Life on The Weald, April 2022

Life on The Weald - Plot 247

(and out and about) - April 2022

A few days away at the beginning of the month................

Parque Natural de las Salinas de Santa Pola - 3 April

We returned from our brief break on 7 April and thankfully all the seedlings indoors  at home had survived.  We had been worried that everything on the allotment might dry out as rising temperatures had been predicted, with no rain expected. Whilst we had been away, however, temperatures had fallen with some heavy frosts on occasion.  There had been snow in many parts of the UK and Hove had experienced sleet and strong winds.  The following day I went to review the possible damage at the allotment.

Fortunately, the broad beans had withstood the wind and the autumn sown ones were in full flower.  The only real damage was to the Duke of York first early potatoes which appeared to have been caught by the frost.  This is how they looked when we left them a fortnight earlier:

Duke of York 17 March

...and this is what they looked like on our return

Duke of York - 10 April

The wind or the frost had blackened and killed off some of the leaf growth but thankfully there were signs of new growth.  I think the mulch of grass cuttings that we had applied last month might have helped their survival.

We gave the potatoes a good watering and earthed them up hoping the Duke of York would recover.  The later planted Nicola & Charlotte  did not appear to have been affected by the weather.

There was a lot of rhubarb waiting to be picked.

8 April - rhubarb

The peas were coming along nicely altough there were some gaps. 

Mangetout peas - 8 April

I sowed some more mange-tout in some guttering at home so that I could fill the gaps later.  Some of the spinach was going to seed but there was lots to harvest and we were also able to pick a good supply of purple sprouting broccoli.

There was also the first sign of blossom on the plum trees

Plum tree in blossom - 8 April

The temperature was not wonderful the following week. On 19 April the temperature rose to 15C, but with a chilly wind, and was down to 6/7C at night.

I did take a risk, however, of planting out some patty pan squashes as I was running out of space at home and in our mini-greenhouse in the garden.  We also managed to pick five spears of asparagus and a good supply of the last of the broccoli.

At home I sowed some Crown Prince squash in pots but discovered I only had two seeds left from last year, so will have to buy some more seeds or buy some plants from the garden centre - unless someone on the allotment has some spares.  I also sowed one giant pumpkin seed.  We are limiting ourselves to one plant this year as we had a surfeit last year - and still have one at home!

One of last year's pumpkins

The autumn sown broad beans were now in full flower and, fingers crossed 🤞, are free of blackfly.

Autumn sown broad beans in flower -10 April

Autumn sown broad beans in flower -10 April

At home the front garden was a riot of colour with tulips and anemones

Tulips at home in April

Anemones in the front garden - April 2022

In the backgarden the Snowbells seemed to have taken over a corner of the garden.   

Although it has been with us since the 1700s, the Snowbell (Allium triquetrium) is classified as a non-native species in England and Wales and since it can outcompete native spring plants such as primroses and violets, it is illegal to plant it in the wild (Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act)  It appears to have taken over one of our border beds and has now spread to the lawn! But it is very attractive and All parts of the plant are edible (leaves, roots, flowers): it has an oniony/garlic smell and tastes like chives or young spring onions. The flowers look very attractive in salads or as a garnish.  It is also known as “three cornered leek” (the leaves in cross-section are triangular), “onion grass” and “onion weed”.  It  tastes like chives or young spring onions. The flowers look very attractive in salads or as a garnish.

Snowbells

Snowbell flower

At home, the spare Charlotte potatoes, planted in a growbag have just appeared above the surface.

Although I have managed to increase the "no dig" areas on the allotment, there is a long way to go.  I had allowed the area where the brassicas are to go to become somewhat overgrown in the autumn but had largely cleared it of perennial weeds and had emptied one of the compost bins on the area and had left the pile over the winter.  On 16 April I spread the pile and begun to lightly fork it in. 

Preparing the brassica bed

This year's brassica bed

Last year's Rainbow Chard had survive the winter and was puttig on new growth but was showing signes that it was about to go to seed.  Neverthe less there will be pickings for some weeks to come.  Some of it was self-seeded - often in inconvenient places - so it will have to be removed but whilst it is still producing leaves, I am happy for it to remain.

19 April - Rainbow chard

More Rainbow chard

We were away for a few days towards the end of the month and when we returned on 29 April we were pleased to see that we could probably look forward to a good crop of broad beans but sad to see that the blackfly had arrived.  Usually the autumn sown crop matures before the blackfly arrive - not this year it seems!

