
Quickly preparing a good tilth with my cultivator I planted a row of Santero onion sets, the recommended variety for our site, leaving plenty of space (8") between them. I hope they grow huge.
I then prepared the next strip of soil and, after creating a shallow trench to help with future watering, sowed half a row of Spinach, F1 Reddy. I plan to sow the rest of the row in mid-May then leave a gap until August as Spinach tends to bolt in the heat of mid-summer.
Then I decided to try an experiment with the rest of the sets. Across the path I had half a row of Escallion onions that I had bought at the supermarket and tried planting. They have sat in the ground for nearly a month and show no sign of growing! I guess they probably have been treated. So I removed them and cultivated the soil before planting my remaining sets in clumps of four.
Note the moribund Escallion onions in the top of the picture.
I then scattered some Pot Marigold seed where I am going to plant my beans - to encourage insects that will attack any greenfly and also pollinate the flowers for a better crop.
I then dashed off to get ready for my fancy lunch at the Chewton Glen.