April in the Allotment

- growing on sprouts, radishes, beetroot, dwarf french beans, runner beans

I have the fruit netted, leeks, onions, garlic, 1st and 2nd earlies planted. Oh, and asparagus. The potatoes are beginning to poke through: it’s time to start moulding them up and keeping the light off the roots: to encourage a bumper crop of tubers. Oh aye, and I covered the undug parts of the plot (or 75% of it…in a fetching sky blue…I’ll need to get back to it in May)

2 of the beds along the top are already in use, and the others are in various degrees of readiness: a few more turns and I’m there.

Blueberries along the back, parsnips front left, strawberries front right

I’ve a few things growing around the house: two potted blueberries in ericaceous compost, and strawberries in a plastic crate (hole drilled in the bottom, filled with multipurpose compost). Oh, and a crate of parsnips – for Xmas dinner. And, in one of those 4-shelf mini greenhouse things, a tray of ‘mixed lettuce’, wild rocket and spinach. My intention is to keep those in the back garden (close to the kitchen and -hopefully- out of reach of the slugs) and plant every 3 weeks. I’m also growing on some other things to transplant to the allotment when they are strong enough: spring onions, radishes, beetroot, dwarf french beans, runner beans (although, there’s no sign of them yet), and brussels sprouts. It looks good on paper. Fingers crossed it all transfers well to the ground.

Dwarf french beans - 1 week

Sprouts

various lettuce

runner beans - theoretically

Spring onion, beetroot (in the middle), radish

B’s sunflowers are looking good. I have just found out that the giant ones have 4 foot roots: we’ll have to find a suitable home for them…