Planting out courgettes

Coldframe

Plants hardening off.

Broad beans and love-in-a-mist

Plenty of rain

Two weeks on and what a change. We've had plenty of rain the last few days which has softened the soil up a treat so I've been able to get the cabbages planted out. The early peas are up as are all the potatoes.

If you've been paying attention you'll remember that my manure man let me down this year so on the hungriest part of the plot at the top of the right hand bed I've sown red clover as a green manure.

Peas

Cabbages planted out

Potatoes

Grapevine

A couple of years ago someone gave me a cutting from a grapevine ("Boskoop Glory"). I planted it outside a corner of the greenhouse and trained it inside through a hole I made in the skirting. It promptly died but last year I noticed new growth from the plant which I again trained inside and this time it survived and I trained it across the roof. This year I'm pleased to report I've got little bunches of grapes developing nicely.

Global warming shock horror

It's official: we've just had the hottest April since records began, the last 12 months have been the hottest ever and this summer is also forecast to be the hottest ever. The BBC announces this "may be due to global warming." You don't say. This month I've managed to plant out the onions and sweet peas and get the potatoes in but direct sowing was impossible until after six weeks without a drop of rain we finally had enough on the night of the 23rd for me to get out the next morning with fork and rake and knock down some clods into a decent enough tilth to sow the early peas, a few spring onions and a row of carrots. On the plus side I've had plenty of broccoli, the broad beans have been flowering and are starting to set pods, the strawberries have also been in flower and are starting to set fruit and the apple blossom looks lovely!

Sweet peas planted out

Strawberries flowering

Onions

In the greenhouse

Broccoli

Broad beans

Apple blossom

Here we go again

I reckon you should have the gist of how I do things by now so I'll try not to repeat myself too much. I'll do an update every couple of weeks or so to let you know how things are going.

I've made a bit of a late start this year on account of being away for much of the winter in Australia. I've not been able to get any manure from Terry either because of his wife having a bone in her leg or something, so I've had to source it from elsewhere. Our site shop does mushroom compost but at a pound a bag it's too pricey for my liking. Luckily I've found a horsey lady out at Kirk Langley who has plenty of good stuff for sale at 50p a bag (and she doesn't mind how big the bags are). So today I've been out there filling up bags and hauling them back to the plot, spreading it over the area where the peas and beans and potatoes will be going and making a start on the digging. Even so it's going to work out quite expensive and time consuming so I might end up leaving some of the plot fallow this year. I'll just have to skip some of the flowers and concentrate on the veg.

Out on the plot I've finished the sprouts but there are plenty of leeks to eat up and the purple-sprouting broccoli should soon be ready; it's a bit behind this year because of the recent cold snap. Most of the broad beans I sowed in the autumn are coming along nicely; I've helped them by putting up some material to protect from cold winds. I've sown a few seeds indoors and am looking forward to another productive season.

Broad beans

Protected from winter winds:

Another season nearly over

We had our first frost here on November 2nd. I've taken the remains of all the flowers out now and put them on the compost heap. As we head into winter there's still plenty of vegetables to look forward to from the plot: carrots, leeks, brussels sprouts and winter cabbages. In store I've got potatoes and onions, plenty of frozen peas and beans and jars of pickles and jams. Thinking about next year I need to get my Kings seed order in and order a load of muck for digging in. I'll also be sowing Aquadulce broad beans this week for an early spring crop.

This is how things turned out this year:

Records by plant name 2006

Antirrhinums "Bright Butterflies F1" and Freesong F1" - sown in heated propagator 11.3 , 1/2 seed tray of each. Germinating 16.3. Moved to greenhouse 25.3. Pricked out 9.4 to medium modules x24, 1 tray of each. Potted on to 9cm pots 23.4. Moved to coldframe 6.5. Planted out 13.5, 30cm apart.

Broad Bean "Aquadulce" - Sown 9.11.05, started picking 8.6.06. Sown 23.11.06 for cropping spring 2007.

