Long Carrots. Could be belters. Foliage strong and healthy and shoulders look heavy. Unfortunately, no way of telling for sure until they're harvested.
Stump carrots. One bed of Osiris looks ok but the main bed of Heracles appears to be struggling for size. Foliage is small and weak looking although no real sign of pest or disease.
Parsnips. Foliage good. Shoulders look large but as with long carrots only time will tell if they're good ones.
Large onions. 9 decent ones harvested. Stripped to the first unsplit skin, dusted with talc and now ripening in boxes of sawdust.
Shallots. Hopeless. Far to small to be serious contenders. Pickling shallots reasonable.
Tomatoes. Nice round fruits ripening due to policy of thinning the trusses. Some blight damage on 3 or 4 plants. Affected foliage cut off.
Cherry tomatoes. All suffered blight. Most plants died weeks ago. Some plants soldiering on forlornly.
Potatoes. All plants affected by blight although some tubers are being harvested that are of a 'showable' size. Kestrel in particular very poor.
Cucumbers. Growing well and many fruits forming.
Courgettes. Have been harvesting for several weeks. One Ball is a lovely round, yellow fruited variety that should look good on the show bench.
Marrows. First fruits formed on one plant but probably won't be big enough for first shows.
Two other plants haven't started to 'trail' yet.
Runner beans. Struggling. Plants look healthy but lack of bees means not many beans are showing.
French beans. No problems. 'Prince' looking the best bet for showing.
Beetroot. Struggling. All roots appear to be no more than marble size.
Celery. Foliage excellent. Needs regular checking to remove decaying foliage and weak stalks.
Leeks. Excellent size although splitting is a problem. Lost up to seven layers at the weekend on some of the larger specimens.
Cabbages. Massive disappointment. Not hearting up.
Caulis. Hopeless as usual.
Brussels. 'Brilliant' plants poor although some buttons now growing. Red 'Rubine' is a better looking plant but no buttons making size yet.
Aubergines. 2 tiny fruits have finally formed.
Radish. Plenty to choose from for the 'trug' and 'basket' classes.
Pumpkin. 1 fruit the size of a grapefruit. Not going to be a winner in the heaviest classes !
Swiss chard. Small.
Okra. Give up on this next year
Hot peppers. In pots in greenhouse. Not turning red yet although loads of 1" long fruits.
Purple carrots. Foliage looking good. Will be interesting.
Purple caulis. Have all struggled. Some small hearts have formed but shall not be growing again.
Long beetroot. Poor size.
Longest beans. Runners now starting to grow and several pods showing at 6" ('Yardlong') beans Stopped growing straight after planting and have done nothing.
Dahlias. Very small plants that are really struggling. Emma's Coronet is the best of a poor bunch.
Fuchsias. Looking ok.
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