We have reached the end of the school year in the garden. Summer weather (sun and warmer temperatures) finally arrived and classes were able to harvest various fruits and vegetables. Summer temperatures arrived quite late this year so some of our crops haven't matured yet. Hopefully they will be ready by September. If they are ready earlier then holiday club will get to enjoy them. 

• Some classes planted Casablanca potatoes in March. These grew brilliantly (mercifully slugs and snails don't like potato plants) and year 4 had lots of fun harvesting them in June. The potatoes were such a success that year 1 planted autumn cropping Maris Peer potatoes this month. 
• Years 1 and 2 grew lots of broad beans in the garden this year. Some were planted in the autumn and some before the Easter holidays. We got lots of broad beans and (some of) the pupils enjoyed tasting them in the garden.
• There was a good radish harvest (the slugs and snails also largely leave them alone) and, after washing and slicing them, lots of children tasted radish for the first time. Not everyone liked them but I was impressed by everyone that tried!
• The cool spring has meant that the growth of the aubergine, butternut squash and courgette plants has been slow but these are finally maturing. There are no signs of crops yet, but hopefully there will be some in September. 
• Mini cob sweetcorn seedling were planted outside in June and these are growing well. Fingers crossed there will be some miniature cobs ready to taste at the start of the new school year. 
• The tomato plants that some classes grew some from seed in the spring term have grown tomatoes but they are not yet ripe unfortunately. Holiday club should enjoy any ripe ones over the holidays. 
• The grape vine has flourished after Anton Lieggi's expert pruning earlier this year. There will be lots of grapes to eat in September/October. Thank you Anton.  
• We have had lots of ripe raspberries (golden and red), rhubarb and blackcurrents this term. Each class has enjoyed finding, picking and eating the fruit when they come to the garden. In the summer term it is a nice reward/snack at the end of the class for some good work by the children watering, weeding, pruning and/or planting in the garden. The berries are such a hit that some blackberry plants will be added in the autumm.   
• Unfortunately every single one of our cucumber plants that were grown from seed on school window sills (including mini and prickly cucumbers) were very quickly decimated by slugs and snails. Very disappointing for everyone looking forward to tasting fresh cucumbers. Slugs and snails are a constant issue in the school garden. It is disappointing when they decimate crops so we will be focusing on growing crops that they don't love to eat so much!