Catch up entry.

Thursday 4th August
Life has been a bit hectic with my family visiting from America but I have managed 3 early morning visits recently, arriving around 7 and getting back home after 9am to finish off having breakfast. Early morning is a lovely time to be on the plot, quiet and with lots of wild life around (including rabbits). I also get lots of work done.
On these visits I have planted four batches of cauliflower plants, giving a succession right through the winter, and two batches of winter cabbages, all bought from outside the Trading Hut. I find a strip of 5 plants is more than enough to ensure a good crop.
The row of fennel I had sown is showing through already. The warmth in the soil makes germination so much quicker - except, it seems,  for carrots.
I have also sown the last row of carrots. Not being sure whether to sow earlies for quick growth or lates for hardiness,  I sowed a mixture of Chantenay and Autumn King. I also sowed kohl rabbi, turnips, spinach and beetroot. I cleared lots of weeds from my asparagus bed and the patch where my broad beans had been.
I did get help from my family with harvesting the French beans, potatoes and raspberries and my grandson helped lift the onions and shallots. I had left these a bit too long and quite a few had rotted. He also helped me trim them at home, a long and laborious task, ready to be set out to dry completely.
I have managed a couple of short daytime visits, mainly to water my seeds and new plantings, but I did get time to lash up the compost bin so the contents will not spill out over the track.