29 April - the first Broad beans

29 April - the dreaded blackfly

Blackfly on our broad beans

We are trying to avoid the use of pesticides, so I started by hosing down the plants to wash off as many blackfly as possible and then sprayed the plants with soapy water, including the underside of leaves.  I had read that the addition of a few drops of pungent natural oil such as rosemary, peppermint or clove oil to the spray was effective - apparently almost any natural oil will do.  I had some mustard oil in the kitchen cupboard which we use in Indian cuisine, so added a few drops.  So far it appears to have been effective.

On the last day of April, I noticed that the redcurrant bushes were fruiting so the time has come to repair the cage and replace the netting if we are not to lose the entire crop to the birds.

30 April - redcurrants

30 April - redcurrants

The potatoes seem OK, particularly the Nicola and Charlotte second earlies. The First Early Duke of York, which were planted perhaps a bit too early have not yet fully recovered from the late frosts, but we are still hopeful.

30 April Potatoes: Charlotte & Nicola in foreground

The sugar snap peas were looking good but will need some support - another job for next month!

30 April - Sugar snap peas

It was also time to start thinking about climbing beans and some repairs were needed to the frame.

Preparing a frame for the climbing beans

The planting season was now in full swing and we have picked the last of the purple sprouting broccoli as well as a few more spears of asparagus.  Just hoping that May will see some higher temperatures and that the cool wind will disappear.

John Austin

Hove, April 2022

Life on The Weald - January 2022

Life on The Weald (and at home) -

January 2022

Midnight - seeing in the New Year

New Year's eve was the warmest on record and that warm spell continued into New Year's Day which saw the highest temperatures ever recorded in the UK on January 1st.  The temperature in St James's Park London reached 16.2C, beating the previous record of 15.6C in Cornwall in 1916.  In Hove it was only a little over 12C but still very mild for the time of year.

Apart from checking on the potatoes, chitting underneath a skylight in the loft, we had a day of rest from our labours and settled down to watch the Charlton v Wycombe match on TV, live from The Valley.  With a 1-0 loss for the Addicks it was a disappointing start to the year 😞

First and second early potatoes

2nd January was still mild and dry in the morning but soon misted over and rained later in the day.  We did get up to the plot in the morning and planted out the rather leggy broad beans that had been sown in pots at home.

2 January - Broad beans planted out (left)
(beans to the right, sown directly 25 Nov)

Sylvi replaced the soil in the trench which I had dug in one of the raised beds a few days earlier and then added the contents of the bottom trays from the wormeries mixed with tea/coffee grouts and eggshells.

2 January - trenches filled and topped with worm compost
 and coffee grounds & eggshells

We didn't stay long as it looked like rain was on its way, but we were there long enough to pick some spinach, cavolo nero and kalettes and lift a Swede (turnip).

2nd January, Kalettes fresh from the plot

For ther next few days it remained warm for the time of year but with frequent showers and occasional heavy rain until 5 January when a more seasonal dry cold spell arrived with a maximum of 6C.   I ventured to the plot to prepare another bed to plant the Eden Rose garlic.  I had previously planted Vallelado organic garlic in November and these were now about 8 inches high.

Bed prepared for Eden Rose garlic

Vallelado organic garlic at 31 December

With the windchill it felt more like 1C during the day but this was followed by sub-zero temperatures overnight and a heavy frost in the morning.  It remained cold on 6 January with unexpected rain in the morning. More heavy rain followed on Friday and Saturday but on Sunday 9 January we had clear blue skies and sunshine without any rain.  This gave us a good opportunity to do some tidying up and preparation of beds for spring sowing and planting out.

We used the opportunity to remove annual and perennial weeds and cleared the asparagus bed.  We cut down the autumn fruiting raspberries to the ground but also had to dig some out as they were spreading towards the raised beds and the rhubarb patch.   The sage bush had also begun to overwhelm one of the raised beds as well as taking over the central path.  We have been quite brutal in cutting it back but several of the branches had self rooted so we have a few rooted cuttings to re-pot as an insurance in case we have killed off the main plant which had spread over 2 metres.

unruly sage 

Sage cuttings 

We also began tackling the area around the red currant bushes where bindweed had spread.

Bindweed roots

We had a couple of spare recycling boxes and used these to form a cloche to force the rhubarb.

Forcing the rhubarb

The bright clear weather did not last very long and heavy rain returned from the Sunday evening until the following Wednesday, but there was much to do indoors.

