Spring is Here?

After a really damp April, last weekend provided beautiful weather bringing the notion that Spring had Sprung. There are now a list of tasks for the plot, not the least the task of continual weeding as the pesky other growths develop alongside the items we really want to grow.

Potatoes have been planted (this is the third year) on the opposite side of the plot from the last two years to ensure we rotate. The broad beans and garlic which have overwintered are looking in reasonable shape, and three rows of onions sown just off the runner bean cage.

Half rows of Kohl Rabi, beetroot, and celtuce, to be followed with further half rows over the coming weeks (succession growing), together with two full rows of parsnips form the starting point for the growing season.

The additional raised bed is to be used for various varieties of carrots, along with the furthest (Closest to the IBC). The mid bed has had the first rows of rocket, Pak Choi, and Raddicio placed into 1-2 cm deep drills.

The Poly tunnel has had various varieties of Peppers translated from the household nursery (the conservatory), which despite the migration of a significant number of plants, still has little room to enjoy the longer daylight hours.



One of the best things about the weekend came as a bit of a surprise - we found two pairs of smooth newts had rather taken to the wildlife feature. We consider this to be a really good healthy sign, with the earlier frog spawn now converted to hoardes of tadpoles, am really hoping a new 'herd' of friendly predators will stick around to help keep the native pests (slugs and snails) under control.

As with the first year, we plan to grow some 'different' types of fruit and vegetables, and have planted out 4 alpine strawberry plants, and a curry leaf plant for starters to see how they cope and what we can produce, and have some further, hopefully interesting possibilities we are going to test this season. Watch this blog for further updates.

Finally, as a bit of a photographer, one of the best things about the plot is the diversity of mini wildlife and the detail in some of the plant structures which become visible. Over the years many images have appeared on the site of all sorts of flies, butterflies, caterpillars, slugs, bees and wasps. Having often wondered about a very specific creature that hovered over the plants with a significant proboscis, I managed to catch said specimen which turns out to be a Bee Fly, which despite it's appearance is harmless.



I hope the update has been interesting and please keep coming back to see the progress of our 'interesting possibilities' we are planning to grow this season.