On the 19th May I set out my runner bean canes to let them settle in. I also gave my strawberries in pots a bit of a feed and began to thin out the Sweet Candle carrots in the barrel to around three strong plants per position - these will finally be thinned to one.
Yesterday, the 27th May, I planted out my French beans (Cobra) and my Runner beans (Firestorm) at the base of the canes. For each I dug a hole, back filled with rough compost from the bins and added a little fertiliser. I only have two rows of eight canes so planted two French beans to a cane on one row and a single runner bean plant per cane at the opposite row. The Cobra aren't as dense as the Firestorm so hopefully two beans to a cane won't be a problem.
Today, (28th) Bank Holiday Monday, I planted out my sweetcorn Incredible F1. There are three rows of five plants which will be plenty for the family and the odd treat for the hens. A line of beetroot (Boltardy) also went in next to by Resistafly carrots.
Finally today I set out my leeks, Musselburgh. As usual I removed them from their deep pot where they had been transplanted and teased them out into a bunch of strong plants, trimming any really long roots with scissors. I used a large, thick dibber to make a deep hole and the leek plant was simply dropped in with an inch or so of leaves showing above the surface.
The holes are not back filled, I simply fill them with water using a watering can which washes enough soil over the leek roots at the base of the hole. A combination of the leeks growing and soil movement will soon fill the dibber holes. Also, the leeks need to go in deep because they need to blanche under the soil. The rows were covered with a cage of enviromesh because we now tend to suffer from leek-moth in S. Wales.
The maincrop potatoes have now been mounded up and a bit of hoeing done to clean the soil of the various weeds that have been springing up everywhere. The brassicas planted earlier this month have gone a lovely green and look really well. The broad beans are covered in flowers and I have supported the two rows with horizontal canes. There has been a touch of black fly on the tips so I have sprayed as a precaution.
The only two things that haven't gone so well is the garlic which looks a little sparse despite having freshly bought in cloves this year and the parsnips which haven't germinated as yet. Parsnips do take a long time but it's been just over a month now, still I live in hope!
Unfortunately I placed my squashes outside to begin the hardening off process and the slugs destroyed a few of the butternuts. I've still got enough left for planting out in early June but it's a tad annoying. For the second time I've potted on the butternuts (Hunter F1) and courgettes (Defender F1) into larger pots. The pumpkin (Big Max) has also been put into a much larger pot as the brute was trying to escape; it too will be planted out in the next fortnight or so.
Unfortunately I placed my squashes outside to begin the hardening off process and the slugs destroyed a few of the butternuts. I've still got enough left for planting out in early June but it's a tad annoying. For the second time I've potted on the butternuts (Hunter F1) and courgettes (Defender F1) into larger pots. The pumpkin (Big Max) has also been put into a much larger pot as the brute was trying to escape; it too will be planted out in the next fortnight or so.
That's it for now. Bye.
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