What a fabulous day! We knew it was going too be sunny but didn't expect 18°! So welcome! It meant there were lots of plotholders and wildlife (bees and butterflies) on site - the most we've seen for months.
We're so pleased that we managed to get our two rows of Kestrels (20 potatoes) planted.
We planted in trenches lined with shredded paper and grass clippings to aid water retention, with some manure and a little 6X fertiliser for good measure.
Marsh Lane soil separates the seed potatoes from the manure.
I also sowed a small row of Sparkler 3 radish because a fellow plotholder had some unwanted seeds. If they're ready at the same time as the lettuce that'll be perfect :-)
Another plotholder had left a tray of surplus lettuce seedlings (Butterhead) on the HAHA spares table so I planted a few of them out too - I've been missing my salad lunches for too long :-) They look very feeble but they usually cheer up from looking like this.. let's hope so!!
So, at last we have a growing allotment this year!
We really must learn to do straight lines! |
We're so pleased that we managed to get our two rows of Kestrels (20 potatoes) planted.
We planted in trenches lined with shredded paper and grass clippings to aid water retention, with some manure and a little 6X fertiliser for good measure.
Marsh Lane soil separates the seed potatoes from the manure.
We got some seeds sown; a couple of trays of lettuce (Red Fire and Little Gem), which I'll plant out when they're big enough. They're under a plastic lid under the bench which will hopefully protect them from full sun and the cold nights - it was 0° last night so still too early for a lot of sowings.
We also sowed some Suttons broad beans, to follow on from our Aqua Dulce beans, which have definitely developed a couple of tiny flowers now. We've taken the enviromesh cover off the over-wintered beans and hopefully they'll get pollinated!
The newly sown Suttons are protected under bottle cloches. We've found in previous years that this can protect the newly-sprouted beans from mouse damage. I also sowed a small row of Sparkler 3 radish because a fellow plotholder had some unwanted seeds. If they're ready at the same time as the lettuce that'll be perfect :-)
Another plotholder had left a tray of surplus lettuce seedlings (Butterhead) on the HAHA spares table so I planted a few of them out too - I've been missing my salad lunches for too long :-) They look very feeble but they usually cheer up from looking like this.. let's hope so!!
So, at last we have a growing allotment this year!
Wildlife blog updated, but sadly no photos of the Brimstone or lovely peacock butterflies we saw.