The mid-June heatwave was challenging for vegetable growing and harvesting; I’m not sure how we managed before we got a refridgerated van a few years ago. Extreme heat so early in the growing season is difficult as most of the crops are still young and tender, especially the green, leafy crops. The onions, squash and courgettes have been loving the heat though and growing well and Martin had a good couple of weeks of weed control. The rain and cooler temperatures at the end of June were very welcome; there were lots of transplants that needed watering in!
There's still plenty of baby plants to be looked after and transplanted though (and we've not finished this season's seeding yet!).
Trials of sweet potato, Oca and Yacon – although Martin is probably happiest when growing, harvesting and eating potatoes, he has a 2nd cousin who is breeding varieties of various tubers normally grown in hotter climates to grow in the UK. So, after years of being asked by new customers if we grow sweet potatoes, we finally are. We only have 2 very small trial plots (one outdoors and one in a polytunnel) so this year’s harvest, if successful, will be only enough to sell at markets. The rabbits have already tried nibbling the tops, so we've had to put a low electric fence around the outdoor plot.