France

[roitelet]

23rd May - 1st June 2008

Max Temp 26C Min Temp 6C Rain 50mm

2007

Max temp 28C Min Temp 2C Rain 30mm

I started this post this morning but got distracted by an urgent cry, '' the chickens are out! ' Normal service has now been resumed.

Today we had the first Broadies, and delicous they were too. We also had the first half dozen Strawberries.

The Babies are growing at an alarming rate and we still have 8. Mum is really protective of them and will attack anyone or anything that she thinks threatning.

The second sowing of carrots are up, the turnips that were thinned out a week ago are growing well as are the sweeds. Still having a problem with getting the French Beans to germinate reasonably to may have to re-sow them AGAIN.

I have sprayed the Potatoes with Bordeaux Mixture and seem ro be keeping on top of the Aphids at last.

The Swallows hatched on the 28h May, don't know how many young yet but there are at least 3 judging by the number of egg shells I have found.

[tootles]

Good Lord man, have you really only had 50mm of rain this last week!!
We have had over 10cm in just one storm - and there have been lots of them.....
We have lost the last 10 days to torrential rain.
Perhaps we should move oop narth to ch'tis land
Tx

[roitelet]

I'll swop you some rain for some sun Tootles. The sun is lovely but we could do with some of the wet stuff!!!!!!

2nd - 10th June 2008

Max Temp 28C Min Temp 6C Rain 7.25mm

2007

Max Temp 26C Min Temp 4C Rain 1.25mm

Started to freeze the Broadies, the first 3lb are in the freezer and there are loads more to go. The yield is good and the pods are producing 7 - 9 beans per pod. Variety Aquadulce.

Suprise du Marche strawberries are cropping well and I hope to have enough for some jam soon. The Remontants are also just beginning to crop. Peas have pods on them, Sweet potatoes are growing, Tatties are flowering and Armandine will be ready next week. No Blight yet Garlic is looking good and the heads are swelling nicely, there is just the suspicion of rust but nothing like last year. Shallots are begining to swell so I will feed them in the next day or two. Blackcurrants are turning colour so out with the nets.

Caulies and Calabrise are a disaster but the cabbages in the same bed are fine as is the PSB. Don't know why? Resowing the French Beans for the THIRD time.

Made about 6ltrs of Elderflower and lemon cordial this week. Some is in the freezer for later use.

Swallows have 4 babies or should I say mouths. Still have 8 chicks which are not as cute as they were, going through the 'ado' phase I think.

Guests for lunch on Sunday who gave me a baby wild rabbit!!!!! Very cute but will be kept well confined. Busy making a hutch for it, must be mad

[roitelet]

Would willingly swop some sun for a bit of rain!!

11 - 18th June 2008

Max Temp 24C Min Temp 4C Rain 3mm

2007

Max Temp 26C Min Temp 9C Rain 41.5mm

It might be dry but as yet there is no sign of the dreaded Potato Blight.

Broadbeans are nearly finished (11lb+ in the freezer), some plants I have chopped off in the hope of another crop, the rest have been consigned to the compost heap. There are just a few with some beans left on them but they will be out by next week. In the space vacated I have planted leeks and lettuce. Peas are just beginning to crop, Cabbages are going fine and the Calabrese is at last beginning to show some signs of growth Spinach Beet romping away. Tatties are ready but haven't lifted any yet as Compost King is away and it is not worth it for one. First lot of Salad leaves are over and will sow some more today.

Raspberries are beginning to ripen fast and the Black currants will soon be ready. First Strawberries are finished and 5 jars of jam made which SET

Swallows have flown. Not before time too, 5 babies and Mum and Dad in the nest was causing it to breakup and they were all hanging on by the skin of their wings Chicks are going through the disruptive adolescent phase and look like something pre-historic.
Baby rabbit is still alive and residing in a very posh hutch and becomming a little tamer. The killer cats seem to have lost interest in it as they cant get at it.

Sun is coming out again so off to the garden, really supposed to be sanding a floor!!!! Oh well there is another tomorrow.

[TonyF]

So hot yesterday, 34 still at 4 pm and still 27 at 8 pm when we were eating dinner on the terrace. Have visitors so things being taken slowly but lots of work going on.

Soft fruit bushes groaning, strawberries are everywhere and need using this week, peach and plums trees coming on a treat, looks like a good year chez nous. And our chums with the pig farm want us to go to start picking their reine claude soon, their trees are absolutely laden.

Loads of salad food, will be pulling first spuds tomorrow for lunch, need to get on other stuff as I've finally been able to get out to finish the raised beds after weeks of rain and the back garden being far too wet to walk on, let alone work in.

[Nicos]

28C here at 7pm and about to eat outside...nice hot chilli dish!

Cripes Tony ...34C????

Great ain't it?????

