# 2500One to say thanks to Rita!

# 1878After I sowed grass seed to hopefully repair the path edge.

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First Hoverfly 2009!

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# 1398But which one? I spent over an hour looking them up but with no luck. They were small, very, very furry and they loved the muscari!

# 1397Another first. One of the honesty plants (Lunaria annua) I've had growing overwinter in my backyard plastic fabric greenhouse, seen here positioned along the border herb and insect-attracting flower bed.

# 1396The rest of the 'Golden Gourmet' shallots about to planted out in veg bed 2 alongside those I got in on the 18th (I knew I had brought more of them!)

# 1395Looking hopeful. One of the two rows of garlic 'Vigor' in vb01. Nb. The trowel's there only as a height guide, not to dig them up.. yet!

# 1394The rhubarb's also looking good. Maybe though I should of been braver and tried forcing it for an earlier and sweeter crop?

# 1393A shrinking violet indeed. One of the purpled-leaved variety.. named Tim :)

# 1392I was a little worried that the stable manure that I put 12cm deep around the gooseberries on the 24th might still be a little 'strong'. As yet the 'Hedgehog' doesn't seem to mind too much. Finger's crossed!

Total Allotment Time: 3 hrs.
Principle Tasks: Planting out 3 honesty plants along the border L-bed. Planting 11 'Golden Gourmet' shallots in vb02. Continuing clearing away the old growth of the border L-bed onto the compost pit (Allowing any bugs therein the freedom to escape).

# 1391

24/03/09

# 1390# 1389A very sad sight indeed. My local farmer has decided to return his land to intensive arable use after almost 10 years of it being left fallow (Seeing as how his hopes for selling it off for housing have gone for the foreseeable future). Criminal, really. The foxes, rabbits and pheasants seen running for their lives thought likewise.

"Businessmen, they drink my wine, ploughmen dig my earth,
None of them along the line know what any of it is worth." Bob Dylan 1967.

# 1388# 1387Hmm.. not a great new view ahead of me either: A weather vane.. of a lorry cab!!

# 1386# 1385Potato 'Anya' (A salad type) in desperate need of planting into veg bed 03.

# 1384The grape hyacinths have really come on since Saturday.

# 1383The one positive surprise today. Someone has kindly attached a bird box to a limb of the whitebeam!

Total Allotment Time: 3 & 1/2 hrs
Principle Tasks: Planting out 12 potato 'Anya' into VB03. Mulching the gooseberries in VB04 with the recently arrived stable manure.

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Total Allotment Time: 2hrs.
Principle Tasks: Planting out six lettuce 'Webbs Wonderful' into top (gate) end of VB01. Planting out a row of garlic 'Arno' (approx. 12 bulbs) into top end of VB01. Hand-weeding the seedbed. Dead-heading the grape hyacinths. General watering (approx. 8 cans worth).

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# 0558Total Allotment Time: 1 & 1/4hrs
Principle Tasks: Removing plastic sheeting from over the yet to be completed end of the raised bed I'm currently in the long, long process of constructing. Planting out the newly acquired plants.