Down on the Allotment

Matron grows vegetables and fruit in a Hampshire garden. I've been growing veggies since I was knee high to a grasshopper. Some traditional varieties and old favourites as well as new ideas. I share my garden with my allotment assistant Daisy the Labrador. On Twitter as @MatronsVeggies

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Fairy Eggs!

On the subject of these tiny little eggs that Chicken Patty has been laying. A little internet research on the subject has shed some light. Sometimes known as Witch eggs, or Fairy eggs, or even Cock eggs (Matron likes that one!) these tiny eggs are sometimes laid by hens when some sort of stress has interrupted their reproductive cycle. The egg starts to develop and the shell is made before the yolk has a chance to develop. Patty's eggs are now returning to a more normal size now. She is an adult hen and has been laying well for more than a year now. Perhaps the stress of a temporary home and close observation by a yellow Labrador hasn't helped!
I dug up a few blubs of Elephant Garlic today. These were planted out of curiosity from a supermarket bulb. I didn't expect them to grow at all really. Supposed to be quite mild.
My blackberries are about a month early and ENORMOUS this year. When tying back the new leader shoots last year, I shortened each one down to about half its length which was about 6ft long. Fewer trusses of fruit, but many more and much larger than usual.
Tomatoes in the greenhouse are beginning to ripen now. These are Gardeners Delight.
I am delighted with these Japanese Black Trifele tomatoes. Grown for the first time this year, as part of my Buddy Morris memorial vegetable garden. All of these plants are fully laden with huge, pear shaped tomatoes. One plant was so heavy that the bamboo cane supporting it snapped. They still need to ripen a bit more, but the productivity of this variety is amazing.
These Discovery apples are also about a month early. This is from a family fruit tree I bought from Ken Muir a few years ago. 3 varieties grafted on to one root stock. These look spectacular, though they are a bit soft and not acid enough for my taste. The thinning out of the early fruit has really paid dividends. There are some large ones to come. Matron does like a large one!

13 Comments:

At 10:12 PM, Blogger Martin and Amy said...

Everything looks superb.

Those pear tomatoes look amazing, I would love to grow these! They are completly unique and would provide a real talking point in the greenhouse.

Have a great day!

Martin :0)

 
At 10:47 PM, Blogger LindaG said...

Your garden is always looking fantastic. And delicious!

 
At 11:36 PM, Blogger Gingerbreadshouse7 said...

Your onions are a nice harvest and those Blackberries WOW! they look suculent, wish I could snap one and pop it into my mouth..your tomato's are putting my little crop to shame:o( That Japanese Black Trifele looks delicious too.I'd say your batting a hundred.

 
At 11:39 PM, Blogger Robert Brenchley said...

I grow masses of elephant garlic. It's so mild the garlic doesn't notice in our recipes - we use masses of garlic and spices - and I slice up an entire bulb for a stew or stirfry.

 
At 3:04 AM, Blogger Dan said...

The Japanese tomato is doing well too! They are a really nice tasting tomato as well.

 
At 4:03 AM, Blogger miruku said...

All very nice plants, awaiting you to harvest them.

 
At 7:41 AM, Blogger Rob said...

Hello Matron. By the sounds of it Buddy is watching over his plot. Thinning fruit seems a waste when you're doing it but if you like things to grow bigger its for the best in the long run.

 
At 10:56 AM, Blogger Sue Garrett said...

That's really strange as we grew Japanese Trifle black last year but they weren't pear shaped!

Each year I do battle with my blackberries - it's a case of taking my life into my hands!

 
At 6:01 PM, Blogger Lexa said...

Hello Matron. Everything is looking great! It is so interesting to read how you are trending about a month ahead this year and we are about three weeks+ behind! Every year is an adventure, isn't it :)

 
At 6:15 PM, Blogger Matron said...

Sue - I just did a google image search on these, they do seem to be pear shaped. Perhaps your seed was mis labelled, or you have a new variety there!

 
At 6:21 PM, Blogger Sue Garrett said...

It was last year that we grew them Matron - maybe we just didn't notice the shape or as you say we could have had a wrongly packaged batch

 
At 11:57 PM, Anonymous lapis said...

Japanese tomato from Russia!?
I want to grow it next year!

 
At 3:19 PM, Blogger Peggy said...

We have green tomatoes as yet, our weather has changed again to dull and misty, no sunshine to ripen anything!Our yellow ones did ripen for the few days really hot weather we have had none now for a few days.
I have one blackberry in the fruit cage and must check it now !
Your fruit and veg are really way ahead of anything over here.

 

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