Strawberries and first early potatoes.

 The potatoes are Home Guard, a second world war variety, I think the strawberry plants were from Woolworths.

Mud Morganfield

Mud Morganfield at the Devizes Corn Exchange. 

Chelsea Flower Show.

How it is looking so far...

Potatoes earthed up against the last frosts. The first broad beans are about an inch long. Small green strawberries. Peas and mange tout growing well but no flowers yet. 

Ladybirds

There have been fewer ladybirds than last year, but the cold weather may have reduced their numbers.

Fig Tree

A new fig tree, it has taken a few weeks to show any signs of life but the warmer weather has brought it out at last.

Sunflower seeds

First bean seedling

The first bean to break through. The blue dots are organic slug pellets.

Broad bean flower

Next crops

Things are starting to appear, except the parsnip and carrot seeds which seem to have rotted or been eaten. I'll clear that area and use it for the sweetcorn which is ready to go in. 

No idea where I'm going to fit in the courgettes, or resow the carrots, or add some more salad crops.

Annual weeds doing ok, but I've hoed the worst off for now.

Max

Sunlight.

 

The plot during a brief burst of weak sun between showers. The potatoes are showing through a little, plenty of flowers on the strawberries, some beans sown under the cloches to try and get an early start. 

Tying up the broad beans.

The broad beans are a bit battered by the wind and rain. I've put in a couple of canes and tied string around the plants a few inches above the ground. I'll add a higher string when they've grown a little.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme, (and Tarragon and Oregano)

Progress so far

Potatoes showing through, as are the mange tout and early peas. Bean poles up and cloches in place to warm the soil to sow some rashly early seeds. Far broad beans were under the fleece cloche and are weeks ahead of the row that was uncovered; this may not be the warmth but the protection from the wind. There are a few gaps which I've resown.Flowers on the strawberries, a bit early, we had a frost on Friday. Parsnips, carrots (three different colours) and herbs sown, coriander is just through.

Everything else dug out ready to sow. This is about as tidy as it ever gets, once the warmth and spring rain hit, it will be a mess of annual weeds as usual.

Early signs of spring

First signs of spring. First early potatoes, strawberries, mange tout, over-wintering onions and broad beans. 

New Flag

New flag, all ready for the Jubilympics.

Bean Trench

Digging out the bean trench. There is about a spade depth of top soil, then heavy clay subsoil. I broke this up as far as possible to try and improve the drainage.

The trench was lined with two bin bags of shredded paper, part filled with kitchen waste and semi-rotted compost, then back filled with the original soil.This will settle back close to ground level so I've marked it with a couple of pegs. By the time peas and beans are sowed and planted in May, it should be a rich reservoir of moist plant food.

Flag

I need a new flag.

More clearing up.

Still working on clearing the plot ready for the spring.

I put these saffron bulbs in last year, but not had enough flowers to get a crop yet.

Florence fennel that ran to seed before bulking out. 

They can't be sown too early as they bolt if it is too hot, but September must have been too late. I have two varieties to try this year and will sow in succession.

The flavour is very strong when they are fresh.

Getting the plot ready for the new year.

Cut some cavolo nero, black tuscan cabbage. Sowed broad beans, a mix of aquadulce and bunyards exhibition; two rows under a netting cloche and two in the open air. The BE variety isn't recommended for January sowing but worth a try. The overwintering onions and garlic are mostly showing through. There are a few leeks left, but they are about the size of modest spring onions.

The wind has stripped the roofing felt from the shed but otherwise no damage yet from the weather.

My order of seeds has arrived from the Real Seed Company, always a sign of spring on the way.