As I haven't posted since the end of the first week of May I thought it right that I do a bit of an update in what has been a busy month on the plot. The beans that I sowed in my last post (08 May) grew quickly in the deep root trainers. I left them outside for a week or so then on the 27 May I planted them out at the base of bamboo canes. I think there's something like 12 French bean 'Cobra' and 14 runner bean 'Firestorm',
Elsewhere on the plot the brassicas were planted in a warm spell of weather on the 10 May. I planted out Bosworth F1 Brussels Sprouts, Primo II Summer cabbage, two types of kale (Dwarf Curly & Nero Di Toscana) and a week or so later, the Tundra F1 Winter cabbage. As usual I erected the frame and netting to protect them from birds and butterflies.
The parsnips finally germinated though I have a few gaps at the spots where I barred a hole and filled it with compost. I might try and transplant a seedling from one of the other locations. The beetroot I planted out was doing well but something has stripped the leaves from half of them overnight. There's no slug trails but I think I might have to protect the rest or loose them all. The Sweet Candle F1 carrots are looking strong in the barrel, there's about 10 good plants there. I also sowed a line of Nantes carrots in the plot but germination has been slow and patchy. I'll give it another week or two then will re-sow if there's no improvement.
The main crop potatoes, Sarpo Mira, are now showing well. I did cut a few in half to make up the numbers required so I am pleased that there are no gaps in the lines at all; every plant is growing. They need to be earthed up a little more now. The first real success of the season are the new potatoes Rocket. I had a scrape around today and decided to dig up a plant and found that all was well. Tasty new potatoes, yum!
I've also been taking lettuce, both Little Gem and Lollo Rossa. I've planted out a second batch of small lettuce plants which should be ready when we've eaten the first load. I will have to sow a third batch this week to keep the momentum going. The leeks are still in their tray but will planted out in the next fortnight.
I've taken the covers off the last bed and have dug it over. All it needs now is a quick rake and it will be ready for the Summer and Winter squash hardening off outside in my garden. I've around half a dozen Hunter F1 Butternut, a dozen Crown Prince, two Big Max pumpkins and five courgette plants (2 yellow Atena & 3 green Defender). There's also a tray of Incredible F1 Sweet Corn to be planted out. Once the squash, leeks and the sweet corn are in the plot, the majority of the planting will be complete for this season.
In terms of fruit, I'm pleased to say that last year's pruning of the large plum tree has kicked it back into regular action this season. It was only fruiting every other year but it fruited last summer and it is also full of young plums this year too. The strawberry plants look huge with lots of fruit on them, I'm hoping to have a couple of ripe strawberries by the end of next week. The gooseberries are looking large already and the raspberries are coming along nicely too.
That's it for this update, June is around the corner and I hope to start planting out the rest of the produce soon. Bye for now.
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