6th May

6^th May

At lunch time I put out a few trays of plants to get the air and sun and I thinned the 2 pots of salad leaves – the mixed salad and the rossa lettuce. After work I again visited the allotment and before forking over sections 7 and 8, I planted out 5 teasels. 3 were in a line next to the poppies, and 2 were between the garlic. Speaking of garlic, I found one growing from last year so transplanted that to this years’ garlic area. In the evening back home I pricked out and potted on the best of the ageratum – I managed 45 into 3 plastic egg cartons with their lids underneath as drip trays. Using the same system I potted on 15 nicotianas. Both these plants are still tiny, it’s hard to believe they will grow into tall, strong flowers. I would have called it a day then but I noticed that the one pot holding the batch of calabrese plants I bought last week was now holding some very wilting and lifeless specimens. These were potted up individually into recycled plastic drinks cups and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had 20 plants even after discarding 2 or 3 poor ones then they were given a good watering. I hope I don’t lose them.

Thinking of calabrese and brassicas in general, I have these calabrese, 20 cauliflower, 20 fillbasket sprouts and a host of brigitte sprouts before I even get out the sprouting broccoli seeds. I love all these vegetables and as I was saying to my Dad the other day, we could do with 4 allotments between us and concentrate on one type of crop per plot and work a good and full rotation that meant I could grow a whole plot of brassicas. I eat loads of them, and they freeze well so it would be a beneficial, no waste approach!