Spring Bits and Bobs.

[oldherbaceous]

It certainly doesn’t feel very Spring like today, and most of the trees are showing very little sign of the new buds bursting open….but thought we better make the most of Spring.

[Clive.]

Similarly cool and very breezy out this way on. I had parked my car at the top end of the drive near the Prunus kojo no mai, the blossom of which is going over...and the car now looks like covered in wedding confetti.

Even the greenhouses didn't warm much today. and not sure about these new light evenings..?!

I did work down another strip of Winter digging yesterday and pushed in another row of Bunyard's Exhibition broad beans. Then made good another strip which will be for Early Onward peas...the pea seed was still in its pods in paper bag in the back room as collected last July.. they are now shelled out ready for nice dry evening ..soon..

I see some radish are popping up in the cold frame.

I'm pleased I got those leeks planted last year...most useful as part of lunch menu now. ..followed by a dish of stewed Champagne rhubarb....!!

C.

[Clive.]

Stop press,....we now have sunshine...my apologies, it could still be a light evening....

C.

[Geoff]

I don't force any rhubarb but my first crumble today was a treat. It followed the last of the purple sprouting from the tunnel which have been really good with the outside ones looking pretty useless, though we'll soon have the flower shoots off the kalettes to follow on. Another grim day today with a cold sometimes sleety wind.

[Westi]

None of my sweet potatoes I saved from last year are thinking of producing roots let alone slips, but not sure why? I've both toothpicks in the glass & on a flat tray of compost but absolutely nothing. They are in their usual sunny warm place at home like every years & no changes & not cold. Anyway came to the decision maybe I've just exhausted this strain/variety re-using them for so long. (Thoughts welcomed)!

Anyway I bit the bullet & decided I might as well start afresh & might order some ready potted plants for a try. Very confusing looking through the companies on line to what they called sweet potatoes; plants or slips. All pics were of a full tuber even though they said were slips & there was even a pot available growing a black mini variety..hmm not appealing! Found some in the end though, obvs some cussing!

AI in the mix with some maybe???