Digging and Planting

April shower with attitude

The bold leap of spring has already hit on a wobble. A few days ago the temperatures were hitting the giddy heights of the high teens, even twenty degrees in some places. Today we are back to just scraping double figures. Frosts at night are not unexpected at this time of year, often followed by glorious sunny days. Today got off to a good start then cloud marched in and turned everything very cold. On Saturday morning we even had a hailstorm.

I have ventured down to the allotment and been busy putting in the early potatoes; this years varieties are Première, International Kidney and Anya. The latter courtesy of a fellow gardener I met at the Master Gardener's induction weekend. I was hoping to get some of the Sarpo varieties but could only find 'taster' packs of five, not

Beds of seeds and mounds of potatoes

enough to feed a family and more expensive. Next to the potatoes I have added two rows of Scorzonera, something which is being grown as an experiment this year as I have not even eaten it let alone grown it before! Carrots have been put in next to the Scorzonera too. I have also uncovered the onions which have been living under the triangle tunnel all winter, they needed a bit of weeding and a lot of water. Next to the onions are two rows of Chard, again a first time for me but I've heard that it is better than spinach, which is a great favourite of mine. Most of the greenhouse grown broad beans have been planted out and are now having their turn under the triangle cloche next to the chard. Next to the broad beans are two double rows of field peas, which I was given, they should grow without needing any supporting pea sticks. I'll just be glad if they grow!

Tomatolings

 

The rotavating which I was waiting for sort of happened. In some areas the soil was too hard and dry for the machine to cut into so It couldn't be turned. There were a couple of places which were easier to work and I have very quickly filled them with plants or seeds. I was left with the quandary of what to do with the other areas which are not only hard to dig but once again choked with weeds, particularly grass. I could just get my spade and fork and dig it over, quickest but also back breaking work. I expect I shall have to do some of it that way because I need room to put in more potatoes and lots more beans. It is in the bean area that most work needs to be done! I have started to try out a different method, the no dig system. It may be a bit late to start because many of the weeds are well established. I have already started covering the ground with cardboard and covering that with soil. It will take a lot of cardboard and it will take some months before I can use it but if it works I shall save myself a lot of back breaking digging. I will cover spare ground with weed suffocating material in future.

Free Butternut Squash

Back in the greenhouse a lot more seeds have been planted, mainly vegetables but some flowers for the home garden. There are signs of life in several trays but the Spinach hasn't come up again, I hope it is just being slow. Using a tip from a fellow Master gardener I am trying to sprout parsnip seeds on a damp paper towel ready for planting out. Parsnip seeds are notorious for not keeping so this is a good way of seeing if you need a fresh pack. So far no life, same for the soya beans.

It could be spring

According to a newspaper today we are going to have a drought in May! Well April was not exactly rain soaked round here. Perhaps I should start growing Cacti instead!