17/08/2026
As with all other growers, this year has got to be one of the hardest growing seasons yet. With no rain, 5 heatwaves to date and a hot summer in general the market garden has taken hit after hit.
Most of the brassicas have suffered badly this year, the flea beetle has been on a rampage and the kale leaves have just been so small they have hardly been worth harvesting.
Our salads took a beating too, those that didnt bolt early just scorched in the heat. We have rigged up crazy shade hoops for the new plantings to try and establish a good Autumn crop which so far are doing their job.
On the other hand, some crops have done amazing. The tomatoes started ripening earlier than ever before and have been so sweet and tasty.
The squash patch is mighty and has had the least irrigation on site and even the small flower patch is doing pretty fine - funnily enough both are planted through mypex which i think is holding in the moisture and morning dew quite nicely.
Melons! First time growing these and even when the cucumbers succumbed to red spider mite in the tunnels, these seemed to battle on and are heavily laden.
..And the sweetcorn has also been wonderful.
Good with the bad.. it is going to be interesting learning how to adapt to this change in weather patterns and how we understand our growing seasons going forward. There is a whisper of rain on the horizon this week and it will be a welcomed break.
