April - Very dry

I planted the 144 onions[sturon] and the shallots[] on the 18th with the help of T doing some more of the digging. We only watered them on 24th, I hope they will be OK. We haven't had any rain for about six weeks. Before then I had started weeding the strawberry bed and on 24th it looked brilliant with the strawberries flowering and the plants looking very healthy. The seeds at the bottom of the plot are not doing too well. The radishes are ok but no parsnips to speak off and the carrots have disappeared and the beetroot look weedy. The peas are however doing well. The potatoes are coming through and I have earthed up the first earlies. This year I am going to earth them up in stages rather than earthing them up when I plant them. I hope this will increase the crop.

We have watered quite a lot for this time of year, seriously on the 24th.

2011 - So far

I have been quite busy, I started my digging in January. Having been so cold in December the ground was really satisfying to dig and Robert and I finished preparing the potato patch and I put the first two potato crops in by the start of March [Maris Bard and Cosmos]. The main crop [Valor] went in on the 26th March. Also sown is a row of Parsnips[] and Radishes[B&Q basics], 2 half rows of carrots[ and a half row of beetroot. Also at the back I have sown a half row of peas [Sugar Ann] agaist some netting threaded over some bamboo canes. I finished digging the top section for the onions and R made a fantastic repair to the tap at the top, laying a small 9 brick patio. At home I have leeks [Musselburgh], Broad Beans [Aquadulce Claudia]. and Beetroot[Boltardy] seeds coming up and Broccoli[Waltham], Tomato[Zuckertraube] and Peas[Sugar Ann] sown.