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More wet weather. Last month we had about two and a half times the average for that time of year and this month we've exceeded the monthly average in the first week. I'm not sure what it's done to the garden. The soft fruit seem to be a little later than last year, I guess because they are missing the warmer weather and the sun. There is now plenty of soft fruit in the garden. Slugs, snails and woodlice have got most of the strawberries, but the raspberries have done really well. There are coming faster than we can pick, especially with the rain keeping us out of the garden some of the time. 
Redcurrants, raspberries and tayberries (03 July 2012)
Redcurrants have done well this year too. The first bushes planted are starting to be quite productive. The Junifer redcurrant was the first to ripen and gave a good yield, enough to freeze some for later in the year. I also harvested a few blackcurrants from the Ebony variety I planted last October in the front garden. These were ready by the end of June and were very sweet. 
Junifer redcurrants on the bush (26 June 2012)
Some of the climbing fruit is ripening now. The tayberries are ready to pick and the loganberries are ripening too. Even the huge Karaka blackberries are turning black and ready to eat. These are supposed to have an eight to nine week season starting in early July, which makes them great for back garden grazing. 
Loganberry climbing fence (26 June 2012)
Even the gooseberries cordons have finally produced some fruit this year on the first three that were planted. The Invicta variety produced much more than the Hinnomaki Red or Yellow varieties. I had to pick them yesterday as it was so wet that the snails were starting to eat them. 
Rocambole surrounding Annie Elizabeth apple (26 June 2012)
The soft necked garlic growing in a raised bed is about ready to harvest and those and the Babington leeks are looking like the slugs and snails are giving them a hard time now. The soft-necked garlic that I've left to form clumps around the garden and use for the scapes have died back now. The hard-necked rocambole is doing well still and has lots of flowering shoots coming up. The few bulbs that I planted a few years ago around the Annie Elizabeth apple have multiplied and now there is a large belt around the tree. I also planted some of the small bulbils that it produced last year in the front garden and these have grown into new plants. Hopefully they will all produce more bulbils this year. 
Scarlet tiger moth on unripe raspberries close to some comfrey leaves (26 June 2012)
The wet weather hasn't been much fun for the moths and butterflies. The scarlet tiger moths are back, but mostly seem to be sheltering from the rain. There have also been some unusual insect visitors to the garden. A few nights ago there were some large flying beetles in the garden flying around the top of the large pear tree. Some of them had come into the house and got stuck by the window. I think they were may bugs or cockchafers (Melolontha melolontha). I haven't seen them since. It has finally stopped raining, I'd better get outside and pick some more raspberries.
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After a really cold spell the weather has been beautiful and warm this weekend. It's been the first chance to spend more than 10 minutes outside in the garden so far this year. I wasn't expecting to see too much growth after the cold weather but looking more closely I got a few nice surprises. In particular the various different alliums were growing nicely. I have three rows of soft necked garlic in one of the raised beds and they are all about 10cm high now. I've kept the largest bulbs from last year's growth so hopefully they will be a decent size again this year. They probably kept us stocked up for about 6 months last year. As well as the ones grown in the beds there are a few places where I've planted garlic around the forest garden and left them to grow as perennials. These have now formed clumps of varying size from just a few stems to 20-30. For the most part I've put these close to the base of the fruit trees. I haven't harvested any of the leaves, but think these could make a good substitute for spring onions at this time of year. 
Garlic growing as a perennial at base of sour cherry tree (25 Feb 2012)
As well as the soft necked garlic I have some hard-necked rocambole planted around the Annie Elizabeth apple. It was slow to grow after planting, but I saw the scapes and bulbils rising up above the undergrowth last year. Now that the growth has died back the young shoots of all four plants are shooting up. I don't know whether there will be a single scape from each clump this year, or multiple ones. I planted some of the bulbils around the garden in autumn so hopefully I'll eventually have a supply of small bulbils to supplement the soft necked garlic. 
