Project Fruit Cage - Stage One

Back in 2009 we laid out the fruit cage, and planted it up with raspberry canes (among other things) - we had a few years of good crops, but the canes have got much weaker with time, and have become increasingly unproductive.

It doesn't help either that over the years the ground has become ever more weed-ridden (despite an annual weeding exercise) - to the point where we now had more violets than strawberries!

So it was time to dig it all out properly (starting the side where the old canes were situated) - and today we planted it up with 15 new Glen Ample canes, which should hopefully take good hold for harvesting next year.

Stage Two will involve a full weeding out of the other side of the cage (still in progress), feeding the blackcurrant and gooseberry bushes, and probably replanting throughout with strawberries.  Watch this space . . .

A Fine Mess!

The fruit cage has been producing a glut of raspberries this year - the strawberries have been less successful for some reason.  Anyway, looking for things to do with raspberries (short of jam, of which we still have plenty in the store cupboard) tried a variation on Eton Mess, made with raspberries, greek yoghurt, whipped double cream, and meringue (here garnished with strawberries):

And very nice it was - will definitely be making it again - must remember to stir the meringue in just before serving though, as otherwise it 'melts' into the mix and you don't get the crunch (although it tasted nice enough!).

Raspberries Galore!

 

The fruit cage has definitely come into its own this year.  We do have a mouse problem which we need to look at for next year - they are burrowing under the base boards and appear to be living on a diet of strawberries, although there are always plenty left for us!  Indeed, we're still picking a good bowl of strawberries every couple of days or so, and the raspberry harvest is now well underway, and well out of reach of small furry creatures . . .


Since we've already got a good stock of jam, we've been freezing much of what we aren't actually eating.  Will have to look at raspberry recipes in due course:

Elephant Strawberry

And our first Raspberry Crop!

Strawberry Fields

Well, not quite fields maybe, but certainly an awful lot of strawberry plants. Set out to transplant from the raised bed we planted last year, with its 6 strawberry plants, into the new fruit plot, either side of the path. Having pulled out around 50 individual plants (plus the 6 we gave away) were running out of room, so left some behind in case any of the transplantees didn't 'take'.

Here they are in their new home - also showing, the raspberry cane support system in all it's glory . . .

Fruits of Our Labours

It's been a beautiful weekend - could have been June rather than April today. The garden is looking lovely, the daffodils have for the most part given way to tulips, and the magnolia is looking absolutely beautiful. Around the lawn there are lots of cowslips and violets as well, and any day now the azaleas will start coming in to bloom.


We were intending to put in another veg plot this weekend, having decided that we wouldn't be doing anything major with the fruit plot (as we thought we'd left it all a bit late to get hold of some raspberry canes.) However, Martin's folks turned up on Saturday with 10 raspberry plants, and sorting out the fruit plot became a matter of urgency.

Martin built the frame for the plot that afternoon, while I moved one of last year's raised beds to make more room. Today we finished de-turfing, levelling, and planting it up - the raspberry canes on one side, and two blackcurrants, two gooseberries, and a blueberry on the other. The 'fruits of our labours' are pictured below, and hopefully in due course we will see some real fruits, although probably not that much this year . . .

We're still in the process of finishing the central path area - this is being filled (gradually) with stones taken out of the various vegetable / fruit plots. Also planning to move the strawberry plants into this plot from their current raised bed. Need to add some stakes for the raspberries as well.

Last year we actually had two apple trees in this area; we moved these a few weeks ago and have started the process of espaliering them. They seem to be coming along ok - at any rate they're about to come into bloom, so hopefully we'll see an apple or two. Bought a desert cherry tree as well, although that's nowhere near flowering just yet.

To end on a flowery note, here's some apple blossom . . .