Winter Bits and Bobs.

[Clive.]

Reasonably sunny overall today with a small dose of drizzle at 3:30pm..and very noticeable how the sun has moved things along.

Field crops look very green and good, better than this time last year, as I recall. They went in well back in the Autumn and that seems to have made the difference over the previous year.

I do wonder how the carrots in the back field are fairing under their membrane and straw 'cocoon'. The run down headlands are standing in water...

I opened a jar of my pickled shallots at tea time...very nice, just as I remembered them of old, slightly stronger and fraction spicier than bought ones...as a result I indulged a few less of them than I may otherwise have done....don't want them to bite back.!

C.

[Westi]

That's my job for tomorrow OH; great minds hey? OK maybe not so much my end!
First I have to get the main crop spuds in but it's just finishing weeding their bed to do that. Then it is into the tunnel to do pretty much the same crops as your list. I have cleaned off all the staging already & taken seeds, pots & compost down so hoping I can get straight onto it after the weeding.

[Westi]

Got all the planned beds weeded, fed, all spuds in etc. Sowed all the planned seeds on the staging & did a bit of a tidy up. I only focused on the club root resistant brassica's to sow as that's the main thing to get started as usually they would be in the propagator. Weather holding so will go down on Wednesday as think with a fair wind I could get this side finished.

[retropants]

I am aiming to get the Bay hedge at the front of the drive cut back this weekend. I know it's a tad late, but it's been too wet so far. Then I must clear the veg patch, as it is littered with pots of herbs and general stuff after the laurel hedge was removed. It's a big old mess.

[Geoff]

Not sure it is really Spring yet OH though today's lovely sunshine could fool you. All the gardening and wildlife programmes are always on about looking after the pollinators but they never seem to mention Ericas. Our heather bed is flowering well this year, difficult to photograph as it is quite steep and faces NorthWest, and today in the sunshine it has had lots of bumble bees.

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[Clive.]

Lovely sunshine today...but...the wind has gone into the East...so still has a definite chill, hence woolly hat is still on...not firmly on, sometimes just lodged atop...I kid folk that it is a thermostatic hat...

[oldherbaceous]

I think we still maybe in for snow at the end of March!
Lovely picture, Geoff.
I managed to get all the grass cut over the allotment, this afternoon…. the grass was dry but, just on the limit for the roller to keep traction….

[Westi]

Well the sunshine hasn't disappointed as holding for another day, or 2 days dependent on the weather report. Only this brief break though then back to the drizzle, but at least the temp has not dropped much.

[Clive.]

I certainly shed the woolly hat today...warm in the sunshine. Loads of bumblebees about and huge number of ladybirds appearing atop clumps of plants that have provided them shelter.

Cool this morning though. 5C upon leaving home, down to 3.5C passing the work gates and 2.5C in fog/mist a mile or two further to the garage in the next town East.

[Westi]

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[retropants]

what a darling kitty! I bet she's a real handful

[Westi]

Not the intended pic retropants; was supposed to be a pic of my first asparagus up but the computer would not play & load any new pics. Hopefully I have sorted it but it had me cussing quite a bit. (As if I hear you say)! Funny how it coincided with being updated even though I did not agree with an update, but my friend said it apparently just does eventually whether you agree or not.
I'll just try to see if while on anyway. (Sorry in advance if another kitten pic)!

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[oldherbaceous]

Beautiful day yesterday, now raining again, so no allotment work tomorrow!

[Clive.]

Tally with the lovely sunny day yesterday. I was working on a south facing border with wall behind, really quite warm.... Today, made sure there was a wall behind once again...this time to cut out the northerly cold breeze...

Hoping that the rain runs out before it gets to here..it is listed on the next two hours though and radar map tallies with that too....

C.

[oldherbaceous]

I was cutting a large Laurel hedge, and the wind was whipping the cut leaves about, all over the place!