Vegetable Audit, mid-May

• Purple sprouting broccoli: just dug up.  Late to start but fantastic to eat this year, both because of the freezing weather.  What doesn't kill you makes you tastier!
• Peas:  slow to get going, because of the arctic May
• Runner beans: ditto, plus some frost damage last week when a ridiculously deep frost hit on Weds
• Pak choi:  doing well, if a bit pigeon-pecked
• Swiss chard and spring onions:  there, but struggling so far in the cold - even tho they are in the most sheltered spot in the garden
• Potatoes:  all showing.  Is this the best use of the veg patch these days, though?  May cut down to just a few unusual varieties next year
• First radishes should be ready in a few days, but last year's seed has had it, v slow and patchy germination.  Fab-looking purple variety just starting to show, wonder if it will taste as good as it looks?
• Spinach:  coming along nicely.  Supposed to be a non-bolting variety but we shall see...
• Red Drumhead cabbage looking a bit spindly.  Dry area of patch so must keep watered
• Calabrese:  lost a few to something or other, but 12 surviving so that should produce enough if even half make it through
• Several strips of rocket.  Thinnings will be great in salads
• Tomatoes.  30 or so planted.  Experience says maybe 5 might survive ...
• About 20 each of celery and celeriac planted.  Never tried either before
• Sorrel:  rampant.  What to do with this almost over-pungent herb??
• Over-wintered onions bulking up nicely.  Two recent prolonged downpours will help them really put on weight.   Amazing that these tiny bulbs, sitting on the surface, survive the frosts and snows!
• Broad beans:  doing brilliantly as ever.  First pods in maybe 3-4 weeks
• Asaparagus in full swing, eating daily
• Artichokes:  five of the plants grown from seed last year survived the winter.  Can take cutting from the most productive ones this year
• Sweetcorn doing well (among the onions that will be harvested before the corn gets anywhere near the elephant's eye)
• Horseradish:  looks like I dug out just enough in the autumn, with manageable amounts starting to reappear.  Great that to keep this invader under control you have a winter's supply of fresh horseradish roots in store!  They have kept really well buried in compost
• Lettuces / leaves:  growing all these now in reused punnets.  Better control of conditions and quantities.  Also coriander and basil
• All the other perennial herbs looking great after the cold winter.  15 parsley in the same bed as the toms so that should keep us well supplied
• Strawberries:  plants are in their final year.  Should probably have grubbed them up last year
• Raspberries rampant as ever
• Redcurrants:  first real cop this year
• Gooseberry:  much abused after two site moves, but maybe will get going this year?
• Apples:   Cox's has plenty of blossom, the cooker less so.  Might have over-pruned it last time?