Wednesday 11 May 2011

A 10 day dash

first strawberry
The first strawberry of the season, Aromel, picked today

It seems that due to the kindness of a friend one of my more depressing problems has been solved and I will be able make a long planned trip to Italy at the end of the month. Hurrah, I have a new horizon and that provides the motivation to get things done.

Suddenly there are rather a lot of pressing tasks that need my attention. However, for today, just a few notes on what's been sown, or I shall forget.

Several oca plants were moved to the oca bed so that I could plant a row of beetroot according to the plan. Only three of the original row of scorzonera have come up so the row was weeded and some more seed popped in. Scorzonera is perennial so the variation in germination should make little difference, they are often left for two years to bulk up before harvesting.

The parsnips also failed. I've made a net for the achocha to climb up the back of the compost heap and set the plants out there instead. There is an end of row where I've tried again for a few parsnips, using home saved seed this time.

Another row of carrots was sown next to the first one. That first row has very poor germination but on the bright side, at least it won't need thinning.

Between the chard and the spinach (already starting to go to seed) two half rows of winter radish, rose and black. I know it's more usual to plant these for the autumn but since it looks like I'm going to be watering all summer I may as well give these a go since radish pickle is a staple in this house. Only trouble is the black radish seed is seven years old. Anyone know the viability times for radish?

Still to come, planting out (and netting) the cabbage seedlings, more salad vegetables, in particular orache and purslane, making the cucumber bed ready, more beans for drying, sweetcorn! I find I have no seed but may be able to pick something up in the supermarket tomorrow - Golden Bantam is the local amateur variety around here. The work never ends but stuff must get done.

And a protective spell needs to be cast against the Devil Deer of Old Normandie!

devildeer

2 comments:

Sarsparilla said...

What an amazing and arresting photo!

Catofstripes said...

It's an evil beast, and it or its friends pulled up a lot of squash plants in the night. Strong magic is needed.