Catching up at the plot

After spending the morning rattling around the Island finding potting compost (John Innes Seed compost and J I No 1 ), bagged manure, Jeyes Fluid, some seeds and a shrub (Mimosa bush) I was able to spend some time at the plot.

I pruned the Autumn Bliss Raspberry canes; picked 5 globe artichokes; picked a carrier bag of broccoli; dug up two carrier bags of Desiree potatoes. These were just beginning to sprout so not before time. I think the ploy of leaving them until I wanted to eat them paid off this time.

Malcolm saw them and said they were "B****y marvellous!" And he marvelled at the artichokes too. He put in two rows of early potatoes yesterday. As my Desiree were sprouting I think I will follow suit and put mine in soon.

Tomorrow I will take advantage of the sun (we are promised) to have a good hoe around all the beds and the paths, and to get the two spud beds ready. I did start hoeing today but ran out of time as we had an appointment this afternoon.

Now I have a supply of fresh seed compost I'll be able to start sowing seeds in the tunnel. I will sow some leeks, sweet peas, broad beans, and broccoli in modules, ready for planting out later. The moon planting guide says that we should plant top fruiting crops when the moon is waxing (growing), and roots when it is waning. The next full moon is the 22nd....so until then I'll be sowing the top crops I just listed, and after then I'll plant spuds. I'll also try a row or two of carrots in the tunnel (the 14 days to leave it after sterilising with Jeyes will be up before the new moon.)

I am a bit disappointed with the onions I sowed before winter. Radar are supposed to good for overwintering, but I don't see much evidence of them in the bed. I ordered them a long time ahead as I missed out the previous year (and they just kept the money and put my order in for the following year). I don't think I'll bother with them again and just rely on sets from the garden centre in future.