Catch Up Time

Hmmm - not getting to the plot three weeks on the trot in May is not a good idea. The weeds are taking over. In fact, I am going to have to tell my Scout Leader that we cannot do everything in May to accomodate his interests as it buggers up mine.

I did get my runners in yesterday as they have shot up. Today, I have been preparing ground for sweetcorn, squash, french beans and carrots/spring onions. Later, I shall be sowing carrots and spring onions and probably some beetroot too.

Some photos for yer:


This is my onions set that were set out in April.


Shallots planted out at the same time.

And my first broad bean pods!!!!

Ooh er

Not done much lately. Bit of digging and planting out my last sowing of broad beans. Last weekend was my birthday so was busy dealing with that. Trouble is, not going to get much of the vast amount that needs doing over the next couple of weeks either. I have got a Scouts activity day on Saturday and a Scout Camp next weekend. So the weeds will grow and I shall have loads of half term catching up to do!

Oh, I did sow my runners at the weekend - in rootrainers. I have put the squash that I sowed in 16th April into pots - I started them in cells for the first time and they quickly ran out of room. Anway, they are snug in their pots and in the greenhouse. I also sowed some more (this time straight into pots) - replacing none appearers and the rest - I deliberately undersowed first time round, at the weekend. Tonight, I sowed swede and kohl rabi.

A very short

Just a quick note to say that my Swifts are poking out the soil - hurrah!

Tatties and 'nips

OK, not the right sort of 'nips but I have sown my parsnips. Not saved seed this year as I got a free packet of White Gems with Kitchen garden this week. I was not sure how good my saved seed was going to be this year as I have not stored it very well - never got round to it, so I am looking upon my free gift as a gift from the gardening Gods as it arrived the week I was due to sow. I shall gap fill with the saved seed in three weeks or so.

Also got my last row of tatties in today to and finished preparing a brassica bed. Still loads more to do though.

Frost forecast tonight so tenders bought in from the greenhouse.

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.

Sown Celeriac today. Thanks to Dom's calendar, I am well ahead this year than before. And I have a serious shortage if indoor growing space. I am hoping that my Dad has some room for seed trays in his greenhouse.

I sowed some peas (Meteor) in guttering yesterday. I can't fi the guttering in my small growhouse so they are outside. Hopefully, the seed won't rot during this cold spell.

Middle England Moaners

People who moan about how our country 'grinds to a halt' at the first sign of snow and how it never used to be like this, and they cope so much better in Germany, Denmark, Sweden etc really get on my nerves - sorry - too much listening to Radio 5.

We get snow so rarely in this country, why should tax payers be asked to fork out millions on us being better prepared. The countries they always cite, have a lot more snow than us so it is financially worthwhile being better prepared. Also, the schools never used to close when I was a kid argument is because there weren't so many cars and property prices were slightly more sane. Teachers etc used to live near the schools they worked in, not like today where most drive considerable distances. It's the same where City centres grind to a halt. Traffic driving in from outside has concertinaed causing bottle necks. What's wrong with the country grinding to a halt for a day or two anyway?

PS - my school was open btw.

PPS - today was Broad Bean and Pea day so I sowed some Aquadulce Broad Beans

I haven't been to the plot today - guinea pigs and footy got in the way. But as per Dom's instructions, I have sown some cabbage and put them in the prop - two types so I don't have do to much successional sowing - Greyhound for early summer and Wheelers Imperial for later summer. Never sown them this early before - I may do a second sowing March time too.

Yesterday, following Dom's Lunar Calendar as an experiment, I sowed 3 types of Aubergine - Half Long Violette, Versaba and the standard Black Beauty. I also sowed 11 varieties of chilli and some from a mixed (Hot & Spicy) pack. The eleven named varieties are Habanero Peach, Habanero Orange, Hot Lemons, Cherry Bomb, Large Jalapeno, Scicilian, Thai, Thai Dragon, Grilling (unknow var), Numex Twilight, Cayenne.

Harvest up the allotment has been quite good this year - lots of Kale and Cabbage. My sprouts have once again been disappointing - I will grow good sprouts - the trench method has not stopped them blowing. I think I will have to get some wood to make good heavy duty stakes this year.

I have had less parsnips but some of them have been massive so swings and roundabouts. My leeks are small but I have loads.

It is looking like I might get some PSB this year - unlike last.

Sorry for the long absence - have had problems fitting my life into my life - hopefully will be back soon.

PS - sorted out my strawberry bed today.