Its rained!

   Mostly very warm days this last week with some cloud, however, I hate to say it but there has been some thunder, lightening and rain! To be honest the rain has come just at the right time. I have one major problem. I managed to break my bush wacker which it the only means I have to mow the grass. Really could not have happened at a worse time!
   Another "finally" managed to do job done. I have a small bed at the bottom of my lavender patch which I have ignored for probably the better part of eighteen months. It is now cleared and ready to be planted. 
   In the poly tunnel mostly in pots and modules I have now sown sweet corn (to be transplanted outside the poly tunnel when large enough), Tamra (a new one to me) and Marketmore cucumber, Kuri, Sibley, and Pacific Giant (these are for halloween hopefully) squash/pumpkin, Blacktail water melon (usually successful in getting a couple of reasonably sized water melons), and Verde Di Milano dwarf bush courgette.
   The early purple sprouting has now gone to flower so that is the end of that. A good crop considering the drought last year. Off to a good start this season with early purple sprouting seed germinating already in the poly tunnel. First lettuce pulled from the poly tunnel. This is one that had over wintered!
   Trying to consume the leek bed! They are showing signs of going to seed so I need to eat leeks! Early potatoes are starting to show as are those I planted in large pots. Always worth a go with the odd few seed potatoes left over. Usually get a boiling or two. So its potato patrol every evening covering up those that have poked their heads above the soil or been exposed by scratching chickens. The first lot of broad beans I sowed are looking a little sorry for themselves and are being very slow in producing pods. They have been badly affected by a rust fungus. The second sowing are still looking good so I am hopeful. Onions and shallots are now looking a little happier after the rain. I decide to transplant tomato seedlings as they were large enough to handle - Auroa bush, Jens Orange, Andine Corne, Poitron eclarte, Gardeners Delight and Crimee Noire - grand total of thirty five plants! Not nearly enough but there are at least as many again at an early stage of growth.
   My eldest daughter, Sophie and a friend, Simon, braved the bees and have harvested one super of honey. The hive has not been harvested for at least two years and probably longer. Last year the colony swamed and we thought we had lost them. The bees were very cooperative with only Simon being stung once and that was away from the hive. I stayed out of the way as a couple of years ago I was stung and reacted to it. Sixteen jars of honey so far recovered and bare in mind this is without a centrifuge! It is hoped that another super will be tackled next week.
   On the chicken front one chicken had to be killed as she had developed a prolapse. Not a injury that can be fixed easily or to the comfort of the chicken. Our buff oprpington cross continues to sit tight and we have put a dozen eggs in the incubator. Fingers crossed for a few chicks.

Early potatoes in the poly tunnel

Transplanted tomatoes

Sophie and Simon ready to tackle the bee hive!

   
   

Despite all

   The sun continues to shine! Despite CV-19 work continues in the garden. Much has germinated in the poly tunnel. I pleased that I have cabbage and basil growing. Both are quite often problematic to grow from seed although they should not be. The tomatoes are probably not a good as I would like but there are plenty of plants growing so I am hopeful that I will have enough although not of the variety I would have liked. I have been picking the purple sprouting and freezing it with the hope that I can extend the period of harvesting. So far so good! I have finally got round to weeding my Egyptian (walking onions) bed. Must have been over a year since they were done last. More of the usual taska...mowing grass and cleaning out chickens who continue to lay well and I am becoming overwhelmed with eggs. Better too many than not enough I guess! 
   Easter is here and our annual easter egg hunt has been conducted by the grand children. Some strange sites around the garden.....

Shallot with strange growth!

Dried herbs

                                                           

Egyptian onion bed after weeding

Sturon onion patch

Other activites....

     Other than contruction the Hugelkultur bed with the help of my grandsons, I have been busy sowing seeds in the poly tunnel. With the CORVID-19 situation it is unlikely that I will be able to get any plants from the local market. More tomato seed planted, cabbage, sprouts, lettuce, basil and french and White Lisbon spring onions sowed. I found a couple of tomato plants that I do not know what the variety is but they are strong plants so I have transplanted them within the poly tunnel with the hope that I may get some early tomatoes. They have been protected with a plastic water bottle with the bottom cut off! Nothing ventured nothing gained! I have also moved what I believe are Japanese bunching onions sowed in the poly tunnel but never harvested to an outside bed.  They may do something. I am fearful for my wonderful looking broad beans as they are suffering from rust and the daily frosts. I fear the crop will not be as heavy as I had first hoped. I have also started to dry herbs. I have dried thyme, marjoram, sage and parsley to make a jar of dried mixed herbs. More to do! 
   More purple sprouting picked with two lots frozen. Still lots of leeks to consume! The over winter onions are looking good as is the garlic. Onion sets and shallots are well established with leaves now showing well. Batavia blond lettuce in the poly tunnel is growing well and there are couple close to being ready to eat. There are some radishes but not as many as I would have normally expected. Maybe the soil was too cold? Anyway, another row sowed and have germinated! I love these 18Jour(18Day) radish.
   More grass cutting done. So the season is now well underway with probably a little more urgency than normal. Still plenty to do.

