polytunnel progress and more roof antics

Here's a taster of what is going on in the polytunnel these days. Thankfully the squashes are starting to lose their insistence on scambling over the paths but they are producing grand fruits now, like this pumpkin potimarron.

The russian mammoth sunflowers are living up to their name and have reahed the top of the tunnel and have tree trunks for stems.

Of ourse, I am starting off more seeds, to fill gaps left by peas and brassicas (see the 'blue banana' squash growing along the bench - good in risotto so I hear .. I'll remember to invite a large crowd for dinner that night!)

The butternut squash are a bit behind. Fingers crossed they'll cath up.


My best surprise has been the green nutmeg melon - we have four, hidden behind brocolli and so unattended, but they've done fine and are very tasty - even ripened well and are even sweet.


Corn on the cob is fab too.


Brassias were ridiculously large, especially the leaves, but all came through with good heads in the end.


Of course, we've not been without incident. Last week my pop corn got badly infested with aphids (I swear I hadn't seen any the day before) which took some time and effort to sort (washing up liquid and brutality).


Also. outside the polytunnel, the pond has some sort of green gloop. Not quite sure what it is, but will feed it to the compost heap.


In the house there has been some progress.

Here is the ceiling starting to go up.



Here, Sam starts making holes in the roof again ...


... to fit the flue for the stove (note the re-appearance of Neil, our able helper back for more punishment)

Here's Sam on the roof, removing tiles.


Now, job done, saluting his fine erection .. of the flue.