Correction

First I must correct myself.

Yesterday I said that 2" of rain was 70mm, it is in fact more or less 50mm.

Now to today, I have just seen the weather man and he informed us that there were very heavy showers in the area and he was sure that there would be flash flooding in places. As usual we managed to miss it all. Mind you it has been somewhat cooler so that is a blessing. It also has helped these last few days to ripen my grapes. Well so called grapes as they are small. I have posted a photo of them and when I eventually pick a bunch I will put something beside them to give some sort of comparison. Besides the grapes I have pust some tomatoes and the last few grapes. they are on the extreme right, The tomatoes are large plum, small plum and Gardeners delight. I use the plum tomatoes as there are very few seeds. My Italian friend has a separater, this is a tool, I think it is hand driven, to separate the pulp from the seeds and skin. He uses this for making his pasta sauce. I think he bottles the pulp. I have found these a lot better for me because of the seeds seem to get under my plate so if there are just a few, which is in fact what the plum tomatoes have vey few seeds. As you will notice I have put coins for you to see the size. A 10p piece, a 1 euro and a USA quarter. Hope it helps.

I pulled some beetroot for my friend today, I will hopefully post the photo of them tomorrow.

I have saved lots of pea seeds as they seemed to get ripe and go over almost overnight. I have also saved broad bean seeds. I try to save these each year as I do runner bean seeds. The broad bean seeds are not quite dry yet. The apple trees shedding lots of fruit, I guess this is because of the ensuing drought, still there should be plenty on although they are a lot smaller this year.

Yesterday, I set a small row of Greenshaft peas in my polytunnel, I will see what happens but should get a taste in late September or early October.

My plum trees are not good. Each year they are attacked by greenfly and I seem to be fighting a losing battle every year. The leaves are so badly affected that a large proportion of them drop off. Still I will waits and see what I get.

Those who have followed my blog will know that I use selected vegetables. I use Arran Pilot new potatoes, I save some and use them as seed potatoes. I put them in the salad box in the fridge, leave them there from September until I want to use them. My postman friend gave me some Home Guard potatoes. I will give my honest opinion when I use them, hopefully within the next week. That is all for now, I don't expect any rain at all. By the way, I have taken some cuttings of Lilac from my neighbours tree. I have lost several over the last few years. Incidentally she lost one herself this spring. I lost a large Charles Joly, certainly very mature about 8ft tall almost 2.5 metres. Thats it for today, more soon.