Food glorious food

_{Inside my dome jungle}

Ok, so first off, when you see my wayward, out-of-control cucumber plants don’t groan. Please believe I have tried. I have spent countless hours I will never get back hunting suckers like a maniac, but yet they grow bushy and refuse to train up the string. I stand defeated.

Secondly please accept my apologies for continually mentioning the weather, but even for Ireland, it's been horrendous. Thank goodness for my dome and greenhouse.

_{Cucumber crystal apple}

_{Cucumber Marketmore}

But on the upside, I have cucumbers galore in five varieties, including Mini White which you must admit are very cute.

We drink cucumber juice daily and freeze some too for a taste of summer during those dark winter days.

Despite continuous strong winds and heavy rain, my pea plants are providing an abundance. These too I freeze for a supply throughout the year.

I've just started harvesting one bed of carrots and have the next lot sown, succession planting for a continuous supply.

Though the crazy weather has done for some of my 200-plus onions which have bolted, I’m still hoping to have enough to eat and store, if we get any sunshine to dry the little fellas out that is.

Considering the lack of sunshine, it’s a wonderful year for berries and we’ve had pots of strawberries, Tayberries and Gooseberries, green and red. Our figs are ripe, though I have no idea what to do with them, and we have green and black grapes almost ready to devour.

And look at that beautiful Basil. Who doesn’t love it? Delicious for Basil pesto. It's like The Ritz round my house with scrambled eggs and basil pesto for breakfast!

There’s celery, of course, tomatoes and spinach, not to mention garlic, just harvested and hanging to dry.

I’m growing Petite Gris de Renne and Minnesota Midget melons again this year as they were such a hit with my chickens.

The 'no dig' method for growing potatoes was a great success last year and ideal for bockety old gardeners like myself. Spread some compost, stick your potato on top, cover with straw and finito la festa. I have about 30 planted...well I am Irish.

My back is broken and my fingers are worn to stumps but I think it’s worth it. You are what you eat after all, plus I’m not partial to a serving of pesticide with every meal.

Besides, I’ve heard rumblings from the farming community about food shortages coming soon to a place near you, so I’m taking no chances.

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Posted in response to The Garden Hive's Monthly Garden Journal Challenge to detail what's happening in your garden, from successes to failures