Construction

Raised bed number 2 complete, no idea what I'm going to put in it yet.

Also got a couple of pyramids built, 1 for runner beans (I know, I know, no-one likes them much but they are really nice to grow).  2nd one is for Sweet Peas which are coming on nicely in pots inside and outside the greenhouse.

Second raised bed in the making (45% complete)

First one was a triumph of 'measure twice, cut once'.

Second is bit more 'let's see how it goes'.  Thinking of raising one side on bricks - radical!

Rhubarb for dessert

'Forced' rhubarb doesn't sound very humane does it.  Grow rhubarb in complete darkness and the young shoots are very sweet, apparently.  Sounds similar to the production of veal and, seeing as I love  veal, I figureI'm going to like forced rhubarb.

Looked at few cool forcing pots in the green centre but decided to use an updsice down flower-pot instead 'cos I had a flower-pot and didn't fancy spending £40 on a 'forcer'.

Here's the results; the rhubarb uncovered; the harvest; ready for the oven; puréed; and the finished dessert.

Seed planting for lunch

Took an hour off for lunch to plant some seeds before it gets too late.

Tomatoes  

    San Marzano    Look like plum tomatoes, good for space apparently
    Alicante    Look like normal tomatoes

If every seed germinates and grows I'll be giving a lot of plants away in a few days (hmmm - or maybe selling them!)

Chili Peppers

    Gusto Puprle


And managed to get something in the 'raised bed' that I built recently


Spring Onions   White Lisbon

Rocket

Scarecrow Repairs

Regular visit from the Scarecrow builder, Elisa, meant that we could do a few running repairs and get her (the scarecrow, not Elisa) positioned to scare pests from the broad beans.

I actually think we need to work on a scare-slug design for this year.

Broad beans and sweet peas

The broad bean strategy in Y3 is more sophisticated than ever before.

Planting. In batches of 10, germinating on warm window-sill and the transferred to greenhouse before eventually into the ground.  I can sense the slugs lying around at the side of the plot just waiting for it to all kick off (do they lick the lips?  I imagine so)

Here's' the first batch in the greenhouse.  Underneath are the sweet peas, 3 varieties - Rosy Frills, Gwendoline and Beaujolais - there's 5 seeds in each of those pots.  Not quite sure the photo is a little blurred - blame the iPhone 5C.  (Mmm, "5C" - "5 seeds")

Potatoes Chitting in the distance, not that well actually. I think it may be a little too cold

More garlic

It's official - I'm addicted to growing garlic.  Another row in today, this time Solent Wight.  That's probably enough now.