How the vegetables survived my absence (or not)

When I came back from my Slate Trail trip I was curious to see how my vegetables were doing. They had been placed outside. That way they wouldn't roast in the conservatory, and get some water from precipitation. But, of course, outside they were sitting ducks for slugs. So how had it gone?

My one tomato plant hadn't had any tomatoes when I left, so my expectations were low. Would neglect really improve the situation? The answer was yes! When I came back I noticed some small green tomatoes. That was a nice surprise! The other tomato plant, who had been growing three entire tomatoes, was now growing four! Entirely unbothered by slugs! Success. It is still not a very good crop, but I'll take the tomatoes I get.

The previously tomato-less tomato plant

Almost time for harvest on the other plant!

My courgette plant was still alive, but rather unsurprisingly, the courgettes it had been growing had been heavily munched on by slugs and snails. These were not suitable for consumption by humans anymore! But as the plant was still alive, and was taken indoors again, I hope it will still grow a few additional ones.

My gift to slugs

My butternut squash plant seemed quite happy. It was making very small butternut squashes! But I have little hope for them; the previous year I had a plant that started growing them, but they were eaten by slugs. And I am not going to take this monstrous plant indoors again. It would by now almost be able to span the entire outside of the house! It's nice to have my conservatory back.

Tiny, and ill-omened, butternut squashes

The pumpkin plant seems quite happy outside. It was even growing some additional pumpkins. But the best news was: the two sizeable pumpkins it already had (and by sizeable I mean large satsumas) were still intact! So I don't know how much bigger they will grow, but I think the creature eating them in the end will be me. And that is how I had intended this all!

The pumpkin plant being quite content outside

New pumpkins in the making