Rocambole hard necked garlic (25 Feb 2012)
Last year I put in some wild garlic plants in a shady spot next to some rhubarb. They started to come up about a week ago and have grown very quickly. I don't think I will harvest any this year but plan to split them into two or three clumps once they have died back. 
Wild garlic - Allium ursinum (25 Feb 2012)
A couple of years ago I planted some bulbils of Babington's leek (Allium babingtonii), a large allium that grows by the coast in South West England. It is supposed to grow to sizes of 1.0-1.5m. I didn't see any sign of them last year and had just about given up hope but several of them have now appeared where I planted them around the Court of Wick apple. 
Babington's leek (25 Feb 2012)
They aren't full size yet, but they look like they could be harvested around now. Martin Crawford's book says they will probably regrow if cut off at the base - I might have to give it a try. They would definitely make a welcome harvest at this time of year. 
Group of Babington's leek around Court of Wick apple (25 Feb 2012)
Last year and this year I grew some softneck garlic in the raised beds in the garden. I was really pleased with how they turned out. I ended up with about 20 garlic bulbs, all of them with good size cloves. As well as those in the raised beds I also put some around the garden, mostly around the apple trees. I carefully harvested some and left others to become perennial after a suggestion from someone on this blog. The ones I left developed into a healthy clump with lots of stems. I have harvested them again this year to see what happens next year. As well as the softneck type I also planted some hardnecked rocambole (Allium sativum ophioscorodon) or serpent garlic. It gets its name from the fantastically coiled stems that appear as it emerges from the underworld.  Rocambole or serpent garlic (Allium sativum ophioscorodon) - 11 June 2011  Rocambole or serpent garlic (Allium sativum ophioscorodon) - 25 June 2011  Rocambole or serpent garlic (Allium sativum ophioscorodon) - 25 June 2011 As it grows the stems straighten out and the aerial bulbils swell and develop into what look like small garlic bulbs.  Rocambole or serpent garlic (Allium sativum ophioscorodon) aerial bulbil - 16 July 2011 Apparently if you want to harvest the below ground bulb you should cut off the top (the scape) once it has made a couple of loops to divert the energy to the bulb development. If you leave them the energy goes into the above ground bulbil. In a forest garden it seems that there might be advantages to using the above ground bulbil, even though it is smaller. Using the above ground bulbil means you don't have to disturb the soil. The plant can be grown through ground cover and low herbaceous plants and is easy to harvest. I assume that the plant will also continue to grow as a perennial if the remainder is left in the ground. New plants can be easily propagated from the bulbils. This short video shows them stretching up as they uncurl their last loop. In the background is a small Annie Elizabeth cooking apple tree on M26 rootstock. Looking back in my notes I see that I planted these back in February 2010. They didn't do much last year, but all of the bulbs came up strongly this year. Curiously I didn't know the common name for rocambole when I decided to plant it next to an apple tree. |
AboutA blog following the development of a small edible forest garden in Salisbury, Wiltshire, first planted in winter 2008.
 AuthorA forest gardening enthusiast with an interest in growing food sustainably, locally and with minimal effort.  More blogsAnni's Perennial Veggies
Bangor Forest Garden Project Forest Garden Plants Fruit Forum Graham Burnett Have Some Pi Help Save Bees Il Giardino Foresta Maddy Harland Moulsecoomb Forest Garden Mortal Tree Oak House Permaculture Project Of Plums And Pignuts Otter Farm PermaculturePower PermieHomestead Plants for a Future Plant Trees, It's Self Defence Really Useful Gardens SelfSufficientish Southwoods Forest Gardens Sustainable Forest Garden Farm Project The Cultural Wilderness The Field The Unconventional Gardener Transition Culture Two Go Forest Gardening Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Food Champions Ynysmon's Blog Other links
Check out the resources page for lots more forest gardening websites, books and videos.
