They smile at me every time I walk into the plot! Like them as they look like flowers, or peonies, rather than tulips.

Decided to double up on getting a working womans tan, and digging, so spent Sunday digging over some of the veg patch to plant some leeks, swede and carrots. Bloomin Nora – it was like digging into a sand pit! So dry!

I know soilman did a post last week on his plot, and I agreed that it was bone dry, but bloody hell – was MASSIVELY DRY – and its only April! Bummer!! Watering and bad backs ahoy for the rest of the summer! (Physio appointment already booked for tomorrow due to shooting pains down my legs – is not a good start to the season)

The poor red baron onions are having to be watered every few days….can I be bothered….er nope!

But they do grow once I’ve watered them!!!

I also re-planted some chilli seeds that I started off in small cells – they have taken about a month to get to this size – they’ve been quite slow. So, replanted into bigger trays so that the sweet peppers can do bog all like they did last year, and slowly rot and never turn red, and the chillis will produce their little socks off! I can predict the future!!

The apple trees have produced some wonderful blossom….it smells wonderful too!

Due to the last frosts last year, I only had 1 apple, but it tasted great! This WHOLE tree is covered this year – fingers crossed each blossom sprouts an apple….maybe some cider making later in the year…?!?!?!

Following on from the glut of veg that I froze down but then threw out some weeks ago, I’ve realised its a waste of time to grow stuff I honestly dont like but crops well. So, I have put more of my veg plot over to fruits, and Rhubarb (its a veg…I know!)

Above, the front bed had one rhubarb plant that last year was trying to flower like a trooper. I had read that this meant it was trying to “kill” itself by going to seed, so I dug it up and divided it, and here we are – a full bed of rhubarb. Crumbles ahoy! But, as its its first year, I wont harvest much from it, to let it build its energy.

The strawberrys are also in a new bed – they used to be elsewhere. I now only have 4 beds left for veg, and my greenhouse. More than enough I think…..

My Glen Ample raspberry bed however….LUSH! I ate raspberrys till they came out of my ears last year! More tend to be eaten as I’m picking, and then none really end up being used, as they’ve all gone. You will have to excuse the wonky fence – winds blew it over the other week…..just not got round to repairing….involves 2 new posts….just cant be bothered to dig!! Cant be bothreed and its so early in the season! Uh…oh!!

My summer raspberries are really going for it now – they have even gone under the fence and into next doors garden – oops! I may have to jump the fence and scrump my own fruit!

Last year I had about 3 blackcurrants on my plant – and I don’t mean bunches, I mean single currants. Was touch and go whether the saw came out and it was relegated to the compost bin. But, being the lazy gardener, I left it in, and this year I have been rewarded with a fair few bunches, not enough for Ribena to get excited, but more than last year!

They’re quite pretty things!

Planted up my herb garden with herbs saved from last year – I have Oregano, Lemon Balm, Orange Thyme, and some Sage that I’ve bought this year. In the other sink, I have some chives, bought this year, but some Mint that I have planted in a pot first, as that bloody stuff gets everywhere!!!!!! It spreads very easily. Everything was looking woody last year, but looks very fresh this year, as I’ve got all new plants from cutting – think I will do this again…and its free!

Mr Veg couldn’t work it out (we’ve only got our own construction company?!?!?! and hes a man…surely he could manage that) and my Dad was scuppered too. So, it stayed as such.

Anycase, one of Mr Vegs friends stayed the other week, and said….oh you’ve got some panes missing out of the roof of your greenhouse…so I explained my “spanner” situation. Oh, he said, I’ve got exactly the same greenhouse at home, this is what you do……Hallelluja!!! I have windows that I can open and not nearly chop my head off if I dropped them. And they open….and close….and they stay open on the stays if aI want them to!!! Its EXCITING!!!!!

Soon my clematis will flower, (Montana) and will set off my lovely, fully working greenhouse! Hurrah!

I’ve got a full seed tray of them – I soaked some dried chickpeas in water over night and then waited for them to sprout, and then planted them in compost. Easy Pea-sy this bit! (see what I did there…Pea-sy)

They form nice compact plants – seems you literally leave them to grow much like peas – they grow, get some pods, them you leave the pods to dry (i think), I’ve got a bit of time to catch up on what you do to them! So I’m waiting until later in the month, harden them off then out they go, into the big bad world….

I now have the issue that I have 3 flower buds – it did this last year, and tonight I shall be cutting them off! Seems they sap the strength – as with any plant, the idea is to procreate, so flowers is the way to do this.

Look like quite sturdy flower/plants – I’m quite impressed apart from the stupid flower!! Shows what a bit of abandonment can do – rather than love and care! Just need the stems to turn pink so I can eat them!!

So this is my first batch of sowings – they’re about a month old. I have to harden them off before I put them in the ground and they can be savaged by slugs….dooom!!!

Heres some more slug food – my radish. I’ve got a posh little label too!

I’ve got some lovely runner beans growing again this year – from my fave nursery (Swillington) they are SO sweet – I have grown them the last 2 years. Last years didn’t do too well after the darkness that descended on my patch with the over grown trees (hurrah they have now gone) so I’m hoping for bumper crops this year. I am also really going to try hard and do succession sowing!

These are dwarf green beans – they didn’t really get very far last year – in height – I know they are dwarf, but they were very stumpy with not a lot of beans on. I din’t do too well last year really with beans!!

I also have some mange touts (I love these) on the go, and all the seeds have germinated and they are lovely healthy plants. Three are some sunflowers on the go too, another race with next doors kids, but they are really competative this year – we’ve got best in show comps at the end of the season too – no pressure!!

