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I have a  pole  bean growing, the plants are growing beautifully outside . I know this one  grows exceptionally tall but there are no signs of flowers yet. I wondered about the heat being too much but I have another bean growing in my greenhouse which is very hot and it  is yielding a lot of pods . My Gigantes  which are a runner are full of flowers and they are outside. Puzzling??

 

Hi just checking in. All is well here. Re the Mayoral squash. I still have my fingers crossed but not so tight I have one 1 vertical plant in a large pot , it has 1 squash  and it is about the the size of a cantaloupe. I have it in a sling and it seems to be doing very well. The 2nd plant also in pot is rambling through a border through shrubs and a magnolia tree but it is holding it's own, it has a squash on it the size of a large grapefruit. The remaining 2 plants also in pots are weaving their way around around my paved area that has a fountain in the middle , not a lot of sun there but  they are rooting well between the pavers and the creeping thyme, they  both have apple sized squash on so they are doing quite well too.

So all in all I feel optimistic that I may get some seed. There is nothing anywhere near me that is growing squash so they should be OK. .. I think this might be their  last chance as I have don't have anymore .I will of course share. It will be good to know they are surviving after I pop off

I talk to the vertical one every day as it is growing up a pillar outside my door. I call it My Lady.

How are you Jeannine and how are the Mayoral Blue squashes doing now?  Hope all is well and you are enjoying the summer sunshine. 

Matucana will be a great addition Jang.  Just what those birthday present obelisks have been waiting for. (But beans look just as good on them.)

Yes, the plants themselves  here are still green and only the first pods were mature, but most other pods are still pliable and not ready.  But after last year's seed saving, I think I have enough seeds for a while.  I only took a token small amount this year. 

How long do sweet pea seeds last?  A few years?  I also had some that shed their seeds last year, but their pods were really dry before they spiralled and dropped their seeds.  Seed size was also interesting.  Mine last year were mostly smaller than the original seeds, this year the seeds are much bigger.  Are your seeds smaller in the drought Jang?  Nevertheless, the smaller seeds from last year germinated just fine. 

My Enigma and Valentine (also later) have been wonderful too but like yours, Galina, are over now. Because of the drought in much of England, my plants are crispy brown and ready to harvest the seeds. Note to self not to leave them too long as sweet pea pods can eventually curl up into spirals and eject their seeds.

I've never tried cutting down to see whether a second flush could be encouraged so will be interested to hear how that goes. I have a feeling that if the pods are left till they're dry enough to harvest for seed, the plants will be spent and won't regenerate, but I'd be very happy to find out otherwise.

I also grow Matucana which is an old variety with two-tone purplish colouring nearer the wilder forms of edible pea. I'm hoping to have seeds of that variety to contribute to the Seed Circle this year. It's highly scented too.

Try as I might, for the last  few years I have had no new ideas and my audience (grand daughters etc. ) are now  grown up.

Enigma and Valentine did great this year.  Valentine started blooming much later and is still going strong with pure white flowers.  Enigma started pinkish cream white and again developed red flowers later and then stopped altogether.  My fault, I did not remove the developing pods.  So I have cut the vines down to a foot above the ground and left no pods on the plants.  Will this give me a second flush of flowers later in the year?  From never having grown sweet peas to addict in two short seed circles.  Thank you Vetivert. 

Next to last ever? Why?

Penultimate book now published.
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FHBGWKZB
I have one more MS to go and that is it.

Glad to hear you're OK, Borlotti, my Dulcie lookalike had to go last year, I make do with neighbour cats now. I'm down to tomatoes, asparagus and a few new potatoes in pots now, got to keep growing something!