April 2011

First April Sowers have arrived.  Good for the ground we need it desperately. 

Plant Sale matters go on.  We have nearly finished the sowing programme for the the Sale on May 15th.  The last things to be sown are beans and sweetcorn and a few courgettes, and these should be going in this week.  All the plantlets are looking healthy so far and haven't succumbed to any dreadful diseases or to much slug damage.  We have had a few casualties due to poor germination, which is a pity but not the end of the world,; we always have a few varieties that seem reluctant to grow in any one year but it isn't consistent so it is probably due to poor quality seed as everything else seems OK. 

It seems to be a never ending and backbreaking job moving all the plants around so that we can make room for the next lot.  This has to be done regularly so that we can harden things off properly before they go out onto the beds outside.  some things are a bit too far advanced and will be overgrown by the plant sale and we may need to pot these on, or even prune them back!  Watering is also a never ending job and Terry, as usual, has been the backbone on which we rely.