Summer Fruits

Although the weather's been horrible (70mph gusts of wind, heavy rain, flooding in the next valley), we went out earlier to put the raspberries and strawberries in. Madness, I know, but they needed to be planted. We moved three barrows of manure onto each raspberry bed, and four onto the strawberry patch. In the latter, from the far side to near, there are now 25 each of Florence (late season), Cambridge (mid) and Honeoye (early) strawberries (two rows of each) are now in the strawberry bed. 10 Tulameen (July/August) are in the north bed, and 10 Malling Jewel (mid June onwards) in the south, then 10 Glen Cova (July) split between the two beds (6 north, 4 south) at the east end. All sorted, and looking good. Given the weather, I didn't cut them back down (the light was failing), but I'll nip out Tuesday, check them over, and cut the canes down to 8" or so. Of course, they're all summer fruiting, and thus we won't have fruit until summer 2011, which will keep us in suspense. In the spring (well, probably in January) I'll put the posts and wires that the raspberries need.

Oh; the sloe gin is starting to look a suitable colour: still has a way to go, but it's getting nice and magenta.