Cool and damp but ....

   The weather has entered the cool and cold middle of May. In France the ice saints dates are the 11th, 12th and 13th May when there could be frost. No frost in my neck of the woods this year and local lore is do not plant anything out until the 15th May. Over recent years I have taken a chance and planted out tomatoes and cabbages during the first two weeks of May and have got away with it. Climate change? Who knows but when I first moved here ten years ago and started planting veg I would not have dreamed of planting out until after the 15th May although I have always chanced my potatoes and mostly got away with it.
   Lots of weeding and grass mowing. It is the time of year where everything just grows very fast. I am already thinking of autumn and winter. Champion Red Top swede sown in modules in the poly tunnel (which by the time I publish this blog have germinated), more 18Jour radish and a french cabbage variety whose name translates to Hope. More tomatoes transplanted to pots and the count of those transplanted or waiting to go out stands at sixty one! I think it will be unlikely that I will bother to transplant more seedling to pots as the total tomato count stands around one hundred. The pea/mangetout bed has been weeded and where there were gaps seeds have been sown. In my mind is the idea that I need to sow another lot somewhere! More tomatoes transplanted. In this tomato bed I have made an effort to allow two feet between plants, horizontally and vertically. This will allow plenty of space for airation and reduce the spread of blight. Least that is the theory! My squash patch is all but ready and I had started to transplant Sibley and American Tonda squash. Much to my alarm I had forgot to sow butternut squash in the poly tunnel. Hey ho! I have sown swom seed in the squash bed. They should be ok.
   As always lots to still to do and the weeds and grass do not let up!

AGATA second early potatoes

Cabbage patch