Hasn't today been glorious? I've spent most of it at the plot.
This morning I planted my First Earlies ("Rocket" and "Red Duke of York") and Second Earlies ("Nicola") in the LH of the four deep beds you can see here. I don't "do" trenches....I have a long bulb planter which I use to remove a plug of soil to 8" deep, then throw in a handful of manure and compost mixed, then put the spud in eyes uppermost, and follow it with more planting mix and finally the soil plug sprinkled over.
These took up most of the LH bad which I had earmarked for roots (along with the next one which is already sown with carrots and beetroots....no show yet!). So.....when it came to the maincrop I was stumped....they had to go into the RH bed here which was for shallots (which rotted as reported earlier before I got round to planting them). This bed is now full of Desiree. I chose that variety because I understand that they can be left in the ground until needed. As we never get frozen ground here that is ideal for me. Stored potatoes are a bit of a liability if you don't get the conditions right.....so I'd rather they looked after themselves instead.

After all that back breaking work I needed to do an upright job. So I hoed all the fruit bush area again and then gave them a really good mulch with manure and compost. Most of the raspberries are now showing signs of life, but one or two are a bit dead looking still.
After that I felt I had the energy to sort out the hedge by the shed. As this is the very southern edge of the plot, and the big tree casts a lot of shade I felt this was better cut a bit lower to let more light in.....but not too low, as it is a windbreak for the garden and for the shed (which is rather flimsy as it was cheap!) I think I want this spot eventually as a sitting area as it is shady and gets the lovely view of the Solent

The inherited wormery (hiding behind the composter) will be used to make nettle brew.....I'll set it up on Sunday. I don't need a wormery here as I have one at home which takes care of kitchen waste.
Here you can see the untouched part of the plot. I will start on this bit in earnest on Sunday. In the foreground will be four more deep beds; the background will clean up for pumpkins on the bank. And I mean to put in a row of sunflowers along the fence.

All in all I have had a lovely day. Lots of natters with other plotters.

Oh! And I forgot to say....silly me!.....this morning I booked my ticket and coach trip for Thursday, May 24th at Chelsea Flower Show. It is ten years since I went and I think I can face it again. I have to catch a coach at 7am at Portsmouth, so goodness knows what time I have to leave home to catch the ferry. I left it too late to go on a Member's Day....Tickets sold out......daft me! By the time I get home at night I'll be really really really tired!!!!!!