Preparing for Spring

I can't wait for Spring to be here, although there are signs everywhere. There are buds on the fruit bushes and trees, the weeks are starting to grow!

I have been busy in the greenhouse preparing for sowing time so have trays prepared with toilet rolls. Based on approximately 30 rolls per tray, I have 300 tubes ready for filling. I am worried that won't be enough so keep collecting. As well as toilet rolls, there is a good supply of kitchen rolls which are much longer so I am going to use these to get some parsnips started. Parsnips are notoriously slow to germinate so if I can give them a head start in tubes they I can guarantee a crop.



The rhubarb is bursting out of the ground and it will be amazing how quickly it grows. We found some on an abandoned plot last year which we put in the bank along the front of No53 (the fruit and duck allotment) and that is shooting as well, which is surprizing as their isn't much soil there and it had a loat of chippings dumped on it in the autumn.



I sowed some broad beans in the greenhouse and they are doing wonderfully but I am concerned that they will go a bit leggy so I will need to cut some twigs to stake them. I also found some garlic from last year that was sprouting so I have divided the bulbs and put them in trays to get them a better start before planting out.





The broad beans outside are looking good, although we have lost a couple to frost. We decided not to cover them to keep them hardier, but left the cloche frames in place as it will be good for support when they need it as I will be able to cut some hazel twigs and push them in the ground between the hoops. I have put CD bird scarers on a cane but I am not convinced that they are working.





The garlic that I planted in the Autumn is growing like mad, even the Elephant garlic is growing now. All the books say that you should only use bulbs from reputable suppliers and indeed I did - Tesco. They all warn against supermarket bought garlic as it is not guaranteed to grow and may be susceptable to disease, so fingers crossed that it will continue the way it has started.




Of course, no update would be complete without the girls. This was a rare occurance that I managed to catch them in the pond while I had the camera round my
neck, but I was managed to creap up on them while Emily, Florence and Fennel were on the big pond. Calling it a big pond is a bit of an exageration but it is bigger than the one they have in their compound and often there are 6 ducks in this one but as it is long and narrow they all have to swim in the same direction - try telling that to the twins who cause havoc whereever water is concerned!