Real spring bits and bobs

[PLUMPUDDING]

My frogs are back. No sign of them yesterday morning, but dozens of them and even some spawn in the afternoon. Also the bees came out for a short while in the sunshine. The snow and ice have nearly thawed out and I have a bit of earth showing through in most parts of the garden so gone mad and planted garlic, shallots and onion sets that have been waiting for ages.

Isn't it amazing how much better you feel after a bit of proper gardening, sunshine and fresh air.

[vegpatchmum]

Well we went to the sea front at Cleethorpes. My OH and the girls got out of the car, walked to the barrier, watched some donkeys amble passed, then almost sprinted back to the car ...... very, very cold. Me? I filmed the whole 3 minute expedition ..... from the comfort and warmth of the car

VPM
x

[oldherbaceous]

Dear VPM, that sounded a far better option.

Just been to feed some cats along the road, and that wind is just as strong and as bitterly cold.

[Parsons Jack]

2 degs here and it's been raining all morning

Dug up the last of the parsnips, some leeks, and carrots. Cut some chard in the polytunnnel. I planted it last April and have been picking it ever since

[Clive.]

We got quite a lot of catch up done at work over this fortnight. We finished forking the big border...as a mark of progress in days gone we used to say that if we were on that one on Nov 5th we were on track..
Utilising the windy dry weather we have also been chipping up the gravel paths that last year got so flattened with the wet and a visitor number increase.
Over Easter I got the Raspberry posts up that have been pending since August..and new Redcurrant and Blackcurrant planted nearby.
I put the maincrop Potatoes in yesterday...Kestrel 2nd early was well chitted but Ambo, Harmony, Stemster had only small starts of chits...but ground conditions were good at last so they are in. A succession of earlies await sequential planting...to follow some Vales Emerald of the other week.

Our loyal regular Volunteers were joined by a local young chap who asked to come in as a volunteer to gain experience over his Easter college break. This has helped enormously with progress as his arrival coincided with the improvement in ground conditions. It has helped my recall of plant names too...because of his huge appetite for increasing his plant knowledge.

We had 507 visitors on Easter Sunday and 350 on the Monday....thank goodness that the car park had dried....even if the Daffodils were not putting on much of a show.... The Snowdrops were still reasonable.! Galanthus Ikariae?? is still in good flower.

At home I got a couple of rows of Swift potatoes in and 5 pots of Lady Christl in the greenhouse..that one is well behind schedule.......

..and I found out this week too that I recently got a mention and photo in a magazine from a Swedish magazine house.....

Clive.

[alan refail]

Looks like the long cold spell had its last vicious fling last night - down to -6C this morning

Forecast warmer for the next week with little or no frost at night.

Brilliant sunny day today. I celebrated by potting tomatoes and I might well get potatoes in the ground tomorrow.

[Geoff]

I planted last of Potatoes yesterday. When I uncovered it the ground was in amazing condition. Put the polythene back over after planting. Breaking up a bed for Parsnips, Carrots and Swedes today that will need covering somehow to warm it up for sowing the first two. Ventilating the tunnel for the first time today, Potatoes and Peas growing quickly in there.

[Monika]

Wow, temperature up to 12C today, it's not been above 8C for weeks. And the wind dropped! Couldn't do any gardening because I had a language lesson all morning and then went to grandson No.2's 24th birthday party, but all set for tomorrow.
Tonight's (and the following nights') temperatures are still likely to drop well below freezing but, like Geoff says, it sure helps to break down any soil clods. I will cover up a few beds tomorrow to warm them up for sowing later in the month.

[Clive.]

1.4 C currently...but it did get warm today...relatively speaking..

Had to do quite a bit of watering in the greenhouses and frames at work...and the sales plants stood outside

I got some Kestrel and Merlin Potatoes put in at home today...with some Ambo to go in yet to complete maincrop planting.
I've some Duke of York to set also which I don't recall ever trying here previously.

Mum has been tidying the greenhouse here and has sown the Shirley Tomato seed.

Clive.

[Geoff]

What an amazing day - worked outside to 7:30 pm. Got the roots bed broken down, built the Carrot Cage with a couple of pieces of corrugated plastic in it to warm the soil. More corrugated plastic (must thank the person again who scrapped a car port!) made a cloche to warm for the Parsnips.
Started on another bed. Put in the stakes and some of the strings where the Broad beans will go and the poles and wire that will support the Sweat Pea canes. Should be able to complete that tomorrow even if the current -1.1 goes lower. Think I've got enough of the plastic left to plant out the Broad Beans in a day or two when the frost relents.

[Clive.]

It certainly was an amazing day...I reckon I was still out there at 8pm it was virtually dark....
Got some more to do this morning...but not feeling so keen currently..although the sun is streaming up the hallway here.

Clive.

[Clive.]

I noticed this morning that my first sowing of Broad Beans at work are coming up. Pushed in a thumbs depth on 22/2/13.

Clive.

[Colin Miles]

After yesterdays Spring-like weather - 10.7C and sunny - it was back to thick shirt, 2 jumpers, coat and woolly hat to keep warm. Set up cold frame and put out peas and mangetout - and planted Sweet Peas. Mine you, the birds have obviously decided that its Spring, judging by their songs.

Average April temp so far - about 1.5C - colder than March!

[Parsons Jack]

Hard frost here first thing, but bright and sunny all day.

Went and played with my new ( old ) toy for a few hours this morning. Picked up on eBay last week, and fills that gap at the back of the shed just right

[Clive.]

A new old toy from the early 1980s.

Clive.