I have just spent an hour writing an entry for this post...then Picasa Blogger wouldn't load it! So I have craftily saved it and am now editing it.

This morning was fine and not too windy, and I had to be at home with the dogs, so I decided to concentrate on my kitchen garden.

Firstly I put a good layer of home-made compost on the new asparagus bed...just this side of the tunnel. The plants were raised from seed this year. They are just beginning to show new growth....a bit spindly though. I realise that I won't be able to harvest these for a couple of years but I can wait.
In front of that is the bed I concentrated most on today. The photo shows the bed half full of soil. I am in the process of getting the excess spoil from behind the RH back beds. The old shrub border there comes right to the back of the beds and I can't walk round behind. So I had earmarked this soil for my new bed. This bed will be for the strawberry plants at present all over the garden and in pots. It will be a permanent fruit bed. I finished the work before I gave up and walked the dogs. Tomorrow I hope to get the strawberries moved, settled and mulched with compost.

The right hand section of the garden.....8 deep raised beds....is for the crop rotation. What you see at the moment though is....
(back row...left to right)
Bed 1. The Sq Ft bed I planted up in the summer. Still harvesting, chard, beetroot, radish (winter), leeks, fennel.
Bed 2. The Sq Ft bed I planted in the autumn. Still harvesting, carrots, beetroots, mizuna, rocket, lambs lettuce, parsley, turnips.
Bed 3. Shallots in the back part (planted in November...now showing 4 inches of leaves)....front half still empty.
Bed 4. Broad beans at the back......8 inches tall. Garlic at the front...all sprouted, 5"high. This bed doesn't get much sun in winter so I am pleased with the results.
Front row...left to right
Bed 5. Strawberries....about to be moved.
Bed 6. Empty except for some spinach in the corner.
Bed 7. Brassicas and a row of strawberries at this end. The Brussels are being harvested now, the broccoli is a bit shy of flowers but I am still hoping.
Bed 8. Newly made....still empty.

I have a lot of work still to do to the paths between the beds. I am throwing the stones gleaned from the beds whilst weeding. There are a lot of them. However the paths are still weedy. I intend to clear everything off the paths, weeds and stones, lay membrane, and then lay the cleaned stones.

You can also see the damage done to my tunnel gutter system. I have got some new tape and will re-install it when the weather makes a permanent improvement.

I split and potted up the Iceplant rescued from the plot yesterday and made 6 good sized plants from it. I'll lovingly tend these until they are ready to go in my yet to be realised front garden re-model. (We have to have more parking and I want to get rid of the lawn as I find it difficult to use the mower, and DH is reluctant.)

So, although I would have been glad to get to the plot today if it had been possible I am happy with my day's work.