Done a Dom

I have sown loads of squash and my cucs - never done it this early before thus the headline. I have not sown all my seeds or all the plants I want (except for cucs if they all germinate and survive) but have treated it as a trial early sowing. If they germinate and survive, then I will still want more of most varieties but I see no harm in this (especially with the summer squash that can be prone to mildew).

Most of my potatoes are now in. I have dug a trench this evening for my final mixed row. I seem to have less of more varieties this year. The seed from the lottie Society was bigger (they have complained when the seed is small) which is a shame as research has shown (and logic in my opinion) makes no difference to final yield - after all the seed's job is done once the haulms break through!

I have prepared a bed for my parsnips which I hope to sow over the weekend. I have planted out my earliest successful sowing of broad beans and peas. I have also started preparing brassica beds and done my first sowing of early carrots (broadcast mixed with compost)

No sign yet of the spuds planted on 14 March - I worry about no-show spuds every year but then they always do. Contrary to my early mumblings though, I am worried that the seed I got from Focus was small and has run out of energy before it got to the surface.

Robins' return

Yesterday I put in a row of Roosters and today a row of red Duke of York. For some reason, it has been very hard work these past two days.

My local robins have been about for the whole winter but today was the first day of the year that I have had close company whilst working. My plot spans the territories of two male robins and both joined me today. Where my potatoes are going this year spans the boundaries between their two territories so there may be handbags in the near future.

Tonight, I have sown two varieties of brussel sprout.

Further to marchin on...

Here's the photos I promised:

Overwintering onions and garlic


Potatoes


Romanescu

According to Dom

Tis the day to sow Cauliflower and Calabrese. So I have done - the Cauli is Snowball from Lidl and the Calabrese is just labelled Autumn by Wilko.

Marchin on...

Yesterday I put in 10 Charlottes and about 21 Kestrel spuds and dug over my onion bed. I took a photo of my garlic and overwintering onions, 2 rows of potatoes and a head of romanescu. Trouble is, my eldest has lost my camera lead so the photos will have to wait.

Today, I picked said a romanescu cauliflower - it was lovely. I also pickled a bit more curly kale, leeks, parsnips and rhubarb.

I have sowed leeks.

Sowing today

Have just sown seven varieties of tomato (Gardeners Delight, Costaluto, San Marzano, Red Pear, Golden Sunrise, Tigerella and Tlacolula) and some broad beans (Witkiem Manita) - also two (boring) types of Sweet Pepper I got cheap from Wilkos at the back end of last year.

Tatties!!!!

Have done nothing but digging for the past month - except for pricking out chillis a couple of weeks ago - not that anybody would have noticed anyway. (Is there an award for the blog most ignored by everyone in webland?) I blame Dom's moon calender thingy which seems to have very little going on in it at the moment!!

Today though, as well as digging, I put in a mixed row of first earlies - 10 Swift and 10 Pentlan Javelin from Focus and 15 Homeguard from the lotty association. So the season has well and truly started - let's hope it's a good en.