Fruits

 Fruits are a perfect crop for a small garden, most of the berries grow up, therefore not taking to much soil space, my raspberries are showing, I have made a bigger frame for them to grow up with chicken wire over the rounded tops, in hope of make harvesting easier. I already had everything I required to make this tunnel, I have planted a few new roots, which popped up elsewhere in the garden. I have some flowers in this bed to help keep it looking good. The obelisk is no staying here.

My strawberry tower is full of new growth, I feed these each spring, I'm hoping for another bumper crop this summer. I moved my blueberry tub to the other end of this bed, it gets sunshine most of the day, I have cut them right back, so I'm not expecting a bumper crop this summer, they fruit on second years growth. My rhubarb in the middle is almost ready to pick, this is it's third year, it's looking healthy. In front is a small gooseberry bush, again it's the third year, as yet we have not had any fruits, I'm hopeful for this summer.

I trimmed back the blackberries, these are perfect along the garage walls, these were one of the first fruits planted and is a thornless variety, doesn't look much now, it will fill out soon. The vine runs along the side and back walls. 

Fruits are very easy to grow once established, most only require a trim or cutting back at the end of the season. Last year I used small net bags over the strawberries to stop them being nibbled, which worked, I will need a net for my blueberries, I don't cover the raspberries or blackberries, the birds don't take too many, so I'm happy to share. The only fruit I don't have is an apple tree, we both love braeburn, they are sharp and crunchy, good for eating and cooking, I have looking into a miniature for growing in a pot, but I don't think its practical in our small garden. Last year daughter was given a big bag of windfall apples which we used, we have some in the freezer.

We were woken up in the early hours of Sunday morning, a crash and then foxes screaming, at first we thought they were in our garden, later we found our fence panel was broken, on checking (looking over the fence) loads of pots and rubbish all thrown beside our panel had been knocked over, we now have one part of the panel broken, hubby was able to fix the hole to stop it breaking further. It's on mad cat woman's side, so no point is saying anything, we would only get abuse back, she considers it's her boundary and the fence is hers, regardless of the fact we paid for it. 

Monday I sorted my side of our garage, I've popped loads of my bits back outside, the children will love finding all my resin animals, it was cool and dry. We did pop to lidl for a food shop, the total was again higher than expected,  the prices are not slowing, I do feel for low income families, having said that we are on a fixed income but thankful for our private pensions.