Kitchen Garden Forum

Just got back from the plot ,the east wind is bitting as well as the soil is bone dry looks like I will have to get the hose pipe out tomorrow

Just moved a trailer load of fresh horse poo and had to roll my sleeves down, as Robo said, there's a real bite to the wind.

Despite overnight temperatures down to 5 degrees in the greenhouse the Mara des Bois strawberries are in full flower, so I have to go round every day with a small paintbrush making a noise like a bee(hope the neighbours over the wall can't hear me lol). Doing the same task with a different brush in the conservatory with the over wintered Cayenne pepper, that already has 3 fruits on it, first time I have successfully kept a chillie plant into a second year. Picked some radish from the greenhouse and have raised the first plants in there from seed. I have a small plastic "greenhouse inside the big greenhouse and sowed sweet peas and broad beans and they are now showing well along with a couple of lupins for the front garden.

Just seen my first cabbage butterfly. Sign of things to come.

Went last Friday to a fellow rugby club members funeral. Guard of Honor of fellow rugby members all wearing their No:1's. As the curtain closed at the end of the service, they played "A Time to say Goodby" sung by Andrea Bocelli & Sarah Brightman. Wasn't a dry eye in the place. Goodby old friend.

First cabbage white here too today, Shallot Man, also a red admiral. The first swallow has been sighted in the village (earlier than usual) and a male blackcap is singing. Must be spring .....

Spotted the first swallow at my works location yesterday morning. I was wandering across the old woodyard thinking, wonder when they'll be here, looked up and the first was sat there right above me taking some rest on the electric wires. I had thought I had heard one chittering about last Thurs but couldn't see it.

I put some bean poles up this morning, felt the soil was nicely warm, considered the forecast, and sowed the beans....time will tell if my silly? keeness, a fortnight ahead of historic sowing date is wise..........

C.

What a lovely day to have the first of my asparagus only six spears but really nice , I should say the second as two days ago I cut four the guy on the plot at the side of mine who always turns up when the first hint of the kettle boiling was the recipient of the first lot with his cry of "I've never had asparagus"

A bit of a treat for him.
My asparagus has never really flourished. I think it is time to csll time and dig the roots out. Then we will think sbout whether we start with new crowns or use the space for something else.

Put my Runner bean canes up yesterday and have just cut all the grass paths over the allotment....it does look like the allotments are coming back to life for another season...

Is it still early spring OH?

I'm worried the weather will turn nasty, if I start a new thread........

I'd have a rolling one, if one was available!