Details of my young forest garden are here and photos here.  Produce 20161 Jan - 31 Mar
0.640kg Babington leek 0.417kg Cabbage 0.742kg Celeriac 0.005kg Coriander 0.343kg Daikon 0.003kg Fennel 0.091kg Garlic shoots 0.005kg Goji berry leaves 0.259kg Lettuce 0.002kg Mint 0.020kg Pak choi 0.233kg Parsley 2.100kg Potatoes 0.041kg Radish 0.006kg Red veined sorrel 2.069kg Rosemary 0.888kg Ruby chard 0.002kg Thyme 0.065kg Winter purslane 1 Apr - 30 Jun 0.008kg Alpine strawberries 0.555kg Babington leeks 0.003kg Basil 0.989kg Beetroot 1.987kg Celeriac 0.019kg Chillis 0.076kg Chives 0.466kg Cleavers 0.227kg Coriander 0.075kg Courgettes 0.034kg Fennel 0.045kg Garlic shoots 0.004kg Gooseberries 0.048kg Holly leaves 0.006kg Lemon balm 0.541kg Lettuce 0.005kg Lime leaves 0.012kg Mint 0.108kg Nettles 0.440kg Oca 0.295kg Parsley 0.003kg Radish 0.241kg Raspberries 2.570kg Rhubarb 0.052kg Rocket 0.001kg Rosemary 2.338kg Ruby chard 0.022kg Sage 0.099kg Spring onions 0.464kg Strawberries 0.001kg Sweet violet 0.064kg Wild garlic 0.001kg Winter purslane 1 Jul - 30 Sep 0.030kg Alpine strawberries 22.360kg Apples 0.003kg Basil 0.317kg Blackberries 0.706kg Blackcurrants 0.595kg Blueberries 0.085kg Chillis 0.002kg Chives 8.255kg Courgettes 0.003kg Fennel 0.205kg Gooseberries 2.674kg Hazelnuts 0.429kg Japanese wineberries 2.404kg Jostaberries 0.209kg Loganberries 0.025kg Mint 0.167kg Mulberries 0.006kg Nasturtium 0.004kg Parsley 4.068kg Pears 4.097kg Rapsberries 3.988kg Redcurrants 0.016kg Rocket 0.522kg Rosemary 0.026kg Spring onions 0.837kg Sweet cherries 0.234kg Tayberries 2.142kg Tomatoes 1.229kg Whitecurrants 1 Oct - 31 Dec 2.263kg Apples 0.317kg Chillis 2.697kg Courgettes 0.060kg Mashua 0.030kg Mint 0.250kg Oca 0.080kg Parsley 0.581kg Pears 1.360kg Potatoes 0.011kg Rocket 0.056kg Rosemary 0.050kg Sage 0.651kg Tomatoes Produce 20151 Jan - 31 Mar
0.187kg Babington's leek 0.031kg garlic shoots 0.005kg mint 0.560kg salad 1 Apr - 30 Jun 0.021kg alpine strawberries 2.074kg Babington's leeks 0.017kg basil 0.975kg blackcurrants 0.434kg cabbage 0.016kg chives 0.095kg coriander 0.009kg dill 0.156kg garlic shoots 0.443kg gooseberries 1.801kg kohlrabi 0.297kg lettuce 0.015kg lime leaves 0.035kg mint 0.033kg mustard leaves 0.231kg nettles 0.089kg onion 0.470kg oregano 0.013kg pak choi 0.013kg parsley 0.626kg peas 0.107kg peppermint 0.871kg purple sprouting broccoli 4.219kg raspberries 1.406kg red onion 0.048kg red-veined sorrel 1.751kg rhubarb 1.618kg ruby chard 0.324kg spring onion 1.157kg strawberries 0.577kg sweet cherries 0.242kg tayberried 0.001kg thyme 0.160kg wild garlic 0004kg winter purslane 1 Jul - 30 Sep 0.003kg alpine strawberries 0.002kg apple mint 37.964kg apples 0.033kg basil 0.753kg blackberries 7.207kg blackcurrants 2.441kg blueberries 0.073kg cabbage 0.039kg celeriac 0.019kg coriander 6.329kg courgettes 15.960kg cucumber 0.012kg dill 0.466kg french beans 0.312kg garlic 1.447kg gooseberries 12.822kg