March

Seeing as we're almost half way through April I'd best write down what we managed to get done on the plot last month. All the weekends were spent at the plot (apart from the last week where we skived off for a week's snowboarding!!).

We finished the asparagus bed and planted the crowns....hopefully we've done it right.We set up the wires and posts for the cordon apples and planted them.
Decided on where the plum, gage, damson and crab apple should go - top of Plot 85 and planted them. The soil on that section hasn't been dug (as far as I know) for at least 3 years and it's solid clay. So we weeded where we were going to plant the trees as best as possible, filled the holes with compost and then have covered the whole area in weed suppressant fabric and wood chips to stop the docks and other nasties in reappearing.

Sowed an early sowing of carrots (under fleece), beetroot (white & red) and some fast growing turnips (for something new) and when we visited last weekend there are signs of seedlings.

April so far is proving just as busy....

Signs of Spring

With this latest bout of milder weather things have been stirring.

The garlic has shot up from these tiny shoots back a few weeks ago to this.

The rhubarb seems to be getting bigger every time you glance at it. The ramsoms have made an early return (so they must like our soil)... mmm wild garlic...

And there's buds on just about everything...

Hiatus...

Been off on a watervole hunt...but best get back into the seed sowing as Spring has sprung. Also don't want to get too far behind Dr Greenfingers...www.gardenofdoug.blogspot.com

The Growing Season starts here...

At last the weather's warming up and it feels like Spring.

Did a solo digging session last night and managed to clear an area about 6 metres squared of weeds ready to plant out the broad beans when I get back next week. Found some very large but chewed-by-slugs potatoes that I missed when digging last year's crop up. Oh well at least the soil is nice and crumbly.

On Sunday we managed to plant the rest of the potatoes - the maincrops, Pink Fir Apple and Cara (2 rows each of 20 tubers). MJC planted the last of the onions (hope they're not too late in!).


Monday, I transplanted the rest of the tomato seedlings and tranferred them upstairs out of the way of the kitties.

A sign of things to come?

A trip to the plots tonight revealed new growth despite the cold weather.The blackcurrants are already flowering and there are lots of clusters of them on the plants so maybe another bumper crop? Mmmm blackcurrant jam!

The gooseberries are also blooming. Gooseberry fool or crumble? Tough choice!
The ramsons also seem to thriving where we've planted them by producing some pretty but smelly flowers.

The garlic is looking lush and healthy. I wonder if it's had enough cold to split properly into cloves? Well I'll have to be patient and wait until summer... The shallots have sprung into life.

And finally just had to take a picture of one of the artichoke plants from above because it makes a perfect star shape.