This growing season has been so difficult up to now. The damp chilly weather has meant rust on the garlic, poor growth even in the greenhouse and huge volumes of slugs and snails! 

One thing that has romped away is the raspberries, with my early summer varieties producing already. The strawberries too are producing a great crop but I'm having to harvest them at only semi-ripe stage to try and outwit the snails and slugs. 

My potatoes, stalwarts as ever are looking good and I hope that the the healthy looking foliage is indicative of the tuber growth beneath the soil. This year I'm growing Pentland Javelin, Kestrel, Picasso and Marvel (a new variety supposedly well suited to the unpredictable British climate). 

Finally my climbing beans are out, I'm growing several varieties, including Greek Gigantes for drying and storing. So far they are coping fine with no slug damage so far and my dwarf peas are under a wire cloche to offer a bit of protection and are starting to flower. 

My courgettes and pumpkins will have to go out as they're outgrowing their pots but the overnight temperatures are still poor, getting down to 7, which seems low for this time of year in Greater London/Surrey. 

The tomatoes are looking good, most of which will stay in the greenhouse apart from a few bush tomatoes designed to be grown somewhere sheltered outdoors.

Here's hoping the weather settles for the remainder of June and growth can catch up!