[roitelet]

19 - 26 June 2008

Max Temp. 28C Min Temp. 8C Rain 2mm

2007

Max Temp. 29C Min Temp. 10C Rain 42mm

No I mustn't complain about the lack of the wet stuff! The up side of it is that there is NO BLIGHT yet. I have not started on the spuds as I am on my own at the moment and the longer I leave them the heavier the crop will be.

All the Broadies are finished and there are about 11lbs in the freezer. Peas are in the process of being frozen. I am accumulating raspberries for jan and have about 7lbs of blackcurrants in the freezer (mine and a friends) waiting to be made into jam. Cabbages are really beginning to heart up and the Calabrese is still growing and I think that there is some movement in the Caulies. The 3rd sowing of French beans are just coming up and the Waxpods are in flower. The Garlic has been lifted and it is the best I have ever grown, really big heads Onions are beginning to swell nicely and the Shallots will be ready for lifting in about 10 days. Remontant Strawberries are flowering again and lots of the runners have been pegged down in pots to increase the stock. Sweet potatoes are growing well but I will just have to wait and see if there is anything under them.

Rabbit is still alive and the chicks will soon have to be moved to a larger run.

Dispite the fact that the rain came to nothing the floor is now sanded and the walls painted in the bedroom. Not bad after 5 years of waiting. Next job is building cupboards, the wood arrives today Panic!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[roitelet]

Sorry Folks Iv'e run out of time. Back to the UK tomorrow but will report fully when I get back (16th).

All I can say at the moment is THANK GOD IT IS RAINING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[roitelet]

Sorry it's taken me so long to post but it is amazing just how much there is to do even after just over a week away.

Here goes :-

8 - 20 July 2008

Max Temp 28C Min Temp 9C Rain 20.5mm

2007

Max Temp 30C Min Temp 7C Rain 48mm

Well as you can see it is DRY and my jubliation over the fact that it was raining was short lived especially as the day after I arrived in North Devon the skys opened and it fell down all day. Next time it rains in the UK will you all please blow hard in my direction.I have just done the sums for rainfall for the last two half year periods and the results are that in the period Jan - June 2007 we had 598mm of rain and this year for the same period there was only 453.5mm.

This is what is happening on the growing front;-

Peas are finished and more sown
Waxpod french Beans are cropping
Beetroot are now big enough to eat but not as good as last year
Turnips from the first sowing are finished and more on the way
Spuds still no blight, Armandine and Charlotte have had their tops cut off and Bernadette is still growing, so far the crop is good.
Shallots are now lifted and drying nicely
Cabbage are really producing some good heads
Calabrese is slow
Caulie are rubbish
Spinach Beet is fine and does not seem to be affected by the dry weather
Leeks are now planted out and growing
Onions are swelling nicely
Raspberries have had all the canes that have fruited cut out and the new canes have flowers on them
Strawberries are just beginning to crop again and the early ones have had all their leaves cut off. The runners that I pegged down are well rooted and have been taken away from the parent plant.
The Swallows repaired their nest and the second clutch of eggs have hatched but I don't know how many chicks there are yet. Sadly the Rabbit died The first lot of chicks are now in a larger run and growing very fast and another hen is sitting and due to hatch the eggs on Wesnesday. From the first lot of 8 chicks I think that there are only 3 cocks which is pretty good

All for now, I am going to have to get the pump out and start watering from the reserve underground tank as the water butts are empty. There are storms forecast for Friday Saturday and Sunday so here is hoping and fingers crossed!

[roitelet]

Sorry it has taken me so long to post again but we have been invaded with visitors. This will have to be a bit of shorthand or you will all get fed up reading it!

22 - 28 July 2008 Max 34.C Min 10.5 Rain 10.5mm

29 July - 5 Aug 2008 Max 36C Min 14C Rain 41mm

6 - 13 Aug 2008 Max 35C Min 12.5C Rain 10mm

14 - 21 Aug 2008 Max 26C Min 13C Rain 14.5mm

22 - 29 Aug 2008 Max 26C Min 11C Rain 6mm

30 - 6 Sept Max 32.5C Min 11C Rain 19mm

For the same period last year in total - Max 28C Min 2C Rain 107mm

I wouldn't say it has been a wonderful summer but much better than some of you have been having. The heat, when we have had it, has been intense and the sun so strong that lots of the leaves have got scorched and some of the trees have dropped some of their leaves due to the shortage of water.

Carrots are good and there is little evidence of carrot fly
French beans are still cropping and the wax pods have been good
Raspberries are ripening
Strawberries have mostly been lost to Wasp, Ant and Hornet attack
PSB is huge and promises to be good
Onions are all lifted and strung
Leeks are swelling well
Winter Radish are producing some large roots
Beetroot are growing well from the third sowing
Sweet potatoes still growing but we will have to wait and see if there are any

Some of the plot had been sown with green manure, Phacelis, as an experiment. The second clutch of chicks hatched and there are now another 7 bringing the total of birds to 20. The second clutch of swallows produced 3 chicks and they are long gone.

