Yes it rained ...........

but only after I spent another 3 hours of watering !

The exhaust was done in 20 mins and only cost £40. Was back in work by 9am. Well chuffed.

That left me the evening free but still had to feed the toms so spent it on the plot rather than the lottie. The more I think about it, I really do have to have a cunning workable plan for next year. I have to climb over everything to get to everything else. The pots, containers and baskets never seem to hold a water for more than a couple of days, even in murky weather and just take up too much time !

The amount of toms I have on the go is just ridiculous and I've still not seen one fruit set yet ! I'm particularly disturbed by this.

The poor strawberries are fighting for air amongst the onions (who suggested this companion planting ??) and I've started to lift them even though they're not full size yet. They're definitely usable though, so now we have Red Baron's on the menu.

The broad beans seem to have listened to me complaining at them, and now I've pinched out the tips, I can definitely see more pods forming.

The garlic still refuses to go over, so it's still being ignored atm. No doubt they will all flop and expect to be dried out in the middle of a thunder storm. I have no idea what they're doing under the soil, the the top growth is still good and green. Couple of streaky leaves but doesn't look like rust (whatever that looks like).

The new lettuce doesn't seem to have made an appearance but what we have left definitely needs eating ........ NOW !

The JAs are reaching for the sky and the early beetroot in a couple of locations around the garden are looking good except for some holes in the leaves. These definitely look like munch holes though and not the nasty burning looking effect of last year.

The courgettes are just full to bursting with new flowers, both male and female. Now I know why they were supposed to be planted so far apart.

I've not mentioned the rhubarb in ages and this has taken off beyond my wildest dreams. Seems such a shame I can't have a hack at it this year but better to have a long term plan and let it settle in.

I tried to tidy up g/h No. 2 last night so that everything has space enough. I've brought one trough of Cayennes outside (well I have eight so if four fail it's not the end of the world)but definitely need to pot up some of the other chilli/pepper varieties into black buckets that have now been freed up by the leeks.

The jasmin round the side of the house is blooming and if you stick your nose in it, has a lovely scent. The sweet peas are 3/4 up the arch. Must remember to get the oH to cut a big vase full for when Mum gets here on Sunday.

I'm still on the lookout for straw but can't for the life of me find a supplier of bales in the area. I really don't want to have to pay out a fortune for bark chips and don't have enough home grown compost for mulching. I keep reminding people to give me their grass cuttings, but may have to prompt them again (obviously not going to happen today though as everything is soaking wet - not good grass cutting weather).

I still have a couple of hedges to cut, so am going to ask the question of whether these would provide a good mulch, so that's where I'm off to now.

Enjoy luvvies.

xxxx