Today I planted my leek seedlings. They are only about the width of a piece of spaghetti but leek seedlings are quite sturdy and easy to handle. I have given these seedlings a bit of a hair cut with scissors so as to minimize the stress of transplanting. I have a rich clay soil which was manured for my potatoes. They should do well here, and you cannot overwater leeks!
All different sorts of beans are cropping well now. The purple climbing bean Blauhilde is one of my favourites, as is the green flat bean Eden. The runner beans Enorma are just starting to crop heavily too. I try to pick them while small and don't let them get old and stringy... but as all gardeners will know... they have a habit of hiding in the foliage and when you think you have picked them all there is always some monster hiding behind a leaf!
Speaking of second crops, I sowed a second crop of runner bean Enorma a few weeks ago to see how they would do. So far so good, and they are loving this wet and humid weather.
Here is one of my squash Bush Delicata which was given to me by Petunias Garden during a visit to Seattle last year. The plant has a really dense, compact bush habit and looks really healthy. Lots of squash are developing.
Speaking of squash, here is my Yellow Squash Pie. I have relations who were born and brought up in Alabama, this is a Summer favourite in the South.1 cup (8oz) of yellow squash, steamed and mashed roughly
1oz melted butter
6oz sugar
4 eggs beaten
lemon essence or vanilla essence (you choose)
1 tablespoon flour
9" pie crust
pinch of salt
Mix all the ingredients together well, it will be quite sloppy. Pour into the pie crust and bake at 200C till done..I made it between 20-30 mins.. but keep checking. Serve cold..if you can wait that long...I can't!!