# 1470Total Allotment Time: 1hr.
Principle tasks: Weeding veg bed 01 & 02. Digging two more 'Maris Bard' potatoes.

# 1467Total Allotment Time: 1hr.
Principle tasks: Digging two more 'Maris Bard' potatoes. Watering next in line. Watering newly-sown phacelia.

The News In May!

# 1462# 1461# 1460# 1459# 1458# 1457# 1456# 1455# 1454Total Allotment Time: 3 hrs.
Principle Tasks: Harvesting first 5 'Maris Bard' potatoes. Sowing phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia) into veg bed 01. General watering with cans.

Jimmy In Mind

# 1422# 1421Two of the same bumblebee (Possibly a queen Bombus lapidarius, maybe) that I found sunning itself on the showy stonecrop (Sedum matrona) this morning. I'm not sure if Highlands Jimmy still follows the blog (I fear his patience with me finally gave out) but I'd still like to dedicate them to him as a little way of saying thanks for all the great comments he contributed along the way.

# 1420I decided to try the leftover three year old phacelia seeds broadcast over the top end of veg bed four. Let's see.. maybe something I'll try elsewhere?

# 1419One I've not yet mentioned (Maybe wisely) as its a 'guilty pleasure'. Snow-in-summer (Cerastium tomentosum) is one of those seemingly universal 'hate plants' due to its over-familiarity and invasive reputation. I remember it though with great fondness from my childhood. I just couldn't resist it :)

# 1418I seem to have stolen a march on the spuds this year - if only we don't get a late frost! The first earlies seen here are 'Maris Bard'.

# 1417The 'Red Sun' shallots are also coming on nicely.

# 1416Past it's best, maybe, but still looking good, the purple-leaved dog-violet (Viola riviniana 'Purpurea Group') near the gate-end of the border herb and insect-attracting flower L-bed.

Total Allotment Time: 3 & 1/4 hrs.
Principle Tasks: Weeding :)

# 1415# 1414# 1413

First Harvest 2009!

# 1412# 1411My first real harvest of the rhubarb and asparagus. I can't wait to get them home!

# 1410# 1409How they looked prior to cutting.

# 1408The potatoes are also making a flying start.

# 1407A common lizard sunning itself on the old turf mound.

Total Allotment Time: 2 hrs.
Principle Tasks: Sieving compost and applying as a mulch on veg bed 03. Continuing tidying up the old growth of the border L-bed.

# 1406

Breaking Buds 2009!

# 1405A week or so into the new season for the whitebeam.

# 1404The first of the potatoes (Variety 'Maris Bard') are up in veg bed 3. Seen here being mulched.

# 1403Down the other end of the bed the last go in. Another new try, 'Romano' (Main crop).

# 1402Also the last to go in. Onion 'Sturon' in vb02

Total Allotment Time: 3hrs.
Principle Tasks: Planting out the last of the potatoes and onions. Mulching the gate end of vb03.

# 1401

7th March 2009

# 1355# 135423 'Turbo' onion sets set out prior to planting in veg bed two.

# 1353The baker's dozen 'Maris Bard' seed potatoes that I put to chit on the 16th Feb (Only just showing sprouts though) about to be planted in veg bed three.

# 1352How the beds looked when finished.

# 1351One of the 'pencilled' crocuses along the border L-bed was still in it's prime.

# 1350Unfortunately I've missed the best of the 'Large Purple' this year.

# 1349My second 7-spot (Coccinella septempunctata) of the year! This time found on the Sage (Salvia officinalis).

Total Allotment Time: 4 hrs.
Principle Tasks: Turning in the annual rye of VB01. Planting out 23 Onion 'Turbo' sets in VB02. Planting out 13 Potato 'Maris Bard' in VB03.

# 1348

16/02/09

Put to chit 13 seed Potato 'Maris Bard' (First Early)