

Which are quickly devoured by our son!

Week 15:  August 7 – 13

Total for week = £3.89 / 1.29 kg (2010: £47.15 / 8.19kg)

Second week of our three week holiday.

Week 14:  July 31 – August 6

Total for week = £6.65 / 1.68 kg (2010: £14.40 / 1.03kg)

First week of our three week holiday. Two actors look after our flat and the vegetables while we’re away. They’ve done little growing before and do an excellent job of the watering. Unused to fresh food on the doorstep,  they harvest less produce – so harvests are down.

Here’s the display of street veg as we leave:

 

 

And at the back of the house, the sweetcorn and runner bean tower are looking good. The runner beans have been slow to set this year, but are just beginning now.

Week 14: July 31 – August 6

Tuesday: 360g vine tomatoes, 466g cherry tomatoes
Thursday: 396g squash
Friday: 267g French beans, 14g runner beans, 111g cucumber.

Total for week = £6.65 / 1.68 kg (2010: £14.40 / 1.03kg)

Week 15: August 7 – 13

Sunday: 546g Kuri squash, 63g aubergines, 8g chilli
Thursday: 93g strawberries
Saturday: 371g vine tomatoes, 214g cherry tomatoes, 6g chllie, 28g strawberries, 2g mint

Total for week = £3.89 / 1.29 kg (2010: £47.15 / 8.19kg)

Week 16: August 14 – 20

Tuesday: 960g cherry tomatoes, 118g vine tomatoes, 75g strawberries.
Saturday: 230g aubergines, 152g cherry tomatoes, 8g chilli, 72g salad

Total for week = £8.93 / 1.62 kg (2010: £53.32 / 8.10kg)

Week 17: August 21 – 27

Sunday: 182g strawberries, 2.12kg runner beans, 228g tromboncino squash, 125g peppers, 26g basil, 315g French beans, 5g chilli, 1.53 kg cherry tomatoes.
Monday: 45g cherry tomatoes, 150g vine tomatoes, 21g lemon verbena, 26g Vietnamese coriander, 4g chilli, 55g strawberries.
Tuesday: 951g vine tomatoes, 12g savory, 14g Jalepeno peppers.
Wednesday: 921g vine tomatoes, 627g cherry tomatoes, 91g chocolate pepper, 17g jalepeno peppers, 21g chillies, 11g chives, 16g mint, 205g aubergines, 59g squash flowers, 87g salad leaves.
Thursday: 590g runner beans, 1.43kg tromboncino squash, 96g vine tomatoes, 151g cherry tomatoes, 6g basil, 6g chives, 14g mint, 67g squash flowers, 18g lovage, 122g salad, 132g Chinese cabbage.
Friday: 293g salad leaves, 210g Chinese cabbage, 15g mint, 10g chives, 863g cherry tomatoes, 323g aubergines.

Total for week = £58.78 / 12.20 kg (2010: £54.40 / 5.62 kg)