Quack! Quack! Quack!

   The weather continues to be miserable. Rain, rain, rain. The ground is waterlogged and impossible to work. The grass is in need of cutting and the weeds are catching up on me! I think it is even too wet for ducks! I fear I have lost one of my trees that I planted last year. The quince has shown no sign of life and I would have thought by now it would be in bud at least. All the other apple trees I planted are in blossom or close to it. There is a concern that with the wet and cloudy weather that the trees will not get pollinated as the bees are very reluctant to fly in this weather.

Apple Blossom

Tumble and Moneymaker tomatoes

   In the poly tunnel plants are growing on. I have transplanted celeriac, lettuce, chicory and butternut squash. Radishes continue to be pulled and salad bowl lettuce picked. I now have a couple of De Merville lettuce that can be harvested when needed. Tomato plants are thriving and in fact some probably could do with planting out but of course the ground is far too wet. I have a number of Celtic cabbage growing in the poly tunnel. They are massive and are very slow to heart up. They are a winter variety planted late but I am sure they will eventually make it! Kohl Rabi in the tunnel is ready to harvest and I am pestering my daughter to use them before they get too big.

   Outside rhubarb is ready to pull and I am thinking about cooking the first rhubarb crumble of the year. The Early Onward peas are now getting very close to when they need sticks to support them and that means uncovering them. Will the chickens leave them alone I wonder? Potatoes are sprouting all over the place! Bumble bees are flying amongst the broad beans, dodging in and out of each small flower. They are almost as big as the broad bean flower. The herbs are excellent with curled parsley, thyme (lemon and common), golden oregano, bolls mint, blue sage and lemon balm all having a vibrant colour and looking a picture. I have a desperate need to plant out a collection of borrage plants in a reclaimed border but the wet weather is holding that back. I may just have to get on with it rain or no rain!

Golden Oregano - from a cutting taken in 2011