Friday 17th March
Having not made it down to the plot for my usual Thursday morning session because I had some home commitments, I made a special effort to visit this afternoon. With the weekend forecast for rain and the Saturday rugby meant I was unlikely to make it down except for the Working Party.
I had scraped the mulch clear of a foot wide strip so forked over the soil before using the bulb planter to create 30 deep holes into which I dropped the toilet roll pots containing the plants and firmed them in. A few drops of paraffin on each plant to put off the mice and the net tunnel protection as I had not hardened them off as much as I would like. Fortunately there are no frosts forecast.
The autumn planted onion sets are mostly growing on well, apart from the Radar sets, but so are the weeds so I spent a little while hoeing between them. I did plant them with enough space for the home to go between them but as they swell it may not be enough! I also used my bill hook to cut the Ryegrass green manure ready to dig it in next week.
I then set about digging out the hump of soil in front of my greenhouse door. I have caught my head on the top of the door several times because I had just crossed the hump and not got low enough so I need to level the approach to the doorway. I managed to deal with a barrowload but realised it is such poor quality soil, originally from below the old shed that stood where the greenhouse is now, that I need to spread it out as thinly as I can.
I offered one of my blackberry plants to one of the new neighbours (I hate to waste them) and was very grateful to be offered in return a young blueberry plant she had brought from the nursery she works at. It will complete my row though I will need to net them well if the blackbirds are not going to eat them before I can harvest them - as they did last summer!
By the time I had done all that it was getting late so I harvested a few things. The row of cauliflower is doing well. I cut a huge one for myself and another good sized one for the neighbour who gave me some parsnips last week. I hope he finds it in his shred before the rats do.
As well as the cauliflower I harvested a large number of Brussel Sprouts as they are beginning to blow. Next to them in the brassica tunnel the row of Purple Sprouting has begun to crop giving me a lovely bunch to take home. My five very small curly kale plants were beginning to run to seed so I picked off the tops hoping they will branch out and provide a further crop.
Finally I dug up a couple of leeks and a (tiny) parsnip. Before I left I did a tour of the site expecting to be the last to leave. There was one vehicle outside a plot so I planned to leave the lock ready to lock but as I completed my tour that vehicle got ahead of me so, once again, it feel to me to lock up for the night!
Having not made it down to the plot for my usual Thursday morning session because I had some home commitments, I made a special effort to visit this afternoon. With the weekend forecast for rain and the Saturday rugby meant I was unlikely to make it down except for the Working Party.
I had scraped the mulch clear of a foot wide strip so forked over the soil before using the bulb planter to create 30 deep holes into which I dropped the toilet roll pots containing the plants and firmed them in. A few drops of paraffin on each plant to put off the mice and the net tunnel protection as I had not hardened them off as much as I would like. Fortunately there are no frosts forecast.
The autumn planted onion sets are mostly growing on well, apart from the Radar sets, but so are the weeds so I spent a little while hoeing between them. I did plant them with enough space for the home to go between them but as they swell it may not be enough! I also used my bill hook to cut the Ryegrass green manure ready to dig it in next week.
I then set about digging out the hump of soil in front of my greenhouse door. I have caught my head on the top of the door several times because I had just crossed the hump and not got low enough so I need to level the approach to the doorway. I managed to deal with a barrowload but realised it is such poor quality soil, originally from below the old shed that stood where the greenhouse is now, that I need to spread it out as thinly as I can.
I offered one of my blackberry plants to one of the new neighbours (I hate to waste them) and was very grateful to be offered in return a young blueberry plant she had brought from the nursery she works at. It will complete my row though I will need to net them well if the blackbirds are not going to eat them before I can harvest them - as they did last summer!
By the time I had done all that it was getting late so I harvested a few things. The row of cauliflower is doing well. I cut a huge one for myself and another good sized one for the neighbour who gave me some parsnips last week. I hope he finds it in his shred before the rats do.
As well as the cauliflower I harvested a large number of Brussel Sprouts as they are beginning to blow. Next to them in the brassica tunnel the row of Purple Sprouting has begun to crop giving me a lovely bunch to take home. My five very small curly kale plants were beginning to run to seed so I picked off the tops hoping they will branch out and provide a further crop.
Finally I dug up a couple of leeks and a (tiny) parsnip. Before I left I did a tour of the site expecting to be the last to leave. There was one vehicle outside a plot so I planned to leave the lock ready to lock but as I completed my tour that vehicle got ahead of me so, once again, it feel to me to lock up for the night!
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