Brocolli, purple sprouting - bought in 4.6, planted out 18.6.

Brussels Sprout "Cascade F1" - sown 9.4 in greenhouse in small modules x10. Germinating 14.4. Potted on to 9cm pots 30.4. Moved to coldframe 6.5. Planted out 13.5, 60cm apart.

Cabbage "Golden acre-primo (II)" - sown 14.5 in short nursery row. No survivors - slugs?

Cabbage "Greyhound" - sown 9.4 in greenhouse in small modules x20. Germinating 16.4. Potted on to 9cm pots 6.5. Moved to coldframe 13.5. Planted out 20.5 30cm apart. Harvesting from 7.7.

Cabbage "Hispi" - sown outside in seed tray 10.6. Planted out 8.7. Harvesting from 2.9.

Cabbage "January King" - Sown 15.4 in small modules x10 in greenhouse. Germinating 22.4. Potted on to 9cm pots 13.5. Moved to coldframe 20.5. Planted out 27.5.

Carnation "Sprite Mixed" - sown 26.3 in small modules x50 in heated propagator. Germinating 30.3. Moved to greenhouse 4.4. Potted on to 9cm pots 22.4. Moved to coldframe 13.5. Planted out 20.5, 30cm apart, 1 double row.

Carnation "Giant Chabaud Mixed" - sown 1.4 in small modules x50 in heated propagator. Germinating 4.4. Moved to greenhouse 9.4. Potted on to 9cm pots 29.4. Moved to coldframe 13.5. Planted out 20.5, 30cm apart, 1 row.

Carrot "F1 Flyaway" - Sown 22.4 11/2 rows, 30cm apart. Gaps resown 20.5.

Carrot "James Scarlet Intermediate" - sown broadcast 1 row 27.5.

Cleome "Serrulata Solo" - sown 26.3 in 1/2 seed tray in heated propagator. Germinating 30.3. Moved to greenhouse 4.4. Pricked out to large modules x30 15.4. Moved to coldframe 7.5. Planted out 13.5, 30cm apart.

Cosmos "Sensation Mixed" - Sown in greenhouse 23.4, small modules x30. Germinating 27.4. 10 plants potted on to 9cm pots 13.5. Moved to coldframe 20.5. Planted out 27.5.

Courgette - bought in, planted out 10.6. Harvesting from 3.7.

Dahlia "Cactus Mixed" - sown 1.4 in heated propagator, x30 small modules. Germinating 5.4. (Germination only 30%). Moved to greenhouse 8.4. Potted on to 9cm pots x10 19.4. Moved to coldframe 6.5. Planted out 13.5, 60cm apart.

Dahlia "Figaro" - sown 9.4 in heated propagator in small modules x30, only one germinated (old seed?), more sown 15.4. Germinating 18.4. Moved to greenhouse 21.4. Potted on to 9cm pots 6.5. Moved to coldframe 20.5. Planted out 27.5.

Dimorphotheca "Sinuata Mixed" (African Daisy) - sown in greenhouse 1.4, x30 small modules. Germinating 8.4. Potted on to 9cm pots 23.4. Moved to coldframe 6.5. Planted out 13.5, 30cm apart. Picking from 10.6

French Marigold - Sown 15.4 in heated propagator, small modules x30. Germinating 18.4. Moved to greenhouse 21.4. Potted on to 9cm pots 6.5. Moved to coldframe 13.5. Sold at open day 4.6.

Gooseberries - pruned 28.2. Picking 7.7

Leek "Lyon Prizetaker" - Sown 15.4 in 1/2 seed tray in greenhouse. Germinating 28.4. Moved to coldframe 27.5. Planted out 11.6.

Lettuce "Lollo Rosso" - Sown 15.4 in heated propagator in small modules x10. Germinating 18.4. Moved to greenhouse 21.4. Potted on to 9cm pots 6.5. Moved to coldframe 13.5. Planted out 20.5. Picking from 9.6.

