Wednesday, May 30, 2012



After many years of failure, I've finally got some dill to germinate and grow outdoors. Instead of horticultural seed it's culinary, which means lots more seed for your money. Wasn't sure if the experiment would work but now there are several clumps around the allotment.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Peas up

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Growth forecast



Hot sun after the rain has meant that established plants, like spinach, chard, artichokes, parsnips, broad beans, strawberries, rhubarb, black and red currants, gooseberries and raspberries have put on loads of growth, but it's difficult to establish seedlings without attentive routine watering.



Weeds are growing well too, especially bindweed and poppies.



The tallest parsnip plants are running to seed and will be removed soon, but at the shady base there are lots of new seedlings for next winter.



The very last of the purple broccoli and white cauliflower shoots that heve been supplying the kitchen for the last few months. Time to sow some more.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Toxic Bloom



"The Azalea and Rhododendron were once so infamous for their toxicity that to receive a bouquet of their flowers in a black vase was a well-known death threat."

wikipedia.org

Friday, May 11, 2012

Flowering





Harvesting







Vulgar granny



Aquilegia vulgaris, aka Granny's bonnet

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Every one's a winner ..



... that's no lie
you never fail to satisfy

100% success rate with the runner bean seed saved from last year.

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Germination anxiety

Around this time of year there's a nagging feeling that there are probably some seeds that should have been sown by now and some seeds which have been sown that should have germinated.

Assuming that anything will grow in the water.

Friday, May 04, 2012

Don't push me ...



... cos I'm close to the edge.

I'm trying not to lose my head.

Uh huh huh huh.