exploded into bloom

After a very wet night, today turned out mild with intermittent showers. On arrival, we were rewarded with a beautiful bed of bright red and black poppies. These had exploded into bloom , as if by magic, in front of the saskatoon and sweet pea bed. The day started with a risk assessment catch-up with Caley Saughton colleagues and a look through our new First Aid equipment.

The soil had benefitted from a night of rain, so conditions were perfect for planting leeks. We used the dibber to make a series of deep holes, popped a leek in each before adding water.

We also planted a couple of robust squashes, more dwarf French beans (S. Kingsley) and peas (Oregon Sugar Pod). These were netted to protect from likely pigeon attacks. (Last week’s raiding crow was back looking for more juicy spoils. But all rucksacks were kept firmly zipped today, so we were cursed and sworn at from on high instead).

The Pak Choi remains lusciously slug-free, the beer traps doing their job, capturing a few potential munchers. The June Drop continues amongst the apples, which are beginning to colour up nicely.

We weeded amongst the blueberries and brassicas and along the woodchip paths. The comfrey bed was cut right back. Big, floppy bunches were added to the compost bins to give a boost of potassium and nitrogen.

There were some firsts today with the harvesting: Saskatoon berries (like blueberries but a member of the honeysuckle family, native to North America)

broad beans (Masterpiece Long Pod) and peas (Oregon Sugar Pod).

We picked more punnets of wonderful strawberries, leaving at least another week’s harvest to ripen.

We played a game of “weed or seed” with the turnip seedlings, attempting to thin without accidently uprooting half our potential crop. No mowing today as the grass was too wet.

Jobs for next week: Strip the willow! Mow the lawn; thin the apples as necessary; weed (including the Communal Bed) continue harvesting