I prepared the carrot barrel at the start of the month by sawing the top third off and refreshing the sand/compost mixture. I took the opportunity to drill a few more holes in the bottom too as I found it wasn't draining properly last season. On the 14th I used an old yogurt pot to measure out some circles and sowed a pinch of Sweet Candle in the centre of each one. When these germinate I will thin to one plant per spot.
On the 18th I rolled back the rest of covers off the second bed, apart for a three foot section at one end where the runner beans will go next month. Again, the soil was pretty good having been tilled last Autumn before being covered. I did give it another blast with the tiller and a rake over. I planted out the Bunyard's Exhibition broad beans, just a couple of rows. The weather up until the weekend was sunny and warm, up to 22 degrees before dropping again to a more seasonal 12-14 degrees today.; the broad beans had a week of sunshine to settle in. At the other end, next to the garlic, I planted out a few cells of White Lisbon Spring Onions in a row. I prefer to start them off in plugs and put them out in small clumps which I can thin naturally as I pick them.
The main crop potatoes also went in on the 18th so both the earlies and main crop have filled the first bed. A third of the bed is made up of four rows of early Rocket while two thirds of the bed are given over to three rows of main crop Sarpo Mira. The earlies are beginning to show already having been planted last month though I do have concerns that things might have been too cold so I won't be surprised if there are a number of gaps in the lines this season. I haven't dug trenches, I just used a spade to dig a suitable hole and popped them in. Also, the ground is still flat, I'll ridge up when the potatoes start to show.
Today was a lot cooler that it was over the weekend. Nevertheless, I took the opportunity to get some seed sown. Having removed the covers from the third bed yesterday and tilled it over, it was time to sow some roots. I used my normal bar method to create a row of deep conical holes which I filled with sieved compost from the compost bin. I sowed a load of Gladiator F1 parsnip seeds at each position and will of course thin to one strong plant.
Next to the parsnips I created a 'V' shaped trench by wiggling a spade back and forth and again I filled it with sieved compost. I sowed a line of carrots on top. I have two types of carrots this year, my usual Sweet Candle large carrots in the barrel and, I'm trying for the first time Resistafly carrots in the ground. As my stony clay doesn't lend itself to good carrots the back-filled 'V' trench really helps.
Well, that's it for now. Bye.
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