What we did on the plot today...

Pootled off to the plot in the afternoon heat with our first proper plant run:

Took out the bolting perpetual spinach and chard except for a few at the back, which we'll allow to run to seed. Gradually, we hope, we'll be able to reduce our dependence on the annual seed shop and I'm also looking forward to swapping seeds with others.

This freed up two more beds, one of which became our new red onion seedbed.

You can see the bolted spinach plant in the top left corner. The onions are Long Red Florence. The bed behind contains our new potatoes. We've got some more onions soon ready to be planted out as well as quite a few leek seedlings.

We're starting to run out of room! I have already made noises to OH about taking on another plot on the site, one that looks overgrown and unfarmed. Unthinkable! That's where our space-eating pumpkin monsters could go!

While I was digging the beds, OH planted out our sprouting broccoli and scarlet kale seedlings. Together, we built more frames and netted the seedlings. Watered the plot for the first time after a wet spring.



One reason why we're so short of space is because we give so much over to soft fruits. We've got a massive raspberry bed because we love raspberry jams or vanilla icecream and hot raspberry sauce, and this summer I want to make raspberry syrup for OH's flavoured ciders.

This spring, I opened up this new strawberry bed from our runners, and this has been taking off very well.

This was the strawb bed we inherited from our predecessor last season. I managed to weed it a little bit, although I'm losing badly to the ground elder and the sticky willy. I was prepared to rip it all up but the sheer amount of blossom and fruit already forming on both beds makes me hope for a bumper crop of strawberries, and I love strawberries even more than raspberries.

This is overwintered (!) King of May lettuce, and it's doing its name justice. We've been eating a head of it every evening so far. It also self-seeded very liberally last year so I'm leaving the seedlings to grow where they are. They know best what they like.

The peas I planted last week didn't do all that well -- insect-eaten and yellowy, they were a sorry sight. Thankfully I have some more left. The beans could also be planted out now.