The evenings are really beginning to smell autmnul and we have had 20 stere (20 cubic meters) of wood delivered, not that we have had warnings of a hard winter but the price was good

[roitelet]

7th - 22nd September 2008

Max Temp 28C Min Temp 3.5C Rain 4mm

2007

Max Temp 24C Min Temp 1C Rain 8mm

FIRST FROST 19TH SEPTEMBER I didn't record the first frost for last year but looking at the night time temperatures it must gave been about 5th September.

It's glorious autumnal weather with warm sunny days and cool nights, but boy, could we do with some of the wet stuff! Swallows have all gone until next year.

I have dug up the sweet potatoes from three plants have about enough for a meal for two. I will just have to see how the ones that I gave a friend to put in her poly tunnel have done. If they are good we may put more in there next year.

The frost has done for the french beans and the basil but everything else seems to be OK.

I have cut down the first sowing of the green manure as it was just showing signs of flowering and left it lying on the ground to rot. I will cover it with straw as soon as the ground is wet enough.

The last of the strawberry plants are going in today. Lots of berries on the Raspberries but don't know if they will ripen.

Jam, Chutney and cordial making in full swing. Off to sort out the chimney for one of the wood burners and then to the garden

[roitelet]

23rd Sept - 14th Oct 2008

Max Temp 25.5C Min Temp 2C Rain 33.5mm

2007

Max Temp 22 C Min Temp 3 Rain 85mm

Weather remaining very dry except for the few days when we had to dig up the soakaway from the sink! Moral of that story is never put a soakaway in with out a grease trap

French beans, dispite being scorched by frost, continued to crop until last week when I got fed up with them. Raspberries are ripening slowly but the crop is not as heavy as I had hoped. First lot of Green manure chopped down and the second sowing will be cut today. Leeks swelling and the tops have been cut off to encourage them to swell faster. PSB making a take-over bid. Winter Cabbage growing well. Strawberries, Gento, still flowering and will be covered with fleece soon to get the last of the crop.

Must hit the Garden Centre and get the Garlic and Shallots.

The WAR on moles in full swing (see I don't want to kill them, Pests and diseases). Population increased by two Rabbits. Jam etc. making almost finished. Rose Hip Syrup is georgeous, much better than Delrosa.

I think that the Hornets have almost vacated their nest but I will leave it much longer before trying to remove it.

Grand garden clear-up well under way and the Compost heaps are filling fast. Just waiting for most of the leaves to fall before clearing them up.

Suggestions for any other information you would like would be helpful, please PM me.

[roitelet]

OMG is it really nearly a month since I posted. Excuse visitors and blocked soakaways, don't ask.

15th October - 10th November 2008

Max Temp 23C Min Temp 1C Rain 134mm

2007

Max Temp 14C Min Temp -5C Rain 19mm
Garlic and shallots are in. I ate the last Raspberries on the 5th November. Strawberries are still flowering!!! and the 4 seasons lettuce are looking good. Leeks are still swelling and due for another hair cut to make them swell more.

I thought that the hornets had gone but the other day when the sun was nice and warm the were 3 sitting on the outside of the nest.

Chicken numbers reduced 6 to Nicos and, yes, I did the deed on the 3 cocks. Rabbits growing fast and yesterday we had 9 concrete hutches delivered. Have to get another Buck and then we can start breeding.

Off to the UK for 2 weeks tomorrow, hope that CK will keep the meteo going for me,

[Nicos]

Woke up to snow this morning!!!...unfortunately it'd melted by the time I crawled out of bed!...nothing left to build a snowman I'm afraid

[roitelet]

Just showng off Nicos!!!! Snow indeed, it's just cold, damp, grey and horrible here.

11th - 29th Nov 2008

Max 11C Min -5C Rain 105.5mm

2007

Max 12C Min -9.5C Rain 57.5C

It seems that while I have been away the weather has been as I have just described it for the whole time. CK has done the usual good job of recording the weather for me.

LEAVES, are there more of them this year than last? It seems so. I have run out of space to put then at the moment despite jumping up and down on the bins.

We had some trees lopped before I went away and since I came back I have been shredding all the twigs which I have used for paths on the Potager.

I treated the PSB with washing up liquid for aphids before leaving and it seems to have done the trick. Winter and spring cabbages are growing well. as are the leeks.

Planted some over winter onion sets that my Daughter gave me. No sign of the garlic or shallots yet.

We ate our first 100% home grown meal today (that is with meat) Roast Chicken, tatties,carrots and spinach. Very yummy!!

Space now cleared for the hutches and hope to get them put together soon as the rabbits are vandals and wrecking the wooden hutch!!!!