Did'nt happen!

   Ok I failed to sow seeds in the poly tunnel last week. The weather has been cool but good for forking and weeding so I took the opportunity to do just that! Following up that work I planted my first early potatoes (Anoe) and second early potatoes (BF-15 - strange name but they are a combination of Belle de Fontenay and Flava the idea I believe is to improve the yield). First lot of peas are showing and I have resown where there are gaps. Of course grass was mowed and I took the opportunity of mowing one of the paddocks. My large Huglekultur bed has been forked and weeded and the last pile of dried brambles etc from number 5 has been disposed of. I do need to get on now with sowing other seeds!

   Chickens are being chickens and being a menace with the newly forked ground! Average of over five eggs a day this week which is a bit more how it should be. A little warmer and longer day light I think has with out doubt encouraged them.

   A bit of field maintenance which I should have done a long time ago really. Two holes (old duck pond and a watering hole) filled in. Should make mowing on the ride on a little easier!!

 

The LONG bed (x6 beds plus Huglekultur)

Rapidly growing rhubarb

Planting ANOE 1st early potatoes

Wet and cold

   The weather has been mostly cold and wet. Most of the available time I have spent at my daughters getting her summer garden a little more organised. So, some forking and weeding doen but the ground has been a little too wet to be honest to be trying to work it. Sprouts, now coming to an end, picked along with early purple sprouting which has done really well this season. Number of sprout plants removed. Six free stawberry plants added to the developing strawberry bed.

    Normal maintenance done on two of the chicken coops. Egg production has been a little down this week, not surprising considering the cold and wet weather.

   Weather permitting it is time to crack on with sowing more seeds in the poly tunnel and that will be my main target next week.

Forking and weeding

    

Forking, more forking....

    It has been a week of forking and weeding a couple of vegetable beds to at least get them to a point that they can be sown in. The photo shows those veg beds already done and the fifth and last one about half way done. The hugelkulter bed in the foreground is yet to be tackled!

  Sprouts and early purple sprouting continued to be picked. The purple sprouting is now coming into its own and is proving to be a very good crop this year. In the poly tunnel Evesham Special and Roodnerf brussel sprout seed sown along with a new one on me Di Jesi cauliflower. I am resisting the temptation to sow too much as it is still a little early. 

Champeau Sanquine beetroot in the poly tunnel

  Chickens are being chickens and more of them are coming into lay with this week with the  average being five eggs a day!

  So as always lots to do!

Sowing starts

   The weather continues to be dry and mild with frosts. To complete the bulb bank work I cleared out the pond (more of a water overflow area than a pond as it does not retain water ) of grass and weeds. 

   March is upon me and it is time to start sowing seeds. Six varities of tomato seeds and two of basil sown and put in the poly tunnel fleece. Outside two varities of carrot sown and some parsnip seedlings transplanted that popped up! 

   I have been catching up with some autumn tasks like prunning a flowering vine and my hop vine. Grass, of course, has been mown and I even managed to get my petrol push lawn mower to start!  Preparation for the planting of early potatoes is underway and hopefully weather permitting I will be planting those next week. Purple sprouting picked and some moss curled parsly to make a parsly sauce to accompany some boiled cod.

  I have been helping out my daughter at her house which is close by. I have mowed her grass and cleared an area she wishes to gravel for the summer. 

  Weather looks good for most of next week although on the cool side!

Chives in the poly tunnel

My mattock garden tool