Poly tunnel seed bed

Batavia Blonde lettuce in the poly tunnel

Tomatoes in the poly tunnel fleece clouche

Special edition Hugelkultur construction

    Over the last week I decided to turn my melon bed into a Hugelkultur bed. Took a little bit of effort but hopefully the rewards will be worth it over time. Usually a Hugelkultur bed is steep sided but the principle of the construction is the same, lots of wood, cover with earth, layer of compost, more earth, (in my case), hay (straw would have been better but I only have hay), more earth to complete the bed. 

1. Digging the trench

2. The trench is completed 

3. Filling the trench with wood 

4. Covering the wood with earth

5. Adding a layer of hay

6. The Huglekultur bed is finished

Cracking on!

Poly tunnel cloche

   Its that time of year again! The poly tunnel fleece cloche has been set up. This year something different. I have used three pallets for the sides and covered those in horticultral fleece. A little more robust than the ones constructed out of hoops, string and clothes pegs! It is time to move the tomato seedlings from the house porch to the poly tunnel fleece clouche.
  Weather wise it has been a cracking week. Early morning frost and then sunshine most of the day. Of course the days are getting longer. Here in France the clocks "spring" forward on the 28th March 2020 so the eveings will be longer the morning a little darker! 
  Early (Dolween, a Brittany variety), second earlies, (Agata, a dutch variety), and main crop (Desiree, a firm favourite of mine) potatoes all planted. Beetroot seedlings transplanted in the poly tunnel and Mamouth leaf basil sown as an experiment directly into the soil in the poly tunnel. The french equivilent of White Lisbon spring onions have been  sowned outside and I have managed to find a space to put the rest of my Sturon onion sets. More weeding and of course grass cutting done. With my grand children being with me I have mowed pathways in my large field which my youngest grandson, Toby, thinks is just the bees knees and runs around the large field full of the joys of spring.
   The chickens are being chickens still laying well. 

Variety AGATA potato being planted 

First broad bean to be spotted

Basking in the sunshine

    Well I forgot to finish and publish this blog so there will be almost two weeks worth here now. France is in lockdown due to the corvid 19 outbreak. My eldest daughter and her children are with me and she is not allowing me to leave the premises! The weather has taken a turn for the better with sunshine and really nice day time temperatures. Spring has sprung and time to really get cracking in the garden.
    Finally I have managed to plant my Sturon onions sets. There was two relatively dry days and so I went for it and got them in. Had some help my my feathered friends, the chickens! Now I need to keep them off until the onions have rooted!
    The shallots have rooted and I have uncovered them. Of course the chickens took the opportunity to explore and scratch about. Fortunately not a lot of damage done as most were well rooted. Leeks, cabbage and lots of purple sprouting gathered. First early potatoes  (Dolween, Brittany) planted along with the help of my youngest grandson Toby! This is a variety I have not planted before. Started on planting the second earies, variety Agata, another type I have not grown before. Finally managed to sow own gathered parsnip seed and Touchon carrots. A little late by my usual timing but hey ho they are in! With the drier weather than meant another round of grass cutting.
    On the chick front nothing unusual just normal weekly tasks.

Chickens helping to prepare the onion set bed

Early purple sprouting

Banana shallot bed

Wet and very cool

   Well what can one say? More rain and it is on the cool side. The vegetable beds are all but impossible to do anything with and by my own schedule I am now late with onions, shallots (for pickling) and parsnip seed. Not a disaster yet as it is still early but I really need the weather to be a little kinder for a few days. Famous last words. Decided to bite the bullet and planted out my Red Sun shallots. Still have the onions to do though.
    So what is to be done? I need to think more about sowing in the poly tunnel beds. Least that way I may (I say may because I have had mixed results with sowing seed in the poly tunnel) be able to stay ahead of the game as it were. Food for thought.
    Broad beans are in full flower although I have not noticed any beans set yet. My early purple sprouting is the best crop I have ever had in my years of vegetable gardening and I cannot eat it fast enough!. Over winter onions and garlic look a little drowned to be honest but they are hanging in there.
     Seed potatoes are chitting well and there are a good number of tomato seedlings. Sods law though the ones I would like to germinate so far have not!
      Chickens are being chickens. Usual weekly maintenance done. Mrs Brahma has finally decided that she is no longer broody and has started to lay again. Still getting five to eight eggs a day.

Chives in the poly tunnel

Provençal Thyme in the poly tunnel