These small buggers are aubergine – they have taken their time the lazy sods! They nearly got composted (I have no patience….I know, I’m a gardener, I should have it!!), but nearly all have germinated. I don’t like aubergine, but like to grow it.

I’ve already had a harvest of rhubarb – hurrah!

The dark side…..whoaaaaaaaa….I’ve sown some Hollyhocks…

…and some Cosmos….lovel these in the flower beds, veg beds and for vases in the house – win, win!!

Well, the most exciting bit was that I found (okay, the fat Beagle Bella) a rats nest in what we call the “old compost heap” – its just a rubbish tip that the old residents had but we’ve never shifted-its a nettle mountain in summer – good for wildlife – thats the justification…..(okay I’m lazy!). She kept digging for about 2 hours, and I finally moved a brick and there they were – pink and squirming…then they were in her mouth!!!!!! Argh!!!!!!! Mr Veg at work – TYPICAL – happens when hes not here!!!!! This is the dog that sniffs her food before you give it her incase theres something dodgey in it!! And shes trying to eat them! Anycase, they’ve gone to the big swimming pool in the sky.

Not very exciting I know, but it was an adventurous day – phew!

Anycase….things continue to sprout – this is a corgette/Marrow – bit bigger now, but I quite liked this pic.

The Head Gardener (Dad) has gone to Spain, so he has brought down all of his seedlings with strict instructions, (as if I’ve never grown anything before! Tut!!) I know I have a history of not watering things….but hey!! So he took over the kitchen for a few days till I hoyed the plants in the greenhouse (lets hope he doesn’t read this – they get a duvet, and tucked up on a night time at his house, not a draughty greenhouse!)

We’ve not got a “reet” lot of room at ours, but I’ve felt the need to grown some artichokes – see how they go. If they get too big, I will upearth and plant in the garden as an ornamental and then harvest….sure come mid summer I will be regretting not just putting it straight in the garden….but lets see!

I’ve only got Glen Ample raspberries in my garden – blame Sainsburys for that – fell in love with them from there!! So they are summer variety, so they grow on new growth, (i think…?!) and they are sprouting away and I have about 12 canes – lush raspberries for tea come July/August!! Yum!

These are my herbs saved from last years lot – they were looking a bit scraggy, so got some new plants out of them. We had a mild frost last night (theres been a big cloud above us – surely not!?!?), but think that they are hardy, so I’m going to plant out this weekend in 2 old Belfast sinks near the back door. Twee! love it!!

I’ve been watching the Alice Fowler series on BBC on a Wednesday and its worth a watch – I really like her. My age, and she likes growing veg – I love her garden! Watching that made me go out and buy loads of perinneals as my garden has looked empty, so Swillington (my fave nursery) got my pennies as I bough about 130 plants, rather than evil internet based Crocus. They are all growing very nicely, so my garden will look gorgeous by summer……sorry – talking about the dark side there! I forgot myself!!

Dug over the veg beds – nearly got blisters! The 2 large “new beds” – they’ve been about for 2 years now, but they’re still new to me – whenever I’ve dug over them in previous years have been lacking in worms.

So, as I’ve dug over other areas of the garden, I’ve transfered some worms to the veg beds – they are now teeming with worms, which is great!! Loads of ‘em – really big fat juicy ones…sure if I was a blackbird they would look appealing. But I’m not…..

Did however find these…

…oops! Lovely specimens though – no holes/damage…anything! Left overs from last years harvest….Tea here they come!

Around the sides of one of the veg beds, I had planted some tulips for using in the house. Only issue is, that tulips flower quite late in spring so by the time they arrive, I’ve got veg in the ground and they take up valuable space – so they go transfered down the side of one of the paths….

So, in with the new stuff….

On the 14 March I planted lettuce, chillis, tommys, chives and some other stuff….most of these have sprouted. I planted some runner beans and some dwarf green beans on SUNDAY, and they have already started to sprout! None of this 15 day germination for me! Whoosh….like a speeding bullet!!

I also got some plug plants from the local nursery, and planted them up – 40p each. Bargain!

All are in the greenhouse, and I’m keeping an eye on the weather – if it gets too cold, I’ll also cover them with fleece.

My rhubarb has started – gonna be a BEAST this year!

Horseradish is also on its way – looks like it should in sand dunes on the beach…..

and before people say I told you so, its already started speading its dastardly roots…was diggin them buggers up this weekend too!!

I’ve also soaked some chickpeas, and I’m going to start them going too. I got half a plant last year, and having read up on them, you plant them and harvest them – like any other plant….so why not!

And this pic is for Mal @ Mals Allotment - my only show of any daffs at the moment….2 of them – sure with a bit of sun (currently over cast and drizzly/grey here) they will be blooming!!

Seems a Mink had been on the loose and had savaged next doors chicken & duck coop – I am gutted. They had 6 ducks – 2 white and 4 brown, all cuties. They now have 2. it also got 2 chickens I think…..One of the white ducks ones had been dragged out of the coop through the nesting boxes (they have a really heavy lid on them so they can get the eggs) and then half eaten, which next doors kids found this morning at 8am. Bless. They are a real bugger to open them nesting boxes, so unsure how its done it.

Anycase, dad next door cornered it, and managed to catch it (thank goodness he was home – he works away during the week, and there was no way I was dealing this with my lovely neighbour Bev – would have beena bit too much!) and put it in the cat carrier.

Seems they live near rivers, and mainly eat fish, by products of animals, and rabbits and stuff. When I Googled them, it didn’t say much about eating ducks and chicken, but needs must I suppose.

It made the most horrible noise – unsure if it was a warning noise, but it was these I heard the other night when I thought the screecher owl was back.

So, back to the auction rooms for some more ducks…..its a real shame. I know its nature, but its hard when you grow attached to them. RIP ducks and chickens.