Sunshine On My Shoulders
We’ve seen the sun and it was good. Plenty of sun in fact. What could be finer than toiling on the plot in the baking hot sunshine? Holidaying in Brazil during the World Cup would be a suggestion.
Anyway, in the real world the extra heat has sent our plants into a growing frenzy and we’re optimistic for some bumper harvests this year.
The bare earth on our plot is becoming increasingly covered with green plants and seedlings. All our hard work over the last few months is starting to pay off and we can just about glimpse the vegetables at the end of the tunnel.
Into the Big Wide Open
The lid of the coldframe was verily flung open and the mass of tangled seedlings were set free. It was about time too.
The coldframe had been full to bursting for a while but we were holding out for good weather before we dared to plant our seedlings in the open.
It took us all afternoon to empty the contents of the coldframe into the previously prepared beds and defend them where necessary with netting and man-traps.
There were cabbages, cauliflowers, tomatoes, celery, beans, chillies, coriander and some as yet unidentified form of life that we’ll continue to nurture in order to solve the riddle of its identity.
Return of the Ugly
We thought it was all over. We thought they had left. But just a few days ago they returned in force, liberally draping themselves all over our Wong Bok.
Slugs just don’t seem to get the message that they aren’t welcome around here. We’re determined not to let them eat any more of our seedlings and have used some organic slug pellets.
Not that we really want to kill them but when they are so voracious it’s hard to remain civil in our relations with them.
Why Didn’t Rosemary?
Because she forgot the shopping list, apparently. Fortunately we have lots of the other herbs to keep us occupied though.
The mint has run wild and we’ve given up trying to tame it. The chocolate mint is also starting to make claim on any spare soil within range.
We’ve put the coriander out of the way in plenty of space and it’s already doing well. We’re sure we saved some seeds from last year’s coriander plants but can’t find them. Most likely they are scattered across the floor of shed.
The sweet basil and Chinese chive seeds have just been sown but we’ve given the dill a miss. Last year we grew a ton of it – literally – and just the thought of eating it now makes us shiver.
