Potato Shoots Appear

At last there is some growth on the plot. The 1st early potato (Orla) have pushed through the ground. Also the turnip seeds I sowed last week have germinated - wasnt expecting to see them yet!

I got the rhubarb planted yesterday, and today started removing the turf on BED3. Im in a rush to get this finished, as I need to get the onion sets in!

The last of the sweetcorn germinated - thats 100% germination rate!

The greenhouse had a few new arrivals, a friend had 2 tomato plants left over, and as they are a different variety to what I have i said Id take them.

I sowed 27 climbing beans - variety Blauhilde. They are a purple podded variety and quite decorative by all accounts. Ill sow more in a few weeks for a succesion.

The good weather is lasting, I hope this isnt our summer.....its been about 4 weeks since we had rain so Ive been watering a lot.

Greenhouse:

The greenhouse is packed! Ive planted 6 of the moneymaker tomatoes in to growbags. I have way too many plants - hopefully friends will take away the excess this weekend so I have room to move... im undecided as to how many of the gardeners delight to keep. I think ill go with 3 plants this year, as i will also have 2 tumbling toms outside which should give plenty of cherry toms.

Also growing mad are the pumkins, squash and butternut squashes. im repotting them weekly now, and its still not enough. Ill give them til the end of the month and ill start hardening them off.

The baby corn(mini pop f1) has sprouted. They were sown about a week ago.

The summer bedding plants are sprouting, Ive pricked some taggettes out into trays, but there are loads left to do! The snap dragons and verbena have just sprouted, so they are a bit away from needing more space.

Allotment:

Im still digging! No sign of that rotovator yet! But I have squared up the dug beds as they were way out of line! I also dug a new bed for the rhubarb. We are due some rain tomorrow, so that will help settle the bed prior to planting next week.

In BED2 I added 3 rows of parsnip - 1 row "Tender and True" - 1 row "Gladiatior F1" - 1 row "White Gem". I station sowed, 3 seeds every 3". Hopefully this will give a full row. Thats BED2 full.

I got the edges of BED 3 dug, so I have yet to remove the turf and dig it over. This will be for the onion sets and probably swede....

Sowing

Went down to the allotment on Friday. Having been digging since my last post, I got "BED 1" dug over. In it I planted 3 x 12ft rows of early potato "Orla", and 3 x 12ft rows of 2nd earlies "Maris Peer". As its a new site im still digging beds as I go so I got half of BED 2 dug. Thats going to be for the 200 onion sets I have at home waiting to go in. Then Ill start digging BED 3 for the maincrop spuds "Sharpo Mira".

Today, I sowed 3 short rows of carrot "Autumn King 2" in the raised beds at home. I also put 3 rows of Carrot "Amsterdam Forcing 3" in. I have a few more days off so tomorrow Im planning on finishing BED 2.

I also sowed cabbage "hispi" and "greyhound", curly kale "dwarf green curled", caulis "all year round" and "snowball" in cells in the greenhouse. The last attempt at any of the brassicas listed failed, due to what i believe was Damping off disease. Hopefully ill have some luck this time.....