Garden Update April

 

Decided to start my garden diary early this year. As you can see the vegetable garden is not looking too bad. Although you can't really tell from this photo we have planted two sorts of potatoes, and some onion sets, and carrot, parsnip and beetroot seeds. Our black plastic covers have worked a treat, and I think it may be worth getting a few more next winter. I have high hopes for this year, because of the extra fertilisation from the chicken poops. 

We lost one chicken over the winter, in a rather mysterious way. We heard a kerfuffle in the afternoon, and the chickens had jumped the garden fence, and although right very to the house Nugget was gone. Babs had jumped up on the fence and was making the noise. No sign of even a feather, but we suspect either a fox or maybe a stoat. So the chickens are leading a slightly more confined life in a bigger run, with only supervised outings in the garden.

The strawberry bed had almost disappeared in weeds, but a bit of work and they have reemerged. I was really pleased to have got a lot of new strawberry plants from runners, which are planted in a trough in the polytunnel. High hopes for these, but maybe won't get much fruit until next year.

We have quite a lot of seedlings on the way in the polytunnel. Peas, broad beans, and a lot of things like squash, courgettes etc. The village plant exchange has already begun, and I am excited to see what my round climbing courgette plant becomes.

We have planted out the runnerbeans a few days ago. I am a little worried out this, because of our experience a few years ago, when there was a late May frost and we lost all our beans. So checking the weather forecast and keeping everything crossed.