WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 WEEK 5 WEEK 6 WEEK 7 WEEK 8 WEEK 9 WEEK 10
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Weather conditions during the first half of the week were sunny and showery, with temperatures very close to the seasonal average. The second half of the week, however, proved to be far more variable with overcast conditions, daytime temperatures significantly below the seasonal average, and heavy continuous rainfall through Thursday into Friday.
Temperatures during the first half of the week were in line with the historical average for mid-June. Daytime temperatures were 20-21oC and night-time temperatures 10-12oC - both of which were accompanied by high humidity. Daytime temperatures declined to 15oC during the latter half of the week, while night-time temperature increased slightly to 12-13oC, a surprisingly small differential. Thunderstorms were commonplace throughout the week, with heavy showers producing rainfall totals of approximately 2.5mm on Saturday and Sunday. Heavy persistent rain (36 hours) occurred on Thursday and Friday, producing a total of 30mm accompanied by strengthening winds. That said, the planters were able to remove the water without becoming saturated at any stage, and the heavy rain did not produce any ‘pitting’ on the soil surface (which can occur in poorly aggregated soils).
The Runner Bean ‘Hestia’ in Planter 1 has improved slightly during the course of the week, with the foliage taking on an improved colour, new young leaf growth and increased flowering. The training system along the planting rows has been raised carefully to increase support. The buffeting from strong winds certainly hampered the establishment of the root trainers after outplanting, and the improvement is likely to reflect calmer conditions.
The three lettuces in Planter 2 have continued to be harvested every couple of days. Lettuce ‘Solix’ remains the most productive, but Lettuce ‘Red Salad Bowl’ is now slightly more productive than Lettuce ‘Salad Bowl’ (and is far easier to pick!) Regrowth continues to be strong, but the quality of the leaf is starting to deteriorate and becoming slightly more waxy and tougher; however, is still more than acceptable and the flavour is unimpaired. The lettuces continue to be free of aphid (which has a made an appearance in the greenhouse) and the heavy rainfall will have helped in preventing any occurrence outdoors. Of all the crops in the planters at present lettuces will be the most susceptible to aphid. None of the lettuces have bolted despite the extremes of temperatures to which the plants have been subjected. The cell-grown herbs (which will soon replace the lettuces) have all germinated successfully (in a greenhouse), with dill and basil taking 7 days, coriander 10 days and parsley - which is notoriously slow - 2 weeks. Germination is 90% which is excellent considering the compost is peat-free. Both French and curly parsley have been sown, as have the two basils – ‘British’ and ‘lemon’. These will eventually be used in the planter, and will depend on the weather conditions forecast at the time of outplanting.
To help rectify the poor germination from Week 9, Hearting Lettuce ‘Little Gem’ has been oversown with seed bought from Kings Seeds in Planter 3. Although the packet was part used and close to its ‘use by’ date of December 2020, the seed had remained in good condition (as evidenced by the large number of seedlings to emerge in the gaps between the survivors from the first round of seeding!) These will present something of a challenge to thin but the stocking is now full, albeit with seedlings of different age and markedly different size. Hearting Lettuce ‘Amaze’ has grown rapidly and plants are in excellent condition with a lovely mottled coloration. Regular checks have been made for slugs and snails but none have been identified and no damage has occurred. This suggests that there remains a residual effect of past nematode treatment. Swiss Chard ‘Bright Lights’ has finally reached the point where it can be harvested! The leaves are not full size but wouldn’t be expected to reach full size at the row spacing chosen. The plants are in excellent condition with no sign of leaf spot or downy mildew.
The growth rate of carrot, spring onion and beetroot in Planter 4 remains steady and the condition of plants is excellent. The training system of all three has been adjusted to maintain the effectiveness of the support, which should be roughly two thirds up the stem. The carrots have reached 300mm in height and the support is therefore positioned approximately 200mm above the soil surface. Overhanging foliage between the rows has been removed to maintain air flow as the plants approach full size. The likelihood is that all three crops will reach harvesting in 2 weeks’ time, which has practical benefits.