Easter Update

A warm dry April has provided ideal growing conditions – if only we could find sufficient time away from http://www.butterwickwells.co.uk/ to take advantage of the good weather. The big allotment re-design will have to wait another year!

Progress update:
A1 – Originally earmarked for sunflowers, but switched to Broad Beans, planted out over Easter after a week or so outside at home to acclimatise to early April indoor sowing. Slightly droopy at first so hopefully they will toughen up quick.

B1 – POTATOES (international Kidney aka Jersey) planted out early April, good amount of growth now peeking out. Will have to watch for any frosts.

B2 – still to prepare for... sweet corn?

C1 – LETTUCE planted between last year’s leeks which are approaching readiness – Couple of unsuccessful attempts, with a couple of lines of seedlings mysteriously vanishing overnight. Stalks still in ground, but nothing above... unlikely to be slugs as too dry and sanded around. Possibly slugs/snails, or more likely mice?

C2 – prepared ready for peas (first batch just sown at home)

D1 – LETTUCE – third batch planted out, of slightly bigger, seedlings so hope they will fare better.

D2 – ONIONS and GARLIC coming along nicely.

E1 – New carrot raised bed installed but a little light on soil.

E2 – Still a handful of SPRING CABBAGES cropping, with Main POTATOES (Wilja) belatedly put in around them over Easter.

F1 – prepared.

F2 – still to prepare for Brassicas (Plenty of Cabbage, Savoy, Kale seedlings on the go) – an early line of radish slowly up to marble size. Another week or so and may start to crop.

Other seedlings in progress... beetroot, sunflowers, chillies, peppers, tomatoes, basil, and sage, well only 1 sage germinated so far. Need to start off another round of salads and a few more savoy as low germination rate from first batch.

G1 – RHUBARB – Forced batch finally rocketed in the heat and were pushing bin off, so cropping and eating away. The batch in H2 is getting a bit out of control so will need splitting and moving (although as nowhere to put them, may sell/donate instead).

G2/H1 – Blackcurrants, Redcurrants, Blueberries and Gooseberries all seem to be flowering well with the promise of a bumper crop this year.

H2 – Pears and Cherry Trees all blossoming well, with cherry-lets just starting to form!