Last year's Super Mama and Corazon tomatoes had been a great success and as I had some seeds left over I sowed some Super Mama indoors. Last year the Super Mama produced tomatoes weighing 100 - 120g. Following the sowing instructions, I will leave the Corazon until next month.

Whilst in Spain last year, I had bought some seeds for giant beefsteak tomatoes, Marmande and Pink Giant Tres Cantos which can be sown indoors December-March, so I have sown some,

seeds from Spain

more seeds from Spain

The Marmande seed packet says that it should produce fruits weighing 159-190g and the Pink Giant/Tres Cantos fruits of 400-500g.  We shall wait and see!

I also sowed some chillies, Chocolate Habanero and Basket of Fire from seeds left over from 2021.

Only four days later there was a sign that the Super Mama seeds had germinated,

First sign of the Super Mama tomato - 12 January

Two days later there was evidence that the other tomatoes had also germinated

Tres cantos and Super Mama - 14 January

Marmande 15 January

Meanwhile, back on the plot, I decided to take down the bean and cucumber frames to clear the area in preparation for planting the potatoes.  The area was covered with many perennial weeds.

12 January One of last year's runner bean frames

12 January, the other bean frame - before

12 January - getting there

12 January - almost done

The broad beans which had been planted out on 2 January were making good progress

12 January - broad beans ten days after planting out

13 January was another fine day and the sun was shining. It was only 7C but it felt much warmer in the sunshine.  I popped down to the harbour in the morning to buy some fish....

Shoreham Harbour - Portslade 13 January

Shoreham Harbour - Portslade 13 January

It was perfect weather for gardening.....

The Weald 13 January - approaching plot 247

Some of the weeds on #plot247

....and  there was no shortage of weeds to be removed!

Back at home, on 14 January it was time to check the lemongrass which had been brought indoors having spent the summer and autumn in the garden.

Lemongrass

The stems were difficult to remove but, with a sharp knife, I was able to cut off a couple just below the level of the soil, close to the roots.

Lemongrass successfully harvested

Success!  It was obviously time to make a spicy Thai prawn soup, Tom Yum.

Of course this needed chillies and the Basket of Fire, that had been repotted from the allotment, was there to oblige.

Basket of Fire  brought indoors for the winter

I hadn't made any plans to grow onions this year but on 16 January, on

 a trip to the garden centre I couldn't resist using a voucher I had to buy a trial set of shallots.  All I need to do now is find some space for them.

 

Mehnir shallots - an unintended purchase

More fine weather on 18 January and it was time to do some more weed clearing.

weed clearing continues!

The plot was beginning to look a lot tidier and there was now space for future planting of brassicas as well as potatoes.

Progress on preparing for planting

I also managed to find some space in one of the raised beds to plant the shallots, which I then covered with fleece to enable them to establish roots without being pulled out of the ground by birds.

On 20 January I harvested more kalettes which were coming to the end of their season but also picked the first of the early purple sprouting broccoli.

Kalettes - 20 January

Early Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Purple sprouting broccoli - 20 January

Kalettes  - 20 January

A quick peek under the covers (inverted recycling boxes) revealed that the forced rhubarb would soon be ready for picking.

20 January - forced rhubarb

20 January - forced rhubarb

It was a chilly morning on Sunday 23, but it was warm and cosy in bed listening to BBC Radio 4 and little incentive to get up and go to the allotment.  I was listening to an interview with the likeable and impressive First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, and then, at the end of the interview, he said he was off to his allotment!  Not sure if it was motivation or guilt but I decided that's what I ought to do!  It was very cold so the only thing to do was some healthy exercise to keep warm.  So out came the fork and the weed removal commenced.

23 January

23 January - chard in winter

23 January - steady progress

The beginning of the week was wet and overcast but by 27 January it appeared more spring-like.  At home the Hellebores were beginning to show flower buds

and the Camellias  were coming into flower.

At the plot it was obvious that the early peas I had sown had disappeared - either eaten or rotted - so I cleared the space and replanted with some directly sown broad beans which I then covered with fleece.  The autumn sown broad beans at the other end of the bed were thriving.

Broad beans

On 28 January we had some dramatic evening skies

28 January from the back garden

28 January from the bedroom window

The following day Storm Malik hit Scotland and the north of England followed on 

30 January  by Storm Corrie.  Fortunately the south of England escaped most of this but in the north trees and power lines came down.

On the plot, the forced rhubarb was ready for harvesting.

31 January - rhubarb

31 January - Rhubarb

A stormy end to January but the forecast for the coming weeks was looking good.

John Austin

Hove, January 2022