hazelnuts 0.967kg Japanese wineberries 2.390kg jostaberries 0.205kg lettuce 0.001kg lime basil 0.848kg loganberries 0.018kg mint 0.203kg mulberries 0.005kg oregano 0.041kg pak choi 0.004kg parsley 2.010kg pears 0.006kg peppermint 8.529kg raspberries 6.138kg redcurrants 0.005kg rocambole 2.198kg ruby chard 0.024kg sage 1.605kg sour cherries 0.191kg strawberries 0.843kg strawberries 0.651kg tayberries 0.001kg thyme 15.138kg tomatoes 0.977kg whitecurrants 1 Oct - 31 Dec 0.117kg chilli peppers 0.018kg coriander 0.022kg courgettes 6.716kg cucumbers 0.008kg dill 0.223kg french beans 0.115kg hazelnuts 0.025kg lettuce 0.002kg mint 0.065kg parsley 0.524kg pears 1.412kg ruby chard 0.072kg spring onion 6.489kg tomatoes Produce 2014
1 Jan - 31 Mar
0.308kg Babington leeks 0.034kg garlic shoots 0.001kg parsley 0.004kg red veined sorrel 0.011kg rosemary 0.025kg sage 0.016kg thyme 1 Apr - 30 Jun 0.010kg alpine strawberries 1.350kg Babington leeks 0.104kg blackcurrants 0.012kg chives 0.210kg garlic shoots 0.092kg gooseberries 0.006kg lemon balm 0.529kg loganberries 0.015kg oregano 0.006kg parsley 0.035kg peppermint 5.655kg raspberries 0.177kg redcurrants 0.051kg red veined sorrel 7.180kg rhubarb 0.120kg salad 0.006kg salad burnet 0.896kg strawberries 0.509kg tayberries 0.084kg wild garlic 1 Jul - 30 Sep 5.121kg apples 0.008kg alpine strawberries 0.857kg blackberries 1.190kg blackcurrants 0.904kg blueberries 1.840kg garlic 6.102kg hazelnuts 0.467kg Japanese wineberries 0.716kg loganberries 0.313kg mulberries 3.742kg pears 2.752kg raspberries 2.349kg redcurrants 0.054kg rocambole 0.050kg sage 1.655kg sour cherries 0.021kg sweet cherries 0.298kg tayberries 0.242kg whitecurrants 0.078kg worcesterberries 1 Oct - 31 Dec 0.113kg salad 0.382kg oca 0.200kg potatoes Produce 2013
1 Jan - 31 Mar
0.024kg garlic shoots 1 Apr - 30 Jun 0.326kg Babbington leeks 0.222kg blackcurrants 0.363kg garlic shoots 0.147kg gooseberries 0.002kg lemon balm 0.121kg lettuce 0.004kg lime leaves 0.058kg mizuna 0.121kg oregano 0.010kg pea shoots 0.015kg peppermint 0.223kg raspberries 0.020kg red veined sorrel 3.900kg rhubarb 0.400kg salad 0.005kg salad burnet 0.008kg shitake mushrooms 0.076kg strawberries 0.013kg thyme 0.136kg wild garlic 1 Jul - 30 Sep 0.101kg alpine strawberries 13.653kg apples 0.276kg blackberries 2.816kg blackcurrants 1.380kg blueberries 0.159kg broad beans 0.965kg courgettes 1.340kg garlic 1.808kg hazelnuts 0.118kg Japanese wineberries 0.493kg loganberries 0.008kg mulberries 4.368kg pears 0.036kg peppermint 1.143kg potatoes 0.063kg quince 9.226kg raspberries 0.699kg redcurrants 0.223kg rocambole 0.150kg salad 1.448kg sour cherries 0.064kg spearmint 0.660kg spring onions 0.863kg strawberries 1.622kg sweet cherries 0.156kg tayberries 0.721kg whitecurrants 0.010kg worcesterberries 1 Oct - 31 Dec 0.938kg pears 0.095kg quince 0.091kg oca 0.242kg mashua Produce 2012
1 Jan - 31 Mar