Lettuce "Red Salad Bowl" - Sown 15.4 in heated propagator in small modules x20. Germinating 18.4. Moved to greenhouse 21.4. Moved to coldframe 7.5. Planted out 20.5. Picking from 9.6.

Lettuce "Tom Thumb" - Sown 22.4 in greenhouse, small modules x10. Germinating 25.4. Potted on to 9cm pots 8.5. Moved to coldframe 13.5. Planted out 20.5. Picking from 8.6.

Lupin "Sunrise" - Sown 15.4 in coldframe, medium modules x24. Germinating 19.4. Potted on to 10cm pots 13.5. Sold at open day 4.6.

Onion "Ailsa Craig" - sown in small modules x50 in greenhouse 26.3. Germinating 7.4. Moved to coldframe 30.4. Planted out 15cm apart 14.5.

Onion "Stuttgarter" - sets bought in 8.3, planted out 25.3, 25cm apart in 1 double row.

Pea "Early Onward" - 1 row sown 14.4. Harvesting 25.6.

Pea "Onward" - 1 row sown 6.5.

Petunia "Super Cascade Improved F1" - Sown in greenhouse 23.4. Germinating 5.5. Pricked out to medium modules x2 20.5, planted in containers 10.6.

Potatoes "Maris Piper" - earlies - bought in and set out for chitting 8.3. Planted out 1.4, 30cm apart in 2 rows 60cm apart. Earthed up 6.5. Harvesting 23.6.

Potatoes "Desiree" - maincrop - bought in for chitting 8.3. Planted out 22.4 40cm apart, 1 row, 75cm apart. Earthed up from 14.5. Harvested and bagged 16.9.

Potatoes "King Edward" - maincrop - Planted out 22.4, 30cm apart, 2 rows 60cm apart. Earthed up 20.5. Harvested and bagged 9.9.

Raspberries - summer fruiting - picking from 2.7.

Raspberries - autumn fruiting - pruned 28.2.

Rudbeckia "Irish Eyes" - sown 9.4 in greenhouse in small modules x30. Germinating 21.4. Potted on to 9cm pots 13.5. Moved to coldframe 27.5. Planted out 4.6, 45cm apart.

Runner bean "Enorma" - Sown in greenhouse 7.5 in large modules x78. Germinating 14.5. Moved to coldframe 20.5. Planted out 27.5. Picking from 2.9.

Spring Onion "White Lisbon" - sown 1/4 row 27.5.

Statice "Art Shades Mixed" - sown 9.4 in heated propagator in small modules x30. Germinating 12.4, moved to greenhouse 14.4. Potted on to 9cm pots 30.4. Moved to coldframe 13.5. Planted out 20.5 30cm apart 20.5, 1 row. Picking for drying from 8.7.

Strawberries - started picking 8.6.

Sunflower "Pastiche" - Sown 15.4 in coldframe in 9cm pots x20. Germinating 23.4. Planted out 27.5

Sweetcorn - bought in, planted out 10.6.

Sweet pea "Anniversary" - Sown 23.4 in greenhouse, 3 to a 9cm pot, 8 pots. Germinating 2.5. Moved to coldframe 13.5. Planted out 27.5.

Sweet pea "Galaxy Mixed" - Sown 11.3 in greenhouse, 3 to a 9cm pots, 18 pots. (18 pots=2 pkts of seed, buy 3 pkts next year, or save seed). Germinating 29.3. Moved to coldframe 9.4. Pinched out from 14.4. Planted out 7.5. Picking from 17.6.

Tomato "Gardeners Delight" - sown 26.3 in small modules x10 in heated propagator. Germinating 30.3. Moved to greenhouse 4.4. Potted on to 9cm pots x8 15.4. Potted on to 15cm pots 8.5. Bottoms of pots removed and planted out in growbags 20.5. Harvesting from 8.7.