....and a wren popped out

I opened the shed door this morning and a wren popped out. It must have got in yesterday as I leave the door open most of the day when I’m pottering. Anyway, after that little surprise I got down to a pleasant day’s work.

The remaining shallots that were growing in pots in the greenhouse have now gone into the ground under my new mini-polytunnel, along with AYR lettuce and early sowings of beetroot and carrots. Hopefully the tunnel will give them the protection they need from the elements.  This is part of the plot that will be block planted (or ‘square-footed’ if you prefer). The shallots are interspersed with other crops In the hope that this will deter pests.

In the greenhouse the first lot of container planted potatoes now have shoots poking through the compost and the broad beans are also showing their heads. We are still getting night frosts but they are not severe and the temperature under glass doesn’t dip below 3˚ or 4˚C.

blackcurrant cuttings coming into leaf

I managed to find a stake long enough so I got my Aldi apple tree into its final position. The buds were starting to open so I couldn't really leave it much longer. Sowed the first two containers of parsnips and will do the rest at fortnightly intervals. I find this method gives me much better results than growing in the open ground. Also sowed more leeks but have yet to sow any toms or peppers. Apart from the fact that I haven't any spare window sills to put them on it's still a little early for this part of the world.