Sorry but my entry 'disappeared' when I uploaded!
Here's my second attempt! I visited the plot on Monday afternoon mainly to plant my runner beans out. First I had to put the canes into my frame after hoeing and weeding the patch. I should have taken a photo to show you but the setup encourages the beans to grow outwards and the beans hang down outside and can be picked a bit more easily. I will try to post a photo tomorrow. This year I am planting mainly 'Moonlight' as I have found them more tender than some others though the season is a bit short. I saved seed last year so about half the plants are from saved seed and the other half are from a packet of Sutton's mixed runner beans that contained 'Moonlight', 'Firestorm' and 'Tenderesse'. While most of the row is 'Moonlight' there was space for 4 plants of each of the others at the far end. That way I shall get to try them but I will have to save my 'Moonlight' seed from the other end from them to reduce the chance of cross pollination. I watered and protected them against Red Legged Partridges taking out the growing points with a mesh just over a foot high round the bottom of the canes and plants. Unfortunately I forgot to sprinkle a few slug pellets around so I hope there are some plants left when I go back tomorrow! I also got the frame ready for my climbing french beans as they are ready to plant out as well. Then I did the hoeing as I promised myself I would do every visit, clearing weeds from round my onions. I also pulled up the two remaining spring cabbages (I have waited in vain for them to heart up) to take home as spring greens as they were overshadowing some of the onions. There was one asparagus shoot worthy of cutting; the rest I will leave to help the plants to strengthen up for next year. The last remaining spinach beet plant growing alongside the path was lifted and the stalks cut off for a last crop of leaves. There was also a good picking of rhubarb from both of my plants, a 'Timperley Early' and another standard (Victoria?). I was rushing around trying to sort everything before going away for a week visiting my daughter in Yorkshire. Once there I found I did not have internet access so my plan to update the site while away was impossible!
Trying to remember what I did before travelling will be difficult but here goes........ I was keen to get the patches for my sweetcorn and legumes (peas & beans) ready for when I get back. A quick session with my Backsaver spade finished off digging in the green manure and I cleared the legume patch of large weeds before giving both patches a run over with the cultivator to produce a good tilth ready for sowing and planting. I was also pleased to see that the thistles that had spread into last year's potato patch had succumbed to the Glyphosate I had squirted on each sprout showing. It helped that the horse litter mulch I had spread had kept everything else at bay so they were easy to deal with. My potatoes had sprouted well and had shown only slight signs of frost damage earlier in May so were very ready to be earthed up. I was a bit late doing so as they are best earthed up when just 6" high but it is always worth doing. You effectively disturb any weeds and increase the space underground for them to develop tubers. I earthed up some rows as normal with earth but some are 'earthed up' with horse litter. We shall see if it works! As I have resolved, I hoed off some weeds around my onions and pulled weeds from along the the path edge. The area round my shed is almost submerged in weeds, mainly Goose Grass so judicial use of the Glyphosate spray will give me a chance to deal with it when I return. My neighbour and I discussed dealing with the brambles that spread either side of the fence between us from roots deep down. He will be clearing his side while I am away and then I shall have a go at my side. The roots run so deep that I think it may take a little time before success is achieved and we may have to use weedkiller. |