0.050kg fennel 0.009kg garlic shoots 0.030kg goji berries 0.050kg rocket 1 Apr - 30 Jun 0.004kg alpine strawberries 0.480kg cabbage 0.323kg garlic shoots 0.050kg lemon balm 0.002kg loganberries 0.050kg mint 0.402kg mushrooms 0.360kg potatoes 0.730kg raspberries 0.030kg red veined sorrel 0.130kg redcurrants 4.000kg rhubarb 0.540kg rocket 0.020kg sorrel 0.134kg strawberries 0.007kg tayberries 01 Jul - 30 Sep 0.020kg alpine strawberries 0.180kg apples 0.552kg blackberries 0.178kg blackcurrants 0.711kg blueberries 1.020kg garlic 0.201kg gooseberries 0.263kg hazelnuts 0.051kg Japanese wineberries 0.028kg loganberries 3.354kg pears 1.610kg potatoes 0.910kg raspberries 0.353kg redcurrants 0.063kg sour cherries 0.049kg strawberries 0.014kg tayberries 0.192kg whitecurrants 1 Oct - 31 Dec 7.690kg Jerusalem artichokes 0.211kg oca 0.010kg peppermint 0.820kg potatoes 0.010kg thyme Produce 2011
1 Jan - 20 Mar
Firewood Rosemary Sage Chives Salad burnet 21 Mar - 31 May 0.035kg chives 0.070kg lemon balm 0.005kg nasturtium leaves 0.017kg raspberries 4.060kg rhubarb 0.060kg rocket 0.020kg rosemary 0.280kg sage 0.070kg salad burnet 0.050kg sorrel 0.065kg spearmint 0.429kg strawberries 0.012kg sweet fennel 0.003kg tayberries 0.010kg thyme 1 Jun - 31 Aug 35.2kg 29 different crops: 0.030kg alpine strawberries 8.884kg apples 0.492kg beetroot 0.258kg blackberries 0.377kg blackcurrants 0.337kg blueberries 0.010kg chives 7.095kg courgettes 0.001kg fennel 0.946kg garlic 1.481kg hazelnuts 0.001kg Japanese wineberry 0.007kg lemon balm 0.005kg mashua leaves 0.004kg nasturtiums 0.100kg pears 0.005kg peppermint 11.920kg potatoes 1.130kg raspberries 0.262kg redcurrants 0.005kg rocket 0.064kg salad burnet 0.460kg sour cherries 0.024kg spearmint 0.558kg strawberries 0.311kg sweet cherries 0.086kg tayberries 0.087kg whitecurrants 1 Sep - 31 Dec 11.633kg apples 0.040kg aronia berries 1.299kg beetroot 0.036kg blackberries 2.472kg courgettes 0.034kg hazelnuts 6.205kg Jerusalem artichokes 4.250kg mashua 1.801kg pears 37.135kg potatoes 0.371kg raspberries 0.024kg strawberries 0.044kg whitecurrants Produce 2010
A record of produce from the garden in 2010. I expect this list to get much longer in later years.
1 Jan - 20 Mar 2010: Firewood - kindling and small logs for wood burner Herbs - rosemary Vegetables - 5 leeks Greens - Handfull of sorrel, salad burnet and dandelions. 21 Mar - 4 Jun 2010 3.600kg rhubarb 0.250kg sorrel rosemary salad burnet mint chives rocket a few strawberries 5 Jun -> 1.120kg garlic 1.063kg raspberries 3.430kg rhubarb 0.165kg strawberries 0.104kg sweet cherries 0.065kg tayberries 0.130kg gooseberries 0.029kg alpine strawberries 0.100kg loganberries 1.710kg sour cherries 0.486kg blackberries 0.039kg blackcurrants 0.220kg blueberries 3.264kg courgettes 0.240kg lettuce 8.375kg pears 3.820kg potatoes 9.300kg apples 0.076kg hazelnuts See archives from October 2009 below for last year's produce.  Archives
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