Plotters are busy digging, the sound of rotavators fills the air!
We have just planted our first potatoes although many plotters started to do this much sooner
The new strawberry plants have been planted out.
New raspberry canes are starting to shoot
Blueberries bushes are in bud - we only planted the bushes last year so are hoping for more than the half dozen berries that we have had so far.
The rhubarb is starting to grow quickly - well we are in the middle of the rhubarb triangle so you would expect it to do well. Ours grows like a weed.
The parsnip seeds have been sown.
In the garden
Tadpoles are growing and really active now.
Birds are singing and collecting nesting material. Why do blue tits insist on using the sparrow terrace that we bought a couple of years ago? - They did this last year too. Apparently blue tits do not like to nest near other birds so why nest here when there a several detached boxes in our garden?
Out and about
The trees are now starting to bloom.
The forsythia looks beautiful at the moment - what a shame that it doesn't last for very long and then looks nothing special
Weekend 8 April (Easter Weekend)
On the plot
Planted various varieties of potatoes - salad varieties as we prefer these. We have chosen, Cherie, Juliette, Belle de Fontenay, Charlotte and Nicola.
Sowed a couple of rows of Early Onward peas.
Sowed carrots in drills of compost. We have decided to experiment with some. strange colours such as Yellowstone. Purple Haze, Healthmaster and Ingot. To be on the safe side we have also planted two long rows of Autumn King.
Sowed radishes and spring onions.
Continued to clear beds and rotavate them .
Gooseberries are in flower.
Blackcurrants are in bud.
Some flowers on the alpine strawberries and also early 'ordinary' strawberries - Mae (Maybe if the frosts stay off we could have some really early strawberries).
Cuddled a baby chick! Well as near to cuddling as you can with something so tiny.
In the garden
More or less a general tidy up time,
In the green house
Sowed leeks - Oarsman, lettuce - Little Gem, Webbs Wonderful and Green and Red Salad Bowl, kale - Nero di Toscana, parsely - French Plain Leaved, cabbage - Hispi and Picador, cardoons, peas - Alderman and turnip - Aramis.
The trees are now beginning to get that fresh green spring look. It's a really beautiful time of the year as the leaf buds 'spring' into growth
The birds are in full flow now, announcing their territory to all comers.
Weekend 15 April
On the plot
We did a lot of tidying up - kept needing to remind ourselves that it was only April and not be tempted to plant things that would suffer if the weather turned cold.
Planted some cranberry plants in between the blueberries planted last year.
Also had to do lots of watering as it was really dry.
Planted some more potatoes, Juliette and Charlotte.
Strawberries are flowering really well but I suppose a frost will put paid to any berries forming.
Apple trees are in bud.
In the garden
More tidying up and digging out plants that have overstayed their welcome.
Potted up hostas - hope that the slugs don't cause as much damage this year - we are thinking of buying some nematodes to help.
Took the fleece off the tree fern (no signs of fronds - the fleece may need to go back).
Uncovered the gunnera which is growing strongly.
Cut old growth from ferns - lots of new fronds are growing.
Planted some wild primroses.
Pear tree is in full flower.
Out and about
Lovely summer weather very warm and sunny.
The wild cherry trees are looking good now.
Unfortunately the rape of our countryside has started - instead of rolling green fields we have fields of acid yellow. Oil seed rape is the only plant that gives me a touch of hay fever. Sore throat, headachy and sneezes. Coming along the motorway from junction 38 you really need sunglasses as the yellow fields dominate the view. This crops has also been blamed for the increase in pests such as pollen beetles and pests that affect brassicas. It is also straying onto the verges and threatening to compete with our wild flowers. I suppose you have guessed that I hate it! If anyone wants to start a petition against it - I'll sign.
The garden centres were heaving but we had to pay a visit. I got some lovely fritillaries one snakeskin and another white. The snakeskin one has just developed white flowers and snakeskin flowers!
Weekend 22 April
This weekend was rather cloudy and probably not the best time to take my monthly photos but that's life
On the plot
Planted out salad leaves, mizuna, golden streaked and red, Komatsuna, mustards, skyrocket,
Planted out summer cabbage - Puma (under environmesh)
The carrots are coming up so we covered them with enviromesh to ward off carrot fly – I am not convinced that the other methods work! Maybe your experience is different
Radish is now up.
Onions, shallots are now sprouting well
More watering
Peas are up
Planted some more broad beans
Apple cordons are now in blossom
In the garden
The bumble bees are searching the ground for a suitable place to nest – some have snoozes on the flowers whilst they take a break from house hunting
The gunnera is now auditioning for Dr Who. I am sure you can actually watch it grow
Fish are becoming more demanding of food. – I wish I was 100% sure that the plant growing in our pond is watercress especially as a small pack of it costs 99p at the supermarket and I could have a pond full!
Our Malus Profusion is living up to its name – at the moment it is a red cloud of blossom providing a great hiding place for birds amongst which are goldfinches that can be permanently heard twittering somewhere just out of sight among the flowers.
The John Downie crab apple is just coming into flower.
Many other shrubs are flowering and perennials are starting to pop up ready to run the gauntlet of marauding slugs!
We are again finding lots of cleanly emptied snail shells, the shells are completely in tact so something is winkling out the occupants – wonder if it could be our resident frog population.
Out and About
The oil seed rape is painting a blanket of acid yellow over the countryside and causing many people to have sore throats, headache and sniffles. Me among them
Dandelions provide a more natural carpet of a warmer yellow along grass verges (and unfortunately our grass paths on the plot) accompanied by sprinklings of daisies.
The first bluebells are out in the hedgerows. I hope that the ones in the verges along my route to work are left to finish flowering this year as for the past two years they have been mown down. The verges are designated as roadside nature reserves so someone seems to have the wrong idea about what this means.
Other wild flowers are putting on a show in the hedgerow, one of which is greater stitchwort another I can’t quite make out from the car as I drive past but it is growing in abundance.
Trees are beautiful now – the ornamental cherries look magnificent and others are starting to leaf up providing the special fresh green of spring.
The hawthorn are beginning to flower – depends on their location as to how far along they are.
Weekend 29 April
On the plot
Finished planting potatoes and onions. (Do we really eat so many?)
Lots of watering to do
Planted some Early Onwards peas directly in the plot
Grass paths are growing quickly as are the dandelions so lots of strimming!
In the garden
Repotted more hostas – some have already been nibbled by slugs – they’ll regret it once we set the nematodes onto them!
Decided that the stuff growing in our pond is watercress.
In the green house
Planted French beans - Delinel
Planted Red and Green Salad Bowl, Webbs Wonderful and Little Gem lettuce
Planted basil and chives
Out and About
Saw my first swallow of the season, it was checking out the eaves around work looking for a suitable place to nest.
Found out that the plant growing in the hedgerow that I couldn’t identify last week is garlic mustard. Interestingly none is growing in the part that is a designated a roadside nature reserve. Someone chops this verge back every year so it probably doesn’t manage to get established!
