The expected slow-down in late summer growth is setting in now. As days get shorter, nights cooler and the sun is lower in the sky growth falls off, getting slower and slower until in about 12 weeks it stops almost entirely until spring.  It is not a nice thought, but it is no good dwelling on it as the veg grower must make the best use of what summer remains.  

My hoeing and weeding last weekend was followed by several days of rain.  But instead of the remaining weeds recovering, as they woud have a few weeks ago, and growing vigorously they have hardly moved and were given a second going over in the bright sunshine yesterday. 

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More rain, more spraying but the blight seems to be held in check for now.  The ‘Ferline' tomatoes are ripening and I picked the first ripe tomato from the allotment.  I am still puzzled by the lack of growth and suspect that potato cyst nematode, always common on allotments, might be involved.  To help overcome it I have drawn earth around the stems of some tomatoes to see if that will grow more roots.  The ‘earthing-up' also helps deal with weeds. 

There is no sign of the late summer slowdown of growth yet and weeds are still growing vigorously.  A hoeing and weeding session cleaned up the plot on Saturday morning.  With more rain forecast hoed-up weeds were laboriously picked up and removed to the compost pits to prevent recovery in subsequent wet spells. But all the bending made my back twinge so I was glad that we had visitors for the rest of the weekend so I could have a break.   

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Easy times are here at last.  Picking and gathering beetroot, cabbage, courgettes, cucumbers, green peppers, French beans, lettuces, radishes, runner beans, salad onions and second-early potatoes is the main task. 

As ever the hoe is taken round the plot and larger weeds pulled from amongst maturing crops.  The haricot beans, pumpkins and runner beans were carefully rid of some large examples of galinsoga and fat hen.  

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That's it; the hard work is officially over for 2007.   

All significant areas of spare space has been planted up or sown.  This weekend French beans, courgettes and cucumbers were planted out and last minute salads including a little corn salad for winter were sown. 

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Even after hoeing in June and then hand-weeding to winkle out survivors nestling in the rows, the wet July weather has brought up yet more weeds, that are growing like, well, weeds.  

So it is back to work with the hoe.  A little sun and the hoe regains its effectiveness, lost while the soil was wet and hoeing merely moved weeds without killing them. 

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