Short one tonight

Sowed a row of Parano and a row of Nantes 2 carrots with a row of White Lisbon Spring Onions in between today. Had to water two rather lumpy beds today, leave for an hour then rake to get the tilth I wanted - the second bed is for my parsnips which will be going in tomorrow along with some beetroot.

Oh aye, and the Imps at the moment couldn't hit a barn door - not that they bother trying. Loads of good build up then no delivery.

Barking up the wrong tree?

Well, seem to have had a bit of flack for this elsewhere but experimenting with my potato row spacing this year. As it is now April, tis not too early to get maincrop spuds. Maincrops need wide row spacing so had a thought - to save space initially, I am planting in sequence 1st, MC, 1st, MC, 2nd, MC, 2nd, MC on the basis that most of the 1sts and 2nds will be out as the MCs are doing the last of their bulking up. This way they will have an empty row between each one. It will also allow them to dry out quicker thus being less attractive to blight spores. If it don't work - I won't do it next year.

To that end, got a row of King Eds and a row of Arran Pilot in.

Oooh owww oooch

Last Friday (23rd March) a Scout elbowed me hard in the ribs. Raking the grass on Friday, really aggravated it and I haven't been able to do any heavy work this weekend :o( Not good timing - my Arran Pilots are now developing leaves at the end of their chits. Also, met teatree for a drink yesterday which numbed the pain a bit but did mean no (or little) plotting. Have been today and got my Feb sowing of Aquadulces in the ground. Also put the weed fabric back round my strawbs and hand weeded my onions and garlic. Since I came home, I have sowed another 60 broadies (Witkiem and Mastergreen Longpod). Hopefully going to get my tomatoes in later - and anything else that occurs to me - or to you ;o)

PS - just had a big helping of PSB for me tea - lurvvely :o)

WoooooooooooHooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!

WoooooooooooHooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!! WoooooooooooHooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!! WoooooooooooHooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!! Should have known it - they painted new white lines on the school field on Monday - they came to mow it today (need rolly eyes smiley!!!!) Anyway, fetched grass rake from plot - and did some hand weeding. Got "Big Hands" in my boot. Got black plastic bags. Tomorrow pm, before I come home for PPA, gonna rake the field and fill me bags!!!!!

PS - me shallots are starting to show signs of life.

Blogging for bloggings sake!!!!!

Gotta keep up the pace - seems somebody out there is keeping track!!!!

Curly Kale, Pablo, Forellenschloss and Bresson Rouge have all germinated - just waiting for Grandpa Admire now but as he such an old geezer, he may be a bit behind the others.

Broadies on my shed still looking mighty fine. Had something dig in one of my leeky washing up bowls - which are at the top of the growhouse so not want of the cats looking for a leak. Hope I haven't got rats again!!!!! The leeks outside are a bit sluggish but the ones inside (that are now out) germinated very well - did not sow as thinly as I thought so will be pricking out from there into the other two washing up bowls containing the outside sluggish leeks.

Gotta sow some toms at the weekend - and probably a ton of other stuff.

Need a ton more grass clippings - anybody got any??????

Keep up boys and girls!!!!

Following on from yesterday am, yesterday pm I got another 5m row of Home Guard in. Have Arran Pilots up me passage (ph-nar ph-nar) desperately trying to get out. As Icy puts it, the chits are so long, they will soon be developing potatoes.

After the calabrese poked its head above the parapet with 100% germination, the red cabbage followed (100%) again along with Kohl Rabi (also 100%) and the All Year Round Cauli (good germination). The sprouts and swede are coming up in dribs and drabs (older seed) and I have resown where nothing has shown just in case it doesn't. This year I am using the windowsill propagators more as they have handy modules that come in sixes. Sowing a bigger variety of things in smaller unit sizes. For instance - not a huge call for red cabbage, so only have six of them whereas have 12 each of the sprouts, cauli, calabrese etc.

Today, I have sown sweet peppers, some curly kale (only six at this stage, more to follow) and four types of lettuce - Grandpa Admire's, Pablo, Forellenschloss and Bresson Rouge. Trying to grow varieties of salad that aren't available in the shops - although Little Gem, Salad Bowl etc will probably find themtselves up at the plot at some point.

Spring deffo here

This morning I got a 5m row of Home Guard in (only 5m I here you say - but it is in the most difficult of this years tattie area having developed a nice covering of weeds over this mild winter, and I also dug out a compost heap). Bit experimental - trench dug, lined with shredded paper, potatoes in (33cm apart) another layer of shredded paper, a generous layer of grass clippings and then a generous layer of home-made compost (tis why I dug out my compost bin) Finally, a thin covering of soil. Hopefully that should get them through any dry spells alright. Will let you know how they do.